Black mirror on Netflix

WezV

SteveRobinson said:

Daughter #3 recommended this to me so I watched one and a half episodes of series one last week. That was more than enough, won't be watching any more.

They are all very different.  Did you start at S1

i think Black Mirror is a wonder of efficient story telling.  Something sadly lacking from a lot of modern TV.

sounds like metal head missed the mark on that for some.  I must admit I was expecting more story... but they still got a hell of a lot in the time slot

Grangousier

I binged S4 in two nights, and I think it's best seen as a ... the poncey film-critic word for it is portmanteau (like Dead of Night or Tales from the Crypt), with one of the episodes also being a portmanteau. I think this series they've got the differences between the episodes much better - while Metalhead is almost totally without explanation, other episodes (Arkangel, for example) will be hugely expository. I think Brooker is a much better writer now, and it's interesting that almost all the stories are revolving around one technological development (digitising consciousness), but that can make for stories that are more low-key and possibly seem more samey. Whereas at the beginning it was like a book of science-fiction short stories, with the concepts and settings all over the place, now it seems more like Asimov's I, Robot - a number of stories looking at one phenomenon from different points of view. Only Metalhead didn't fit into the overall concept (and that was about humans vs AI, with the suggestion in the following, final, episode that there's more to the "twist" in Metalhead than meets the eye. Trying not to make it too spoilery).

But each episode really worked for me in a sequence - the almost wordless grittiness of Metalhead fitting between the actually quite fun Hang the DJ and the more traditional (and hugely wordy) Black Museum. 

BRISTOL86

Loved Black Museum, the owner guy was a brilliant actor. 

axisus

RandallFlagg said:

axisus said:

RandallFlagg said:

He's still ...........

Spoilers! You might want to take that bit out.

from something that was aired 3 years ago? really?

You make a good point, but on the other hand I think it was a fascinating story so why mention the end to those who haven't seen it. I literally had a sleepless night over that bit!

TTBZ

I'd love a spin off based on more science experiment tales from the Black Museum guy.

RandallFlagg

TTBZ said:

I'd love a spin off based on more science experiment tales from the Black Museum guy.

Yeah, that's series on it's own

stickyfiddle

Have now watched the first three. I enjoyed 1 & 2 enough, but Crocodile was just rubbish. It didn't help that it was all filmed in Iceland I miss the place like mad today.

english_bob

Working my way through S4 (still haven't seen all of the previous episodes).

Really liked "Hang The DJ" and "Arkangel" (quite thought provoking as a parent, and a former teenager), quite liked "Crocodile" although it was easily the bleakest of the three (even with the absurd way the police were able to catch the killer).

Surprised at the ending to "USS Callister" too. I thought that one was going to go full dark.

Moltisanti

it's a brilliant show, genuinely thought provoking especially the little glimpse into the near future.
I loved the one with Bryce Dallas Howard, it had a genuine positive impact on me.

Danny1969

It's a bit odd though how it's in an age of robot dogs and brain thought reading but they got the same cars, houses and roads we have
Shut up and dance was my fave of the entire series 

Hootsmon

is it a different characters/stories with each episode?

WezV

hootsmon said:

is it a different characters/stories with each episode?

Normally, yes.

the last episode of this series  ties some things together, but only loosely.

Tone71

Have been watching this for the few days, it`s bloody good. Still on series 1 but did watch the USS Callister which was excellent.

Danny1969

WezV said:

hootsmon said:

is it a different characters/stories with each episode?

Normally, yes.

the last episode of this series  ties some things together, but only loosely.

It is a shared world though with news headlines on some stories have sub headings mentioned characters and crimes from previous shows ... the child murderer Skillane from White Bear is referenced the most. I only noticed the porn reference between Crocodile and 15 million merits but have googled and there's a lot of others. 

breakstuff

I'm up to episode two of season four,Arkangel.To me the weakest so far after Playtest.

Really enjoyed every other episode though.Standout episode to me?San Junipero.Such a lovely episode,largely devoid of the negativity of many others.Surprisingly feelgood and it really touched me.

BloodEagle

Yep, San Junipero is my favourite from all of them, followed closely by the Star Trek one 

english_bob

breakstuff said:

I'm up to episode two of season four,Arkangel.To me the weakest so far after Playtest.

Really enjoyed every other episode though.Standout episode to me?San Junipero.Such a lovely episode,largely devoid of the negativity of many others.Surprisingly feelgood and it really touched me.

I think you'll like "Hang The DJ".

I quite liked "Arkangel"- my older kids are a little older than Sara is at the beginning, and I've met "helicopter parents" like that.

RobDavies

english_bob said:

breakstuff said:

I'm up to episode two of season four,Arkangel.To me the weakest so far after Playtest.

Really enjoyed every other episode though.Standout episode to me?San Junipero.Such a lovely episode,largely devoid of the negativity of many others.Surprisingly feelgood and it really touched me.

I think you'll like "Hang The DJ".

I quite liked "Arkangel"- my older kids are a little older than Sara is at the beginning, and I've met "helicopter parents" like that.

 I didn't get the end of Hang The DJ...?

Loved San Junipero.... and thought Arkangel was good. Crocodile was good, too but I think I'm in the minority when I say that I didn't really enjoy USS Callister...

thecolourbox

This is a genuine question and not trolling or anything like that, I'm grown up enough to accept different strokes for different folks etc. But if I found the first three of series one quite dull am I going to like the rest of it enough to warrant carrying on? Just found the first few quite underwhelming and even cliched at times, but then I thought the same when I read 1984 so who am I to judge

breakstuff

That's the beauty of this show.Different people get different things from different episodes.It divides opinion.I've read reviews where some hated San Junipero,whereas I loved it.Similarly,where I was a bit indifferent towards Arkangel,others here really liked it.

Honestly, stick with it @thecolourbox ;

There really is something for everyone.Even if it's only on episode,the pay off really is worth it.The REALLY good ones stick with you.I know many have really effected me on an deeply emotional level.