Black Mirror- Netflix [** Spoilers **]

FFred

Can. Not. Wait.

RedRochey

God the caliber of actors they have is really ramping up

Bigbagofcans

StockTwat29 wrote: »

God the caliber of actors they have is really ramping up

Good to see Andrew Scott in the first episode, he's a great actor.

Hmm, not too sure about Miley Cyrus. Time will tell.

wakka12

Loved the music in that ad Gave me goosebumps!

FFred

Extended trailer for first three episodes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj6QM2XOrwU

2smiggy

This should be out sometime tonight, or the morning. Looking forward to it

Captain Red Beard

Boom! That was unexpected.

2smiggy

Watched Strinking Vipers there. Bit, amm, strange. But a good episode!

fritzelly

I'm nonplussed about the first episode
Didn't seem like a normal Black Mirror episode but it's definitely a strange twist but a bit melodramatic, less about tech and more about relationships
Hmmm...

fritzelly

Episode 2 - this is not Black Mirror
Social commentary on what everyone already knows - felt more like a subplot for a story that needed some technology angle for it. Pretty sure I've seen a movie with the same backstory.
Lots of rave reviews from what must be absolute fanboi's saying what an amazing thriller - no it wasn't, pretty average acting and story and Andrew Scott has done very similar acting in Sherlock

God I hope episode 3 is better.

Shelga

I thought episode 2 was great. The reviews are mediocre which surprised me.

I dunno, it just got to me. The tension built well and the storyline moved me.

BobbyBobberson

Just watched all three there, felt it was poor compared to other series.

There was a line in episode one at the dinner table where I genuinely lol'd.

"I ****ed a polar bear"

The Miley Cyrus episode was incredible poor I thought, felt like a Disney caper.

fritzelly

Episode 3 is absolutely dire - this

brain transplant

story has been done before!
Think Brooker has run out of ideas or technology is catching up too fast with what ideas he ever had.

Piss poor season, did someone see the first 3 and said you ain't getting any more money for more episodes considering he has had a major budget available for previous seasons.

Always used to be the odd bum episode but when you only have 3 episodes you would imagine he would try to make them amazing
There is no "what if" in any episode - more like "what the hell"

fritzelly

I think this overall review sums up my feelings about the season
https://www.indiewire.com/2019/06/black-mirror-season-5-review-new-episodes-spoilers-1202147241/

I would be fearing for a season 6 - or maybe just one episode, a special maybe...

I'm hearing great things about Years and Years which I'm just about to watch, goodbye Brooker, hello Davies - again

Only watched ep 1 so far. Great stuff. Utterly bizarre and great stuff

Polar bear = lol

fritzelly

bluewolf wrote: »

Only watched ep 1 so far. Great stuff. Utterly bizarre and great stuff

It's just a rehash of San Junipero which is 100 times better

BobbyBobberson

bluewolf wrote: »

Only watched ep 1 so far. Great stuff. Utterly bizarre and great stuff

Polar bear = lol

I bust my hole laughing at that.

Always Tired

Started with Smithereens. Dunno what to make of it really. Good performances but really oddly paced and overly long with unnecessary threads and then the writers get Sopranos syndrome at the climax.

Also at first I was like 'Is this seriously a big long ad for not using your phone while driving?' But I suppose it is an important issue.

And all the 'we've got you and you and you on the line but he can't hear us you can only hear him.' A bit farfetched and just a prepackaged plot device.

fritzelly

fritzelly wrote: »

It's just a rehash of San Junipero which is 100 times better

Oh it's nothing like sj! At all! Only that they both had some kinda technology... The whole tone and everything was different imo

s7ryf3925pivug

Black Mirror is supposed to be about dark effects on society from technology. The first episode is an archetypal Black Mirror episode therefore. I thought it was excellent. I agree it is not like SJ in a meaningful way since the show is about society as influenced by technology, not the tech itself.

ERG89

Watched the first 2 so far & thought they were dull enough. Maybe it's cause there are only 3 episodes but I guess I expected them to be of a higher standard

0ph0rce0

The American episodes are ****e. Season 6 full on British cast please

TerrorFirmer

I wasn't really expecting much from the first episode given the mixed reaction but I really enjoyed it a lot. Not as clever or meaningful as San Junipero (my favourite episode ever) but the 60 minutes flew by for me and the performances are quite good.

Stupid... Stumpy... Arms!!

cml387

I haven't watched Ep 1 yet.

I though the Miley Cyrus episode was great fun, but not really true Black Mirror stuff. Apart from the foul mouthed AI doll it was very much present day stuff, especially with the ideas of holographic dead star tours now getting commonplace.

The standout was Andrew Scott in Ep 2. I loved the way they had keylights in his eyes in one scene, he does mad so well ("But the flirtings over Sherlock daddy's had enough now).

In the final scene there's one line, which got me, and I can't quote it correctly but is was something like

...over some dog picture!!

SureYWouldntYa

The first 2 episodes were very good imo, the usual from Black Mirror

The 3rd episode was poor though, the season as a whole rehashed a lot of ideas from older episodes but the others had a sort of different spin that ended up being good, this one will rank barely above the Waldo and Men Against Fire episodes

None of the episodes will be in anyone's favourite 5, they don't come close to White Christmas or Shut Up and Drive, the first two are fine episodes that will rank alongside Fifteen Million Merits and White Bear

I think the idea

of using brain tech and keeping someone in a coma and making a hologram of them is pure black mirror stuff. we don't need the originals anymore. just get them in contract and harvest. they didn't even need her alive after the new contract was signed.

And machine you trying to kill real you?? Creepy??

ERG89

Boy the last half of the third episode turns into a episode of the Simpsons with Bart & Lisa helping some randomer.
Miley Cyrus did ok with the voice acting but everything that required a range wasn't pretty.

Sad Professor

I thought this was a strong season. The maturity and complexity of the writing more than makes up for some of the concepts being explored feeling a bit too familiar. And as much as I love the show's usual dystopian pessimism, the lighter, more optimistic tone of some of the episodes is welcome and stops the show becoming totally predictable.

I hope we're not waiting too long for more episodes. Maybe they'll do a Christmas special this year to fill the gap before going back to their usual schedule next year.

Basq

Only watched the first one..

.. it kinda didn't really go anywhere, did it?

Kinda meandered with an beginning and ending in mind, and not much else in-between.

Tikki Wang Wang

Episode 1 was boring rubbish. This turkey is done

fritzelly

Reviews all round are pretty bad for the season, genuinely surprised that anyone thinks this season was representative of BM
Stand alone episodes with no connection to BM they would be fine but they are not BM and just rehashes of previous stories
Think some people can be too invested in a show that they don't see any wrong in them.
Shame really for what was an excellent show with a fraction of the budget and many more episodes per season

Franz Von Peppercorn II

fritzelly wrote: »

Reviews all round are pretty bad for the season, genuinely surprised that anyone thinks this season was representative of BM
Stand alone episodes with no connection to BM they would be fine but they are not BM and just rehashes of previous stories
Think some people can be too invested in a show that they don't see any wrong in them.
Shame really for what was an excellent show with a fraction of the budget and many more episodes per season

Actually it’s the opposite. The biggest fans of a TV show are often it’s biggest detractors if it doesn’t meet its supposed standards.

I just try and watch anything with an open mind. I saw the last episode which was ok.

(Also BM has been getting a lot less dark for a long time now, if that’s what you like, and I do. A series that started with a program about a prime minister ****ing a pig isn’t going to cut it in the US market which is more optimistic in general).

fritzelly

Maybe that is the problem, pandering to a market outside the UK/Ireland - need to sanitize it
Agreed the stories haven't been as good as the show went on
But isn't BM sold as that tech that can be used for bad?
Liked Banderbatch for the reasons it was meant to be

Always Tired

There were things I liked and didnt like in all 3, didnt love any episode, definitely liked the Miley one best though it all got a bit disney I didnt really mind.

While I think it's the weakest season easily, I think it's a case of there are only so many storylines that can fit a typical Bl Mirror narrative and also sci fi has been around for so long that a lot of stuff has been done to death (esp in print).

I like that they are not afraid to do totally different stuff, they might as well because the best days of the show are probably behind it.

Aaahh..

Thought they were pretty good..
I'd heard they weren't great, so was pleasantly surprised..
I kind of thought they were going to finish it after the black museum episode..
Still haven't watched bandersnatch, but didn't mind the one off..
It's pretty much run its course at this stage though..we get it..
Hopefully it will finish before they start getting crap .

fritzelly

Think there is loads of stories to tell yet but he's got lazy and to comfortable with Netflix funding him
Thought the first season of the twilight zone was terrible, BM is kinda the 21st century version but it was actually better than BM S5 overall

Hego Damask

Episode 1 was decent, not great, not terrible.

2 was bad, 3 was utter drivel.

Overall a poor season.

Basq

Enjoyed episode 2 a lot more, if just for the always watchable Andrew Scott..

There was always an iffy episode here and there though too..

s7ryf3925pivug

I really liked all of them. The second one was a bit predictable but the acting was great and there was loads of tension so it didn't matter.

Snake Plisken

Really enjoyed the first two episodes not sure why all the hate for them. Haven't watched the 3rd yet but certainly the first 2 are of the same high standard of any of the other seasons.

Unearthly

The Miley Cyrus one I think is the worst ever black mirror episode

Enjoyed Smithereens, Striking Vipers was average

s7ryf3925pivug

The songs in the last episode are by Nine Inch Nails, for anyone interested who doesn't know, the main one is called Right Where it Belongs.

nomdeboardie

Ha ha - I thought the third was quite entertaining, but

the ending a little flat - until the characters went over to the dark side musically in the closing credits with Head Like a Hole - brilliant! All along I was thinking "that's a bit cheeky, wonder if Nine Inch Nails will sue for the 'I'm going to get what I deserve' riff"

:pac:

nomdeboardie

Evangeline Sharp Housewife wrote: »

The songs in the last episode are by Nine Inch Nails, for anyone interested who doesn't know, from The Downward Spiral, the main one is called Right Where it Belongs.

Ah, I didn't realise the rest of the character's music (in addition to the one I mentioned above) were 'chirpified' versions of NiN songs (though neither of the mentioned songs are from The Downward Spiral as such) https://www.nme.com/news/music/miley-cyrus-full-version-black-mirror-reworking-nine-inch-nails-coming-2505813

DesperateDan

https://i.imgur.com/Css7PDd.jpg

Green&Red

Actually thought the idea of a social media company being quicker and more effective than the the police at working things out was very scary and that they could pretty much decide whether he was guilty or not just by reviewing his social media profile

TerrorFirmer

Thought Ep3 was actually really enjoyable. Miley Cyrus puts in a pretty good turn, and the parallel between Ashley O and her own Hannah Montana front is pretty interesting.

Sure, it's pretty silly at times and a bit lighter for the most part than Black Mirror usually tends to be, but it's really not that bad at all and we can't always expect Black Mirror to be pessimistic leaning - bit of swing the other way to is no harm every now and again.

Really liked the end scene too - "I wrote this song about my ****ty aunt!" followed by a really solid cover of Head like a Hole.

Ep2 was the weakest I thought, brilliant performance from Andrew Scott admittedly but the compelling 'mystery', in the end, peeters out into unremarkable nothingness.

Perhaps that's the entire point - it mattered for just the briefest second in time and then everyone goes back to the daily grind as the world keeps on turning exactly the way it did before.

Either way, I wasn't overly impressed with the episode as a whole though and didn't buy into how they sold it, though again the acting was quite good....I wish Andrew Scott had a slightly better episode to be associated with.

Overall I enjoyed all 3 episodes. I can see why people were disappointed with all or any of them as Black Mirror episodes, but I think it's pretty unfair to say they were actually poor.

Basq

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

I can see why people were disappointed with all or any of them as Black Mirror episodes, but I think it's pretty unfair to say they were actually poor.

High expectations maybe?

Often prefer the show most when it's relatively grounded in reality and not-too-distant-future.. Smithereens was set in 2018 after all.

The show is a victim of it's own success.. any standalone anthology series will always have high and lows but Black Mirror has been consistently delivering high quality.. yes, some better than others.. but long may it last.

There's probably one episode per series that I didn't enjoy as much as the others (Fifteen Million Merits, The Waldo Moment etc) but they've been far from dross either.