Netflix - BLACK MIRROR Anthology Series

Lunkenstein · December 31, 2017, 11:39:14 PM

Sorry if there is already a thread for this. I searched, but could not find one.
I had never seen an episode until a couple days ago, when Number 2 son told me he thought I would like it. He first showed me the Trek-like episode, "USS CALLISTER". I was really impressed with the writing and ideas. Next, he showed me "BLACK MUSEUM" and it has haunted me ever since. These remind me of THE TWILIGHT ZONE and OUTER LIMITS in some ways, but dealing with the latest tech concepts and ideas. Very dark, but also satirical. Needless to say, I'll be watching more of them. It's always cool with anthology series that you don't need to watch them in order. I thanked my son for getting me hooked on another show with my limited viewing time. Anyone else into this show?

aura of foreboding · January 20, 2018, 01:23:41 AM

On your advice, I started this series. Season 1 Episode 1. The first season was okay. Interesting enough. Season 2 was a little better. Then the start of Season 3... "Nosedive." Geez. What an episode. It really hits home because it is exactly where our society is headed. It's really scary how much this episode pinpointed the problem with living in a world run by social media... especially for kids.

Lunkenstein · January 21, 2018, 02:12:24 AM

My kids have been showing me various episodes from all the seasons, so I haven't seen them in any order. I heard the very first episode was not too good, but all the ones I have seen I really liked. Very well thought out and provoking. Glad to hear you're liking them too.

aura of foreboding · January 21, 2018, 07:57:36 AM

Scary stuff in here because it's so relevant.

The first one with more traditional Horror elements I have seen is in Season 3: Playtest. "Haunted house," weird creatures... That was a really sad episode too, probably my favorite so far. It was well thought-out and well-written.

eastlosfinest · January 22, 2018, 03:17:53 PM

i love the show. i see it as a modern day twilight zone, and i just finished watching the new season. For the most part, im completely into it and caught up in suspense.

aura of foreboding · January 23, 2018, 06:50:13 AM

Quote from: eastlosfinest on January 22, 2018, 03:17:53 PM
i love the show. i see it as a modern day twilight zone, and i just finished watching the new season. For the most part, im completely into it and caught up in suspense.

It's the closest thing to a TZ we have had!

the_horror_man · March 01, 2018, 04:40:34 PM

Black Mirror is one of the best shows on television. It demonstrates some of the best writing to even come to tv. Last season's finally was absolutely brilliant. It resonated with me on how well done it was.

thm

aura of foreboding · April 06, 2018, 07:24:08 AM

Everyone should watch the episode Metalhead. It actually made me tear up. Sadly, I think this is where we will end up in the not-so-distant future if we don't reign this technology in.

I went to read what some folks are saying about this episode online. It's really polarizing. Some people totally get it. Some people don't. I think it's really sad that the ones that don't are complaining that it's in black-in-white, that it's "too long", that it's too vague. These things are what make so many great thrillers and horror films great. And yet there is an entire group of people who don't appreciate these things. That being said, the episode is really deep, and I don't think people get that either. A lot of Black Mirror episodes explain everything. This one explains nothing. You have to understand why the dogs exist and what the dogs represent and what the humans represent to get it. In other words, you have to use your brain.

I have come to the snarky conclusion that the people who claim to like Black Mirror but hate this episode don't really have brains and can't think for themselves. Sadly, I think they like Black Mirror for all of the reasons I actually dislike it. Unlike the Twilight Zone, imo, I think the series spoonfeeds the viewers too much. It gives too much away. It makes things too tidy. This episode is brilliant in the fact that it actually makes you think, like Twilight Zone did. You have to think about what the humans are doing and why they are doing it.
You have to think about what the dogs are and why they were created. Then when you see the ending, you have to be able to put the two ideas together to understand the brilliance of it. That's why it's in my Top 3... hands down.

Would love to hear others' thoughts on it. I want to know it's not just me who gets it.

Lunkenstein · April 06, 2018, 04:34:50 PM

I'll definitely check that one out when I can.

Lunkenstein · April 07, 2018, 11:17:00 PM

I watched METALHEAD today and thought it was great. I love B&W in high def! All those varying shades and contrasts bring a whole different feel. The premise is very scary and all I could think about was a video I saw online of similar creations in action. Knocking them down might seem humorous to some, but then seeing them get right back up and doing leaps is creepy. I think Hawking was right to be very afraid.

aura of foreboding · April 08, 2018, 01:45:22 AM

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I don't know why so many people didn't like it. Fortunately, one review I read compared it to Trilogy of Terror with the Zuni Warrior. I don't know if I'd go that far, but I thought it was really well done, one of the best in this series. I like the fact that the dogs were programmed to protect and kill for something that was useless to them, something they could neither appreciate nor understand. And that humans, in search of some compassion and feeling, were being destroyed by this cold, unfeeling technology. I think it works on many levels, but mostly as an allegory for today's youth and the world they are growing up in vs. the one most of us grew up in.

Lunkenstein · April 08, 2018, 04:00:13 AM

On one hand, I appreciate a lot of technology when used for good. But, there is the concern for unleashing forces beyond our control. I do deliveries for a living and see lots of bad driving, but the idea of driverless cars scares me. I don't think I could ever get used to that.

aura of foreboding · April 08, 2018, 05:26:39 AM

Driverless cars scare me too, even though I live around plenty of bad drivers!

Lunkenstein · January 26, 2019, 12:02:11 AM

Anyone else go through the new 'Bandersnatch' episode? Making all those choices for the story to continue made my head spin, but it was a pretty cool idea. My last choice didn't turn out especially well, lol.