Black Mirror (Season 4)

[Malcy]

Fairly mediocre so far. USS Callister was ok, Arkangel better but what the fuck is going on with Crocodile? Where is it supposed to be set? Obviously not filmed here and left hand drive cars? The Americanisation of this is pissing me off. Was gonna binge these all in one go but I'm getting bored and haven't even hit ep 4 yet.

Edit - Crocodile the best so far despite the cars and non UK setting.

[dallasman]

Ep1: Amazing start. I was honestly elated, working hard not to dare hope for the rest of the season to be this enjoyable. Did not catch AP at the end, but that makes sense. It called to mind Galaxy Quest and that Futurama episode with the Star Trek cast, but the main story was a brilliant, very BM-esque idea, with the requisite amount of unimaginable cruelty.
Ep2: Dud. WTF Jodie? In the opening minutes, I thought I saw so many interesting turns it could take, but no, it's some sort of muddled, mumblecoreish meditation on motherhood or some such. Not fun enough, and not meaningful enough to compensate.
Ep3: OK. Points for being very mean. Not entirely convinced by the lead character, and felt unsure if she was meant to be a total mad psycho from the start, or just became one as things progressed. Whatever, I slightly lost interest during the second half.
Ep4: This year's San Junipero. I was rooting for love like a little bitch, to tell you the truth. Near-perfect rom-dramedy-fantasy, with a slightly hokey resolution but a nice final shot.
Ep5: Yes, this works. Great look, great design on the titular. Nice touch with the box at the end, along with the Mist-esque grimness.
Ep6: Like a frontloaded Treehouse Of Horror. Started amazing, ended like it was written by a Black Mirror algorithm or something. The mad doctor, the scene with the teddy and the new girlfriend - all great BM. But the final act and the predictable "reveal" was sub-meh, and felt really regurgitated, although I can't specifically put my finger on what it was. The setting reminded me of the Inside No 9 ep with the organs. Douglas Hodge was great, but I felt he too came apart slightly in the final act.

As a whole: Loved it. Will rewatch, and possibly find more to enjoy about the weaker ones. Much to say, but somone always says it better, so I'll just close with three cheers for Charlie Brooker. Seriously, the guy has earned to be playing around with Hollywood money at this stage. As long as he doesn't go all "Richard Curtis in the future", I'm fine with the transatlantic feels.

[wooders1978]

I've only watched crocodile so far as non of the blurbs for the other eps have grabbed me yet.
Grim episode really - premise felt a bit silly too
Initial thoughts are this isn't going to hit the heights of season 3, there doesn't look like there is a San Junipero or a shutup and dance lurking in there, hoping to be pleasantly surprised

[Dannyhood91]

I've jusr watched Arkangel and thought that ending was a bit daft but I get what it was trying for and I didn't have much issue with it like some on here did.
The Star Trek one was good. Jesse off Breaking Bad was there at the end there wasn't he.

[Artemis]

Watched the rest now. Overall, loved it. Was a real pleasure to watch each episode unfold. Arkangel was the weakest for me, but even that was OK.

Hang The DJ
A stunning episode. Kind of BM by numbers for a bit, but the final act and that twist at the end was fantastic. A real out-loud, big-grinned "that's cool!!" moment from both of us here. Only slight flaw was the over-drawn dislikeable woman that Frank got paired with second.

Metalhead
Really enjoyed it, stylistically. I wanted to know much more about this universe and would have happily doubled the running time for some answers, but sometimes less is more. Didn't really get the teddies at the end, though. The other half said it was a bit much, but I couldn't really see what they were getting at.

Black Museum
I'd read that this was 'really upsetting' before starting, so braced myself but it wasn't that bad. The guy inflicting pain on himself bit had me watching through my fingers, but the rest was good. We guessed Nish wasn't who she claimed pretty early on, and I didn't really like the main dude's sudden turn into such a sadist at the end (nothing wrong with that direction, it was just a bit sudden), but all in all pretty good.

I'd rather the episodes thusly:

USS Callister
Hang The DJ
Black Museum
Metalhead
Crocodile
Arkangel

[wooders1978]

Ok - just watched the first ep - very good, chuckling at the end too - had the lot really - still not topping series 3 but I am more optimistic now

[wooders1978]

Spoiler below for hang the dj but I reckon:

hang the dj is basically San Junipero 2

[Enzo]

Crocodile and 15 million merits being in the same universe is a bit off putting though.

[BritishHobo]

SPOILERS FOR THE WHOLE SEASON LADS

Weird one, that season. Started off incredibly strong, then kinda derailed a bit before a fantastic finish. As I've said, USS Callister was absolutely superb, but the two after it felt like bland variations on themes we'd already seen. There was a lot this season of people who are actually uploaded versions of themselves in some program/people with implants that revolve around their memories and viewpoints. But Hang The DJ, despite ending with yet another 'aaaah uploads in a system!' twist (I amused myself halfway through the season imagining a parody of Black Mirror going 'they're always tiny people in a computer program on that show', and ended the season just genuinely thinking it) and also basically being San Junipeno again, was a good laugh and surprisingly sweet. Then Metalhead was gripping (if a bit insubstantial) and Black Museum a fuckin rollicking closer. Really strange, twisted, sickening; it felt like a more imaginative, polished version of what they tried to do with White Christmas. All three of the stories really fucked me up, properly chillingly effective. And with a far, far better storyline connecting them and a much more satisfying and less goofy twist (despite basically being the same ending).

All in all there were some real gems in there, but it might be showing wear a bit now, with a fair load of repeated ideas. To be fair, you couldn't wish for a more perfect ending than we got.

[Peru]

Was it just me who thought that Crocodile was absolutely laughably awful? Protagonist who turns into  a baby killer practically at the drop of a hat, a tedious Silent Witness-style plot, tech that acts as a deus ex machina whenever it needs to, and a dreadful final one-two twist that would get knocked back from Take A Break magazine. I wouldn't be so peeved if it wasn't for the unpleasantness of the climax, which the story doesn't earn and feels like it's covering up a deficit of ideas.

The tech in this season so far (I've seen the first three) is all a variation and in some cases direct replication of tech from previous seasons. I really think that this show needs to go the route of multiple writers/guest SF writers to recharge its batteries.

[BritishHobo]

Nah, I'm with you. It might have worked if it had been a Fargo-style 'fucking hell I've made it even worse' black comedy thing, but as it was it just felt quite fat and po-faced. Just some horrible stuff happening and a mundane resolution. You could have replaced the memory tech with people simply witnessing the crimes and it wouldn't have changed anything

[St_Eddie]

I've only watched the first two episodes so far and I don't really have much to add on top of what others have already said and that includes my continuing gripe with the Americanisation (or should that, more aptly be Americanization) of the series.

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USS Callister was indeed excellent; both disturbing and hilarious, in equal measure.  I loved the whole "Geraldine from marketing" gag (I think that it was 'Geraldine', I can't fully remember, as I watched it last night and have a memory akin to a goldfish in a sieve).  The part where the lady got turned into a monster like Geraldine had me shivering with quiet distress and then she went and banged her monstrous bounce on the ship's door frame and I howled with laughter.  I struggle to think of many other shows/films which have so perfectly blended the dark with the light (the only other example I can think of at present, is Homer devouring Pinchy the lobster, from The Simpsons).

As has been previously mentioned within this thread; I picked up some strong Galaxy Quest vibes from this episode but I also caught a strong whiff of inspiration from the sublimely disturbing episode It's a Good Life, from The Twilight Zone.  At least, I think that's what I caught a whiff of but it may have in fact been from the vicinity of my Dad's bottom, gorged on Christmas cheeses as he was.

10/10

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Arkangel was rather average, by Black Mirror standards.  It was a rather bland 'don't wrap children up in cotton wool and instead, allow them to discover the dangers of the word for themselves' morality lesson.  Again, as others have said; it was treading familiar ground, what with the whole concept of people being blocked out of someone's vision (previously seen in my favourite Black Mirror episode, White Christmas).  Still, all in all, it was a cut above most other television programs, so I'll gladly take it up the shitter.

7/10

[olliebean]

Nah, I'm with you. It might have worked if it had been a Fargo-style 'fucking hell I've made it even worse' black comedy thing, but as it was it just felt quite fat and po-faced. Just some horrible stuff happening and a mundane resolution. You could have replaced the memory tech with people simply witnessing the crimes and it wouldn't have changed anything

Except they couldn't have got anything from the guinea pig.

[BritishHobo]

Just have a little gnomey neighbour man peeping in the window.

[Hank Venture]

Running on fumes, Brooker's running out of ideas and wants to cash in while he can. Slight variations of earlier plots, mainly centered around someone altering the literal way they see the world by putting a little thing on their temple, and a little simulated reality. Have seen the first four episodes. Wish he'd tone down the foreshadowing as well.

[Bence Fekete]

Was anyone else on Todd's side during the star trek one?

And the ending? Flying off into the sunset of the internet? These useless digital people with useless digital genitals just drifting through game space, er, because? Yeahhhhh. Um.  Yeahhhhh. Um

[Peru]

Except they couldn't have got anything from the guinea pig.

The idea - even in the world of this story - that you could get court-admissible visual evidence from the brain of a guinea pig (and within about 5 minutes too) is the most utterly ridiculous thing I've ever seen on Black Mirror. That it was supposed to be a devastating twist just made it all the more risible.

[monolith]

Was anyone else on Todd's side during the star trek one?

And the ending? Flying off into the sunset of the internet? These useless digital people with useless digital genitals just drifting through game space, er, because? Yeahhhhh. Um.  Yeahhhhh. Um

They got their cocks and vaginas back.

[Thomas]

I've only watched USS Callister so far. Really enjoyed it. Fun interplay between the two worlds, connected by a few darker ideas - the photo blackmail, the fella creepily dropping his workmates into his fantasy world. I wonder whether he knew the copies were actually sentient.   

I think Charlie might be angling to write an episode of Doctor Who - one character even mentioned a 'bubble universe', and it was directed by Toby Haynes. Sleek technobabble handwave, too, when discussing the DNA 'gizmo'. You could adapt most episodes of Black Mirror for Doctor Who, really. The mayor of New New York has to fuck a Slitheen live on TV.

Wary of spoilers, I've not done much scrolling through the thread - has anybody posted this bizarre meeting yet?

Black Mirror Season 4 interview: Alastair Campbell vs Charlie Brooker

Series 5: A digital clone of Alastair Campbell floats around in space, trying to wipe the continually re-rendering blood from his hands.

[Catalogue Trousers]

The idea - even in the world of this story - that you could get court-admissible visual evidence from the brain of a guinea pig (and within about 5 minutes too) is the most utterly ridiculous thing I've ever seen on Black Mirror. That it was supposed to be a devastating twist just made it all the more risible.

Disagree. In fact, if you accept the tech in the story, then a guinea pig could well be a better witness in some ways than a human - less likely to influence memories with emotions, etc.

Have only seen the first three so far, and enjoyed them all. USS Callister was great fun, even if - as has been pointed out - the ending is a bit pointless under its immediate feelgood factor. Still, they can digitally fuck and shit again, so that's alright. I rather liked Arkangel as a character study, but yeah the 'blurring of undesirables' did smack of recycling. And Crocodile is my favourite so far. Nasty, sourly comic, and shocking at the right points.

[Steven]

Disagree. In fact, if you accept the tech in the story, then a guinea pig could well be a better witness in some ways than a human - less likely to influence memories with emotions, etc.

It doesn't matter about all that, it's the fact it was foreshadowed by the bloke saying the experimental memory equipment being used on him made him "A bit of a Guineapig.." and then later the woman is caught doing a bad murder by an actual Guineapig. AAAAHHHH. Foreshadowing you see? That's all that matters.

[kidsick5000]

I think Charlie might be angling to write an episode of Doctor Who - one character even mentioned a 'bubble universe', and it was directed by Toby Haynes. Sleek technobabble handwave, too, when discussing the DNA 'gizmo'. You could adapt most episodes of Black Mirror for Doctor Who, really. The mayor of New New York has to fuck a Slitheen live on TV.

I'm pretty sure he was offered but turned it down due to Black Mirror.

Callister was great for taking the grey area. You balance Daly's actions attitude with everyone being a shit to him in the real world. Until you realise he knows he has created sentient beings to be his punching bags.
Turning it into a commentary on some sci-fi fans and to some extent the religious (ie devoted to something that extols virtuous values yet bigoted and abusive themselves) is a great move.

[Peru]

Disagree. In fact, if you accept the tech in the story, then a guinea pig could well be a better witness in some ways than a human - less likely to influence memories with emotions, etc.

It might work if you were prepared to accept that animals 'witness' things in the same fashion as human consciousness (which is, as far as we can scientifically ascertain, not true at all). However you'd still have to accept it coming on the heels of 'she killed a baby but ah it was a blind baby so she needn't have killed it oh hang on that guinea pig saw it' which is the most tonally askew rollercoaster of bad writing I've seen in any of the four seasons. The episode itself made few overtures to black comedy-it was extremely po-faced throughout-and yet we're then being asked to accept an extremely unpleasant plot point (the baby's death) that seems wildly out of character for the protagonist which is then followed by a revelation that could have come from an episode of Police Squad.

[Dr Syntax Head]

Metalhead was fucked up. Loved it, really enjoyed the landscape and bleak look to it

[Catalogue Trousers]

The episode itself made few overtures to black comedy-it was extremely po-faced throughout-and yet we're then being asked to accept an extremely unpleasant plot point (the baby's death) that seems wildly out of character for the protagonist which is then followed by a revelation that could have come from an episode of Police Squad.

I didn't  find it out of character at all. She's killed several people by then purely to preserve her reputation - why draw the line at one more, even if it is a child. Of course, it's a nice dramatic contrast with the opening death that kicks it all off, where it's her other half who's keenest on hushing things up for their own good.

Also, as a side note, was it called 'Crocodile' because of the main killer's tendency to blub before going ahead and killing someone else anyway?

[Enzo]

Karl Pilkington should have a got a 'Story By' credit in the last episode.

Brooker smart enough not to cast Clive Warren and Rebecca de Mournay to cover his tracks.

[Catalogue Trousers]

Best to worst -

Crocodile
Metalhead
Black Museum
USS Callister
Hang The DJ
Arkangel

That is all. For now.

[neveragain]

Also, as a side note, was it called 'Crocodile' because of the main killer's tendency to blub before going ahead and killing someone else anyway?

I assumed it was because there was a chain of killings in the wake of the hit-and-run, and crocodile chain is a bit of a phrase. Like, a chain of people holding hands is referred to as such. I don't think I'm making this up.

And also, hello. Haven't talked in a while. Happy New Year.

PS. I would like to have seen them questioning the g-pig.

[imitationleather]

Never seen Black Mirror before, but have ended 2017 and begun 2018 by watching four episodes. Rave on.

My initial reaction is that it's very good. I'd been avoiding it because I had a running joke with my missus that every episode was just about haunted iPads and other naff shit. Despite this only clanger for me has been Crocodile. The ending was just so unbelievably stupid. I'd been going along with the plot that far partly because I'd enjoyed the other three I'd watched (USS Callister, San Junipero and Hang the DJ) so much and as a result reckoned it would come together in the end. A guinea pig? A fucking guinea pig? Even though it's been established they have to be told to remember and specifically asked questions about what happened? Rubbish! Even shitter than a haunted iPad!

But yeah, really loved the other three I watched so I'm going to be going through all the series over the next few days most likely.

[BritishHobo]

Karl Pilkington should have a got a 'Story By' credit in the last episode.

Brooker smart enough not to cast Clive Warren and Rebecca de Mournay to cover his tracks.

He had the pain idea in a later podcast as well, for a doctor to use a machine that lets him feel the patients' pain so he knows what's up.