least depressing black mirror episodes

Input Cinephile Shodown
41

favorite episode of black mirror is where the kids discover theres nothing to be gained from being cyber crusaders

that might also be an episode of vr troopers huh

2 Likes
42

Watched the first 2 episodes so far. Between these two, most of season 3, and the xmas special, their wholesale plagiarism of Greg Egan would be less egregious if they weren’t making it so cartoonish and watered down.

It’s at the point now where they should either just hire Egan or directly adapt his stories. Booker’s versions are like a college freshman’s attempt at making the exact same kind of sci fi thought experiments – zero nuance, surface level considerations of implications of the “device of the episode”, bludgeoning of each episode’s morals. The show is entertaining but I wish they either took themselves less seriously or worked harder at being serious work.

(basically what I’m saying is if black mirror remotely interests you, read Greg Egan)

3 Likes
43

Watched crocodile (4-3) tonight, and so far I think the first half of this season gets better with every episode. I tend to like black mirror most when it’s closest to a procedural for whatever reason (it overreaches less in that case, obviously), and this one is pretty fully realized and gently dystopian within that framework.

It’s nice when they’re unpretentious enough to give us murder she wrote

44

I think this might be my favorite season so far. The final episode is completely bonkers, I loved it.

45

I’ve already got a very short fuse at the moment but ep4 is making the vein in my forehead pop out with its reductiveness

46

The problem with ep3 for me is that I’ve read at least one short story that’s predicated on that same twist so I was already spoiled for effect. That and the second half of the murders did not have to happen as the insurance investigator’s memory only showed that her husband only knew she was going to see the architect and NOT that her husband knew more than that. Dump the car and the investigator somewhere out in that isolated area where the architect live, pretend to have never seen the investigator when the cops come looking and you’ve done a better job covering it up. The first half was well set up, though.

Ep4 assumes too much for too little for my liking.

47

I’m enjoying the series so far. About to watch Black Museum. I really felt like episode 3 was just so overboard after a certain point. I almost want to see a fan edit with canned laughter put over it. It’s an interesting take on what a state enforced conscience might look like, but for the most part it just plays out like “look at this very troubled sociopathic murderer” rather than “look at what a tech-driven (self-)surveillance state could do to someone,” which would have been way more interesting for me.

48

despite going comically overboard it’s probably the best episode of the season, this crop really wasn’t great

49
50

i follow enough tv and game critics that i am looking forward to the nightmare discourse about charlie brooker releasing an fmv game on netflix

people are streaming it on twitch, doing let’s plays of it already

8 Likes
51

It’s not a very good episode, either. Can’t even subvert the premise of the series (bleak look of the future) to an ending of sunshine and roses, only one that pulls back the curtain for a bit and go ‘yeah, you’re aren’t scripted to jump out the window and escape here GO FIGHT YOUR THERAPIST’.

It’s going to rate high anyway because that experience isn’t typical of the average tv watcher.

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52

feels like the stanley parable for people who have never played a video game

bit of pulpy fun tho

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53

I liked Bandersnatch. It was a solid episode about psychosis. I was genuinely curious to see if I could win and save the Mom, but no he’s just crazy. The TOY ending is the closest thing to it, and feels like the true ending.

54

Is this the ZX Spectrum’s biggest brush with fame in the US? Take that Timex.

Jeff Minter “plays” the author on the cover of the book.

55

I watched this yesterday with a buddy and had an OK time but felt it was a bit subpar. The whole Netflix-Does-FMV-Game thing was fun, but the story itself was dull and cliched. There were a few pretty great standout moments though:

  • The hotshot game dev egging you on during the balcony acid trip and then jumping to his death

  • Telling the hotshot game dev you’re going to murder him, and in response he immediately fully accepts it and goes out of his way to help you do it properly

  • Telling the main character that he’s being controlled by Netflix, a streaming entertainment platform from the future, then having him fight his therapist.

1 Like
56

you know as wiki headed as i am i sure wish this show wasn’t constantly trying to make a “black mirror universe” where all the episodes are some level of canon. like the only time it was really a detriment was in black museum and the rest are basically easter eggs and winks but it still feels kinda wack. i want full anthology tbh

57

We should consign the phrase “cinematic universe” to the trash heap of history

2 Likes
58

I remember Draco? Turning us on to this series when it first came out and I kept recommending it to people. Then years later it came to netflix people were telling me about it and I felt esperbated when “I told you about this two years ago.” “Oh well, have you seen it.”

Anything that reminds me of the bitter darkness of our current world is definitely too much now though.

2 Likes
59

yeah i also remember dracko posting the first episode in the axe when it came out and i watched it when i saw it at like midnight having no idea what it was and i thought it was amazing

60

the first episode is still the best imo

they need that thriller vibe to make the often prosaic plots work, it doesn’t necessarily need the political angle but these are usually only good when they’re gonzo and tense