On My Small Obsession with Black Mirror
When I first saw the promotional poster of Black Mirror, I was terrified to say the least. To be honest, the whole sci-fi theme of the show was flat-out unappealing- not my style to say the least. The anthology format wasn’t the usual type of TV shows that I’ve watched so it didn’t make sense for me to watch it at all. The idea of something in this show becoming reality also scared me. I knew it was a critique of society and obviously, I didn’t want to face the reality of what we had become.
The first episode I watched was season one, episode one, The National Anthem. To say I was disgusted at what actually went on in the episode would be an understatement. However, the societal critique was strangely intriguing. In this specific episode, a prime minister must complete a repulsive sexual act that would be televised live for his entire country. To get him to do this, a group of people had kidnapped their princess. By the end of the episode, all characters were watching their screens to see the prime minister commit the act. Why they even wanted to see it still baffles me to this day. The ending was the most powerful moment in the entire episode. The kidnappers released the princess in broad daylight before the prime minister actually did the act. This made his efforts essentially worthless.
When society fixates on one topic or piece of technology, we tend to completely miss what’s right under our noses. This is extremely relevant right now as everyone is so fixated on COVID-19 and addicted to entertainment and technology. Society is becoming more immersed with technology as it advances, taking away from physical life. The critique that Black Mirror makes throughout this episode was especially memorable because although none of us have gone, and probably never will go, through a situation like this, we can still relate to it in that as we have become so addicted to technology, we forget about many key aspects of life.
Another great thing about the show overall is that it's an anthology. This format allows for a creative group of actors, as well as viewers to skip around to the episodes they want to watch. Moreover, the technical parts of the show are all very refined and well done, so it was easy and fun to watch. Black Mirror taps into the fear and panic of the technology age and is able to do so in a succinct way that viewers will remember forever. The key thing is it doesn't do it in a sappy way. It is heartwarming, but it never made me cringe, unless I was scared, of course. Black Mirror also typically doesn't provide a solution to the problem in the episode, making it even more eery and terrifying. If the characters can't find a solution in the show, will we find a solution in real life?
I continued to watch several other episodes from the show and ended up loving it. For example, another episode that particularly struck me was season three episode one, Nosedive. This episode told the story of a young girl, Lacie, set in a world where status is everything. People could help bump your status up or push it down based on how nice you were or how much they liked you. When one of her high-rated childhood friends invites her to her wedding, Lacie couldn’t say no. Through her journey to her friend’s wedding, Lacie loses basically all of her points and her life comes crumbling down.
First off, the fact that her life completely depended on her status, just as many others on the show, is so true to today’s society. Some people would kill for more followers or likes on their posts. And I hate to say this, but even I can sometimes become follower-obsessed. It’s natural in this technology-filled world. Much like the very first episode, Nosedive shows how addiction to technology can alter lives forever. If she stopped caring about her status and conforming with the rest of society, Lacie wouldn't have fallen. But that isn’t always so easy.
However, the entire show is definitely not just about technology. It's about how humans use technology for their actions. Black Mirror emphasizes how the antagonist in the show is not technology, but the people. The problem is humanity. Even right now in life, we are the problem because we make the decisions that define us- not the tools that aid us. Although much of the show isn't as realistic as possible, the dystopia is still a good warning because it takes real ideas and puts them into settings where we are more likely to realize that they are problems. And that's what makes Black Mirror so great. I love that it reveals so much truth about the world in a more entertaining way, even if it scares me to death.
In the end, Black Mirror, though terrifying, was a wonderful adaptation of real-life problems put into surreal settings. All of the episodes I’ve watched so far, including the interactive version, have caused goosebumps on my skin and pulled on my heartstrings like never before. Black Mirror creatively formed a critique of society while also providing aspects of quality entertainment. The parallels with today are incredible and it truly shines a light on everything that is wrong with society today. So, stop reading this and go watch an episode of Black Mirror, because I can promise you, it’s not just a learning-reflecting experience about today’s societal issues; it’s high-quality entertainment.