I have only seen the first two installments of this series and but was impressed enough to leave a review. Charlie Brooker has popped out of the internet at times when I least expect it revealing the more unsettling aspects of our culture through his program Screenwipe and others. That was my first exposure to Doug Stanhope, a comedian who among others brings us closer together via demonstrations of how media and technology are changing our society and rarely for the better. Black Mirror arrives in the form of anthologized science fiction in the vein of the Twilight zone. It is a series that examines our society's relationship with the media and how it allows us to both shape our own identity and imprison us in a space where empathy and truth are weaknesses and something to hide in order to get ahead.
I have always been interested in futurists and Brooker seems to fill the requirements for one. There is nothing in the first two installments that do not reflect current trends in our collective behavior but instead extrapolates where current trends in communications technology; avatars, social media and reality television might lead us if we do not seek to preserve what is beautiful and pure about our collective consciousness and humanity.
Having seen reviews here that feel there is no commentary embedded within these stories I couldn't disagree more. As the title suggests, Brooker's Black Mirror shows us a dark reflection of our selves and allows us to evaluate these scenarios through our own emotional filters.
There are no blatant soap box messages but I interpreted the narratives as cautionary tales and would hope that no one, when confronted with them, would hope for these near futures. The only thing holding them back from becoming reality is our own resistance to complacency and purely spectator culture.
Beyond these philosophical aspects, the program is incredibly well produced and executed in my opinion. The characters and sets create convincing realities and I was never once drawn out of the story due to poor acting, scripting or characterizations. I could not recommend this series more and hope that it will continue on. Congratulations to Brooker and company for their work and their apparent concern for all of us.
Utterly disturbing in the best possible way
Ian Hannah
The double entendre that is Black Mirror's name summarizes the show perfectly. The first interpretation is that the show looks inwards, at the darker aspects of humanity and society. This is done through the theme of technology, hence the second meaning. The black mirror is the screen that rules our lives.
Each self-contained episode is brilliantly crafted and produced. The stories are compelling and the acting is phenomenal. This show is not for those looking exclusively for entertainment, as the episodes leave you with a distinctly empty feeling. Although this is obviously the intent, one cannot help but wonder at the creators' bleak outlook on the world. The presence of bestiality in the first episode could very well deter some viewers, but I would remind them that the show is Twilight Zone-esque in structure as well as theme. The episodes may be watched in any order, as they are all completely independent of one another. The second episode in particular is storytelling of the highest form.
Black Mirror is disturbing in the best possible way. It unflinchingly explores the issues of society through deeply intimate stories and characters and their interactions with technology. Let me be clear, it will not leave you feeling fulfilled. Watching it was an exhausting experience that shook me deeply. The thought provoking subject matter combine with powerful, desolate stories and excellent performances to create one of the most unique and brilliant shows that I have seen. It not only holds the viewer's attention while it plays, it enthralls your thoughts long after the credits roll.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
svenvanlathem
This is the biggest surprise i came across these last couple of years. This series is one of the best i've seen. Every episode is unique yet criticizes the same absurd society we're living in. I was shocked at the great filming/acting/directing and of course writing of these different stories. My personal favorite would be episode 2. The most futuristic but also the most accurate representation of what most of our lives look like right now. Just saw in a review that a guy stopped watching after 20 minutes at the second episode. That's the biggest mistake he could do. Definitely the best episode. I wont miss anything else Charlie Brooker does and i'm patiently waiting for the DVD to come out. I hope this also gets a Blu-Ray version and maybe some new episodes after wards?
Genuinely Amazed With the Pilot and What Followed.
Erin Costello
To sum up this series for me is quite easy, It's a dark look at what could be, and a very deep look at the worst of human nature.
The cast and set are different every time, but one theme I found recurring was that each episode was extremely haunting, and it definitely gets the viewer thinking about what could be if the world was just a little bit different. I don't think Black Mirror will appeal to everyone because some themes are a slightly uncomfortable especially in the pilot episode. So far the actors that have been cast have done an amazing job, and the writers have managed to make some far fetched ideas seem graspable. Basically this series is unlike anything else on TV and for that it gets a big thumbs up from me.
I don't want to write any spoilers, but what I will say is this if you want a drama with dark twist or a series that is completely Original make it Black Mirror.
This is totally different and genius...
sggorgec-15-780183
The creativity is the main problem, especially in modern culture product till 2000's. We always seen main concepts, same approaches and same faces on our TV's, and cinemas. Even trying something different and genius, has become very commonplace. But Black Mirror is totally different and witty. You need only five minute watching to understand this. Different point of view, different stories, different but natural talented faces... Some ideas in this artwork could be disturb you, but this makes it consummate. It questions your life, routines, choices you made, the basic code of ethics you have... At the end, you only feel the happiness of awareness. Thank you for showing me something different than usual, thank you for make me more aware.
I have always been interested in futurists and Brooker seems to fill the requirements for one. There is nothing in the first two installments that do not reflect current trends in our collective behavior but instead extrapolates where current trends in communications technology; avatars, social media and reality television might lead us if we do not seek to preserve what is beautiful and pure about our collective consciousness and humanity.
There are no blatant soap box messages but I interpreted the narratives as cautionary tales and would hope that no one, when confronted with them, would hope for these near futures. The only thing holding them back from becoming reality is our own resistance to complacency and purely spectator culture.
Beyond these philosophical aspects, the program is incredibly well produced and executed in my opinion. The characters and sets create convincing realities and I was never once drawn out of the story due to poor acting, scripting or characterizations. I could not recommend this series more and hope that it will continue on. Congratulations to Brooker and company for their work and their apparent concern for all of us.
Utterly disturbing in the best possible way
Ian Hannah
The double entendre that is Black Mirror's name summarizes the show perfectly. The first interpretation is that the show looks inwards, at the darker aspects of humanity and society. This is done through the theme of technology, hence the second meaning. The black mirror is the screen that rules our lives.
Each self-contained episode is brilliantly crafted and produced. The stories are compelling and the acting is phenomenal. This show is not for those looking exclusively for entertainment, as the episodes leave you with a distinctly empty feeling. Although this is obviously the intent, one cannot help but wonder at the creators' bleak outlook on the world. The presence of bestiality in the first episode could very well deter some viewers, but I would remind them that the show is Twilight Zone-esque in structure as well as theme. The episodes may be watched in any order, as they are all completely independent of one another. The second episode in particular is storytelling of the highest form.
Black Mirror is disturbing in the best possible way. It unflinchingly explores the issues of society through deeply intimate stories and characters and their interactions with technology. Let me be clear, it will not leave you feeling fulfilled. Watching it was an exhausting experience that shook me deeply. The thought provoking subject matter combine with powerful, desolate stories and excellent performances to create one of the most unique and brilliant shows that I have seen. It not only holds the viewer's attention while it plays, it enthralls your thoughts long after the credits roll.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
svenvanlathem
This is the biggest surprise i came across these last couple of years. This series is one of the best i've seen. Every episode is unique yet criticizes the same absurd society we're living in. I was shocked at the great filming/acting/directing and of course writing of these different stories. My personal favorite would be episode 2. The most futuristic but also the most accurate representation of what most of our lives look like right now. Just saw in a review that a guy stopped watching after 20 minutes at the second episode. That's the biggest mistake he could do. Definitely the best episode. I wont miss anything else Charlie Brooker does and i'm patiently waiting for the DVD to come out. I hope this also gets a Blu-Ray version and maybe some new episodes after wards?
Genuinely Amazed With the Pilot and What Followed.
Erin Costello
To sum up this series for me is quite easy, It's a dark look at what could be, and a very deep look at the worst of human nature.
The cast and set are different every time, but one theme I found recurring was that each episode was extremely haunting, and it definitely gets the viewer thinking about what could be if the world was just a little bit different. I don't think Black Mirror will appeal to everyone because some themes are a slightly uncomfortable especially in the pilot episode. So far the actors that have been cast have done an amazing job, and the writers have managed to make some far fetched ideas seem graspable. Basically this series is unlike anything else on TV and for that it gets a big thumbs up from me.
I don't want to write any spoilers, but what I will say is this if you want a drama with dark twist or a series that is completely Original make it Black Mirror.
This is totally different and genius...
sggorgec-15-780183
The creativity is the main problem, especially in modern culture product till 2000's. We always seen main concepts, same approaches and same faces on our TV's, and cinemas. Even trying something different and genius, has become very commonplace. But Black Mirror is totally different and witty. You need only five minute watching to understand this. Different point of view, different stories, different but natural talented faces... Some ideas in this artwork could be disturb you, but this makes it consummate. It questions your life, routines, choices you made, the basic code of ethics you have... At the end, you only feel the happiness of awareness. Thank you for showing me something different than usual, thank you for make me more aware.
Comments
Post a Comment