Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

As long as we recognize Lucas is washed up and most TV sucks, we'll all get along fine.
Malcolm
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Re: Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Malcolm »

S3E6: Hated in the Nation

This might end up being the second best ep of the third season. Two Brit investigators are checking out a locked room murder. After coming up empty on leads, a second body is produced a day later along with some key evidence. I'll skip over that macguffin, but the villain is a tech genius who's figured a way to use social media hashtags to commit murder. Post a certain hashtag coupled with a name and photo. If they get the most votes, they die around 5pm the next day. This seems to be sort of ripped off from the days of ancient Greece. Back then, whenever your ass went to council to vote, you could scratch someone's name on a shard of pottery. Whoever got the most votes at the end of the current year got exiled for the next one. The kicker is that the social media users don't know their posts are leading to actual deaths, so they continue being their normal dickish selves. The biggest problem I have here was the scope of the hashtag usage. Way too low. The phenomenon has a week to build up momentum in a densely populated first-world western country. No chance the numbers should have fewer than 7-8 digits. Moderately popular YouTube vids take off faster. Ending was a bit unsatisfying, though.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Leisher
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Re: Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

Watched S3E1: Nosedive.
It's an interesting concept that's actually scary because you could see it becoming reality.
S3E2: Playtest This ep felt like a condensed, low budget version of Inception. Whenever he goes down a level, so to speak, it's telegraphed with a big neon sign. Those tells coupled with the protagonist's inherent unlikability mean you probably won't give a fuck what happens to him by the end.
I liked it despite the predictability, but yeah, the main character is really, really unlikable.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Re: Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

S3E3: Shut Up and Dance
I agree with your review even though I think you essentially spoil it, which is why I didn't copy the rest of it.

I really enjoyed this episode. I did some research and found out that the original story didn't have every twist this one did, but I think they found the perfect balance in this version. Everything made sense.

My favorite of the new season so far.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Re: Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

Malcolm wrote:S3E4: San Junipero

The story starts out with two chicks in the '80s. It's extremely difficult to go into much more detail because it goes somewhere way the fuck else after that. I'll say the writer most likely played or read up on a certain MMOG to prep for this, which I'm not even going to link to because it'd kill things. This is the first ep of the season that I'd call "good."
I liked it as well. Beautifully shot.

The ending though...there was more than one way to interpret that right?
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Re: Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

S3E5: Men Against Fire
The weakest episode of any season so far. It was immediately obvious what was happening.

Some really strange script and directorial decisions too. I'm not one to complain about gratuitous nudity, but the sex scene was completely pointless.

I will give it credit for not being an anti-military movie, but an anti-government movie.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Leisher
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Re: Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

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S3E6: Hated in the Nation
Excellent episode that felt like a full length feature movie. It'd be in my top 5 episodes.

I do agree with Malcolm on the ending. There's only one logical conclusion to be drawn from why they ended it the way they did, and it doesn't fit the series. There are no "to be concluded" episodes. Still, it's different than what I had been expecting, which involved the same person...

This series is simply excellent. You should be watching it.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Malcolm
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Malcolm »

Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Leisher
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

All episodes occur in the same universe?

Doesn't really work out, imho.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Leisher
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

Season 4 Episode 1 - USS Callister

Great episode.

It does raise an interesting philosophical debate that I can't get into without major spoilers.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Leisher
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

S4 E2 - ArkAngel

Directed by Jodie Foster.

This will strongly appeal to mothers and give parents something to discuss.

Everyone else might think it to be boring. To be fair, it is at times.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Leisher
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

S4 E3 - Crocodile

Worst episode of the season so far. No twists. Very predictable.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Leisher
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

S4 E4 - Hang the DJ

The highest rated episode on IMDB. It's a good one, but E1 is still my favorite.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Leisher
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

S4 E5 - Metalhead

Apparently, this is the most polarizing episode. If you need backstory and explanation, you're going to hate this episode.

I have no idea what was meant to be accomplished, but it was a cool ride. Of course, I dig "end of the world" scenarios as a backdrop to entertainment.

I do get the criticism though as a traditional story is not told. You're basically only watching a second act.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Leisher
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

S4 E6 - Black Museum

Black as in crime, so no worries about a "crackers" are bad message.

This is a really good episode made up of three stories. One is by Penn Jilette.

A very good season, imho. Only Crocodile was shit.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Leisher
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

Image
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
TheCatt
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by TheCatt »

Did you do it?

I'm traveling, so my wife doesnt want to do it until I'm home.
It's not me, it's someone else.
Leisher
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

I haven't yet.

I don't want to spoil the episode, but I know how to "win"...
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
TheCatt
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by TheCatt »

Leisher wrote: I haven't yet.

I don't want to spoil the episode, but I know how to "win"...
Ah. Don't know the episode or anything.
It's not me, it's someone else.
Leisher
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Black Mirror - Yay! Netflix

Post by Leisher »

Good episode. "Hang the DJ"
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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