by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
After two years, Black Mirror is back from the ashes. The previous two seasons have been mixed at best, but Season Seven sports some truly reality-warping scenarios with real-life commentary on various types of issues surrounding technology. This season is a return to form — every episode is a banger. Even if one might be slightly weaker, it still had some outstanding performances and commentary. Here’s a rundown of all the episodes.
“Common People”
This is an emotional way to start Season Seven. The premiere shows Amanda (Rashida Jones) struggling after a medical emergency leaves her incapacitated. Her husband Mike (Chris O’Dowd) is approached by Gaynor (Tracee Ellis Ross) from Rivermind Technologies, who offers what feels like a miracle cure for Amanda, but there are strings attached through a subscription service. It reminds me a lot of how streaming services are constantly fiddling with the pricing and features on their plans and passing the cost to the consumers. This also provides some commentary on the state of medicine and how subscriptions are the future of care. No matter how vital something might be for someone’s health, money being a deciding factor in whether someone can get medicine is grossly unethical. The lengths that people will go to take care of someone they love are staggering, even if it means pain or embarrassment. When an ad-tier is applied to Amanda, it’s hilarious but also cringeworthy. Life is precious, but technology and money interfere with the natural flow. Amanda learns the hard way the actual cost of being kept alive.
“Bête Noire”
It’s mind boggling how being kind to someone can be difficult, particularly for teenagers. When confectionist whizz kid Maria (Siena Kelly) gets a blast from the past from a former classmate, Verity (Rosy McEwan), it sends her on a spiral of self-doubt and reality-bending truths. Verity is a computer expert, and Maria thinks she has something to do with how she’s constantly second-guessing herself, after enough evidence is presented that she is slowly losing her grip on reality. This episode is bonkers, because you genuinely don’t know what’s real and what isn’t. Maria and Verity’s final confrontation is tense, and the explanation is crazy. This episode is special because it is about treating people with kindness and the consequences of your actions as a kid. Just be nice to people; what happens in this episode won’t happen to you!
“Hotel Reverie”
Hollywood is on full blast for remakes and the use of technology to fully immerse themselves in older films. When AI is used to remake a classic movie, Hotel Reverie, Hollywood star Brandy Friday (Issa Rae) is cast in a supporting role opposite iconic performer Dorothy Chambers (Emma Corrin). Brandy gets more than she bargains for when the program malfunctions, and she finds herself stuck in the simulation. The life she builds in the movie shows how real it felt for Brandy, whose life was forever altered by the allure of what old Hollywood paved for her to be the performer she is today. “Hotel Reverie” shows the dangers of AI, and why Hollywood is so nervous about utilizing it moving forward. This also says a lot about how studios use AI to remain relevant and how fame drives us to make rash decisions.
“Plaything”
One of two video game-centric episodes, “Plaything” revolves around Cameron (Peter Capaldi), a man arrested on suspicion of murder. He talks to the inspectors about a game he’s playing and how obsessed he has become with the Thronglets, the creatures in the game, whom he claims he can understand. The Thronglets and Cameron form an unhealthy bond, and he then does everything he can to protect them and do their bidding. This episode is a bit of a dud for me, but the ending makes up for it, because Cameron and the Thronglets’ plan comes to fruition in devastating ways. “Plaything” talks about our obsession with video games, and reading into what we perceive is there. Fan service gets the treatment here, but more to come on this in the other video game-centric episode.
“Eulogy”
Grief and regret take center stage in “Eulogy,” where Phillip (Paul Giamatti) is asked to provide some memories after he finds out his ex-partner Carol (Hazel Monaghan) has died. Eulogy, the company asking for memories, has a technology that allows users to look at old photographs and relive those moments. Phillip has a Guide (Patsy Ferran) who goes through these memories with him, and it stirs a complicated and significant amount of emotions about Carol. Through these memories, Phillip discovers the truth behind their breakup, and how his decisions cannot be undone or remedied anymore. Giamatti is electric, showcasing why he’s the most talented performer in this series. Thematically, “Eulogy” also showcases the power of memories and how technology helps us expand our understanding of what we remember from a situation.
“USS Callister: Into Infinity”
The final episode of the season is a fully immersive experience, where a video game starts to have individuals robbing users while doing other illegal activities. The game begins to investigate who these individuals are, but it has something to do with the death of game co-creator Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons). Nanette (Cristin Milioti) is tasked with investigating the situation, and she discovers some disturbing information about Daly and the other founder, Walton (Jimmi Simpson). Video game camaraderie and online personas are discussed in this episode, and Milioti is remarkable in a dual role you don’t see coming. Video games complicate things as a business, which do whatever they can to profit from people who want the most out of their experience.
Black Mirror is back and better than ever. Season Seven features strong performances and themes, as well as a good mix of heart and horror. This season had some excellent episodes, with “Eulogy,” “Common People,” and “Hotel Reverie” as the stand-outs. I hope Black Mirror can keep up this quality moving forward after two so-so seasons.
Rating: Loved It
Black Mirror is currently streaming on Netflix
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