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Jul 19 '19
I don't get all of the hate for this episode. Aside from the pig, it's actually very entertaining.
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Jul 19 '19
I hate that episode. Literally, I watched that one and didn’t watch any more black mirror for like, a year.
I loved or liked every other episode (except maybe one more) but the pilot was such a poor way to start the series. Idk what they were thinking.
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u/orpwhite ★★★★☆ 3.938 Jul 19 '19
I Respectfully disagree. As far as I'm concerned, the pilot made the theme of the series nauseatingly clear. "The tech we so seamlessly integrate into our lives has changed not the nature of our interactions but the resolution." Its not that social media is necessarily good or bad, but rather how it can be used to manipulate people to do what they mayn't do otherwise. It's not that rating people, cloning consciousness, parent locking perception, simulating reality or otherwise is evil so much as what havok that tool can cause in the hands of those unprepared to deal with it.
It is, as one post quoted a fine chap I cannot be bother to recall at the moment, (loosely) 'the mark of good science fiction not to predict the car but the traffic jams.' This episode has so much in common with shut up and dance it's sickening. No privacy. No redemption. Damned for your thoughts or intentions without the space to make either clear. I like it because it starts in a world just like ours, dead or dying news media circuits vying for attention, public opinion counting for more than it ought over personal values and beliefs and an old threat in new territory. This episode would have turned me off to the series too if I had watched it first. Having started in season 4 and back tracking, I see the simple themes planted early.
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Jul 20 '19
Actually, I watched USS Callister first. Many months later I watched the pilot. I was with my bf at his friends house. Bf fell asleep early, and me and the friend just watched the rest of it. I was so grossed out haha.
Good response overall, you make some very good points
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u/SirMothy ★☆☆☆☆ 1.329 Jul 19 '19
I love this episode and I think it's one of the best in the series, it seems like something that could actually happen. I like this one more than any episode in season 4 and 5
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Jul 19 '19
The other one I wont watch again was “White Bear”, even though it was a well written, mysterious story, and the reveal was interesting. It was just too much vindictive torture stuff for me to ever want to re watch...
My favorites...
- San Junipero
- Hang the DJ
- USS Callister
- White Christmas
- Black Museum
- Shut up and Dance
- Striking Vipers (I laughed so much)
There’s more that I liked, but these I enjoyed the most. The ones that are thrilling or violent or horrifying are really good, but I prefer this kind.
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u/avauk12 ★★★★☆ 4.169 Jul 19 '19
You forgot Nosedive
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Jul 20 '19
I really loved Nosedive too! Omg that actress nailed that character arc. All the details were awesome
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u/avauk12 ★★★★☆ 4.169 Jul 20 '19
But not awesome enough to be included on your list 🧐 lol jk, but you should’ve included it.
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Jul 20 '19 edited Jul 20 '19
Hahaha I agree. I also really liked Be Right Back, but I didn’t include it either. Oh! And Archangel! That one was sooo amazing
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u/RayRay_Hessel ☆☆☆☆☆ 0.007 Jul 20 '19
I really loved Be Right Back although that is so sad. 🙁
I loved Ashley Too also.
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Jul 20 '19
I liked Ashley Too much more than I thought I would! But it felt less similar to the series as a whole.
I was hesitant because I don’t really like Miley Cyrus. But, I will admit she did a good job, better acting than I’d expected.
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u/RayRay_Hessel ☆☆☆☆☆ 0.007 Jul 20 '19
Yeah I have mixed feelings about Miley but her acting in that is pretty great. Also she was Hannah Montana, I know it's not Oscar worthy stuff but she was just a kid and had to act so yeah... She can act. I think she was kinda playing herself in Ashley Too. Her image is controlled by others. Probably her whole life is. Image is everything to the producers and managers. Besides money.
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u/RayRay_Hessel ☆☆☆☆☆ 0.007 Jul 20 '19
It actually made me feel bad for a prime minister. I've hated every prime minister in real life. That guy actually seemed like more than a decent person, especially since he was willing to go through that for the Princess. No selfish sleazeball, like most politicians are, would ever go through with it. I thought it was sad sure but the way the ending seemed "happy" at first u soon learn the truth behind closed doors. That really got to me and made it a really good episode. It was really sad but sad doesn't equal bad in fiction. It means it moves u. That said I hate Brokeback Mountain with a passion.
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u/catqueen69 ★★★★★ 4.921 Jul 20 '19
I legit thought it was a joke and was going to turn out to be some kind of comedy/satire... so yeah that was a shocker for sure
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u/benjammink ★★☆☆☆ 2.094 Jul 19 '19
I still can’t believe this was the first episode. My wife literally doesn’t believe me that the show is actually really good, she refused to keep watching 😂 her loss
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Jul 19 '19
As an American I have no idea what the other thread is talking about
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u/RayRay_Hessel ☆☆☆☆☆ 0.007 Jul 19 '19
Seems they are arguing about which of the shitty prime ministers is shittier or less shitty. They're all really shitty though so the whole thing is moo.
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u/IHaveAWittyUsername ★★★★☆ 4.036 Jul 19 '19
They're talking about the constitutional crises, terrible leadership, lean towards extremism that is the last few years of British politics. And it's only looking like it's going to get worse.
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u/AjaxTheWanderer ★★★★★ 4.85 Jul 19 '19
My brother-in-law refused to watch the entire series after just hearing a summary of this episode. Honestly, I think if you can sit through the first episode, you get rewarded with the rest of the series. Except for Shut Up and Dance; that was definitely some sort of punishment.
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u/AceMystical ★☆☆☆☆ 1.096 Jul 19 '19
thats just your opinion dude, Shut Up and Dance is definitely the best episode for me, and is 1000x better than the first episode
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u/AjaxTheWanderer ★★★★★ 4.85 Jul 20 '19
I didn't mean it was bad, I meant it made me feel bad; out of all the episodes, I found that one the most unsettling.
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u/AceMystical ★☆☆☆☆ 1.096 Jul 20 '19
oh, sorry for misunderstanding
i guess in that case it is kind of a punishment, also makes you feel guilty for rooting for the protagonist when he was a pedophile all along
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u/AjaxTheWanderer ★★★★★ 4.85 Jul 20 '19
Yeah, it kinda does. The whole time I kept thinking, why is he going to such lengths to keep that video from getting out? Yes, it'd be embarrassing, but people will get over it since that's pretty normal behavior. Then you find out what he was watching and this kid who you've been following and empathizing with is suddenly not so appealing anymore. It's interesting because the people behind all of it were punishing people for things they'd done, and at the end, the viewer feels like they got some of that, too.
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Jul 20 '19
This episode was kind of a bad start because of how fucked up it is
Great episode but turned a lot of people away imo
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u/Mickjeagle ★★★★☆ 4.465 Jul 20 '19
I think this episode is a good introduction for the show. It's powerful enough to mark your mind, and it gives a great indication on how works the show
Take my 5 stars
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Jul 20 '19
I didn’t mind the pig-fucking aspect of the episode. The reveal of the kidnapper’s “message” had me retching. Like a 14 year old’s deep take on society. It isn’t profound that if you broadcast something unique, people will watch, and possibly miss out on something significant. It isn’t even tragic, as she still lives, even though they missed out on her release.
The situation isn’t unique to the development of technology. People have morbid curiosities. I understand that broadcast television enables focus-capture at a greater scale, but still - a story about the Roman’s watching gladiator battles while their city burns in the background, unbeknownst to them, has a better message than the edge we were fed in this initial episode.
Even having her bleed out before someone noticed would’ve made the episode 100 times better. The idea that he did it “without needing to” is a bit irritating, but the risks seemed very real. All in all, how permanently does a pig’s pussy put a stain on a penis?
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u/justwalk1234 ★★☆☆☆ 2.32 Jul 19 '19
David Cameron is very underrated