Black Mirror 6 Is High On Social Commentary But With Truncated Technology And Intelligence

The show that escalated our collective paranoia is finally back with another season after a four-year hiatus and let¡¯s just say that it has divided the internet in just a couple of days following its release.

For the unversed, this British anthology series created by Charlie Booker revolves around different genres but the general theme is science-fiction and future dystopia based.

Now, over the course of 12 years, we have been served with some horrifying and unimaginable scenarios which obviously resulted in a cult-following as people couldn¡¯t help but fawn over the tech-cautionary and futuristic tales.

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Most of us are aware of the technology advancements that have been rapidly taking place. The latest one being the launch of AI app ChatGPT or the rise of Crypto currency. With a prolonged release, loyal fans had high expectations of watching something unimaginable. More so because of the pandemic and the change it brought with itself that changed the definition of ¡®normal¡¯ for us.

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However, it seems like the strain of bringing something new and unseen has made things worse as the recent series is far from what Black Mirror really represented in the past. Many feel that the show has run its course as it not only lacks the central theme but has also gone into a repetition mode.

The five episodes are devoid of sci-fi elements and only one of them projects an iota of futuristic vision. It somehow takes a high ground and narrates tales with a moral lesson in tow. The latest season dabbles with social issues and its terrifying repercussions. In no way was the audience expecting the stories to be set in the future but the minimum to no usage of technology and its impact on common people hasn¡¯t gone down too well.

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Symbolism and social issues have taken the front seat in season 6. Having said that, it doesn¡¯t mean that the episodes don¡¯t make for interesting watch. Only the true blue fans of the show are vocally calling out the show as a side effect of beaten expectations.

Without giving away any major spoiler, let¡¯s dive right into the episodes and see how they rank from best to worst. Scroll!

1. Beyond The Sea

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This episode is arguably the closest one to the Black Mirror theme and the most cinematic one of the lot. Starring heavy weights like Aaron Paul, Josh Hartnett and Kate Mara, it has some interesting special effects as it is set in space and revolves around two astronauts who are on a covert mission yet balancing their lives on earth with the help of their tech replicas because of which they are able to lead their lives on earth and the spaceship simultaneously. There¡¯s a mix of Manson family-type crime and diminishing morals which leads to jaw-dropping plot twists and an unpredictable ending.

2. Joan Is Awful

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This one is not only dark but also full of black comedy. It follows the life of a woman named Joan who isn¡¯t exactly a villain but sure has a not-so-good side to her. She is ruthless at her job and a go-getter who one day realizes that her life has been made into a TV show by a streaming service provider called Streamberry. She is played by a deep-faked Salma Hayek and with the use of AI and advanced CGI, her everyday facets of life are shown on a nightly basis. Although it is a good attempt, this episode is also marred by some loopholes and untied ends.

3. Demon 79

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Desis will probably love this one a tad bit more as this episode revolves around a Brit-Indian woman Nida, who works as a salesgirl in a footwear shop. While facing racism on a daily basis, she is told to eat her ¡®smelly¡¯ food in the basement of the shop where she stumbles upon a magical talisman. Unfortunately, she pricks her hand in the process and her blood gets smeared on it. Soon after, a demon appears and tells her that she will have to commit three murders in three days or else the world will end! It is a riveting watch but only if it were a standalone episode and not tagged under Black Mirror. As the story progresses, it starts to feel a little rough around the edges but still manages to keep the viewer gripped under its spell.

4. Mazey Day

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Mazey Day somewhat reminded me of the first episode of the very first season, The National Anthem. It¡¯s a good representation of the pitfalls of stardom and the invasion of privacy of celebrities by the paparazzi. The cut-throat paps act like vultures to get a shot of a celeb and the race is every bit voyeuristic and unethical. In the episode, we are introduced to a troubled actress who is dealing with a possible addiction. What started off as a regular story soon took a turn that no one could have seen coming. Just like Demon 79, even this one hardly has any sci-fi elements but it¡¯s a hard look at the damage that unwarranted photos do to a person¡¯s life.

Many on the internet are of the opinion that AI wrote the climax of this particular story as the twist is quite laughable to say the least.

5. Loch Henry

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A slow burn, Loch Henry revolves around a young couple, Davis and Pia, who are in search of a true crime story so that they can make a documentary on it and rise to fame. They visit a small town in Scotland where Davis grew up. The intention is to make a nature documentary but soon they become invested in the town¡¯s notorious series of crimes that happened in the past.

By the looks of it, Loch Henry feels like a satire built on people¡¯s morbid fascination for true crime drama even if it means reducing the survivors and victims to mere subjects. It¡¯s not something fresh or never-seen-before but it sure is engaging in parts. The final reveal is predictable and disappointing. Even though Mazey Day takes the cake in this department, Loch Henry loses more points merely on the fact that it¡¯s a drag and a classic example of shoddy editing.

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