What TV series are you watching at moment?

[LimpyLoo]

I love Black Mirror, but I'm usually left with a feeling of "we knew this already" in that it can be a little obvious. On the other hand, it can also be early and not obvious in certain ways. I enjoy it more when I don't feel like the story is an allegory for something in the real world. I'd rather have them be taken literally and then expand on how a piece of technology might be used in the future. Although it can do both brilliantly, like in the last episode it covers drone bees while making an allegory for mob justice and so on.

 

The first episode can also be seen as an allegory, but what makes it more interesting to me is that there are several people who want these voting systems created on blockchain technology, so there is something concrete in there too. The episode with the soldiers with brain implants to see monsters was cool, but I don't want to see it as an allegory for immigration or whatever as some people seem to have said. The thing here then is that the technology and literal aspects of the show need to be fleshed out enough to stand on their own, and the allegory shouldn't be too obvious. I find the Outer Limits from 1990s to be better, but I still come back to Black Mirror hoping for that next level shit, but it hasn't brought it except in a few certain instances.

You are mental

P.S. Brain implants episode was about ideology not "immigration"

[coax]

Why mental?

 

This is the immigrant thing I was referring to, and yeah, ideology/whatever, it was just to bring up an example, didn't write too much about it

 

https://www.cnet.com/news/new-black-mirror-isnt-quite-charlie-brookers-bleakest-blackest-best-netflix/

"while "Men Against Fire" is a timely but on-the-nose metaphor about the way we treat immigrants."

[LimpyLoo]

Why mental?

 

This is the immigrant thing I was referring to, and yeah, ideology/whatever, it was just to bring up an example, didn't write too much about it

 

https://www.cnet.com/news/new-black-mirror-isnt-quite-charlie-brookers-bleakest-blackest-best-netflix/

"while "Men Against Fire" is a timely but on-the-nose metaphor about the way we treat immigrants."

The point is way more broad and timeless than just "immigration"

This is how ideologues view out-group members

And WHY they view them that way

Right-wing fascism (which is what we're really talking about, here) is *always* about purity, disgust and contamination

That is why out-group members are always described in terms of infestation, impurity, contamination

Immigration is just one instantiation of all this

[coax]

Yeah I understand, that was a very offhand quick thing I included just as an example, but it was a bad way to put it. I was more interested in the literal vs metaphor aspect and how the series executes that. Also the outer limits did the same story in the 90s (season 4 ep 3 about soldiers taking a drug which makes human enemies look like alien monsters) which changed my perspective on the whole thing a bit. We can talk all day about the details and metaphors that are in the show but that wasn't what I was focusing on at the time

[jeremymacgregor87]

Black Mirror s03e02 holy shit that was annoying. two gold stars for overacting

[Guest]

haven't seen anything season 3 yet - is it less good than earlier things, maybe even shit?

If so, theory: this somehow has something to do with Netflix.

[doublename]

haven't seen anything season 3 yet - is it less good than earlier things, maybe even shit?

If so, theory: this somehow has something to do with Netflix.

It's not exactly shit, but it feels like a de-fanged American remake. Definitely loads of US TV style overacting. Episode 2 seems to have been well received, but I thought it was a series low point tbqh.

[eugene]

it did get kinda shite, the only episode i liked was the san junipero one because of how different it is tonally, stylistically and thematically, didn't seem so self important as well. the 1st one was ok too, if a bit cringey. but the others are just this overwrought pessimistic darkness and edginess with some kind of shallow message about tech and society. maybe the first seasons were like that as well but just seemed fresh and exciting, so it's just diminishing returns. but yeah, a big meh. the "not the bees!" episode is the worst, like some kind of lame CSI episode that just goes one for a length of the whole film for no reason.

Edited October 23, 2016 by eugene

[LimpyLoo]

What is wrong with you people

[doublename]

Fall back, blud, you watch The Following. 

[coax]

Eugene I think you are too negative about it but I can understand the general reaction. I just think the execution and cool ideas in certain scenes makes up for the lack of other things

[LimpyLoo]

Fall back, blud, you watch The Following.

I really dug season 1

Season 2 was total shite

Bad enough that I didn't even watch season 3

[watmmisdead]

haven't seen anything season 3 yet - is it less good than earlier things, maybe even shit?

If so, theory: this somehow has something to do with Netflix.

im happy to know im not alone.

the 1st season of black mirror is amazing

 

I almost couldnt finish the first episode of season 3. just annoying. way to pessimistic 

[Silent Member]

Atlanta is so goooood, loving it

[WeAreOceans]

Halfway through season 3 of Black Mirror, ep1 was a bit meh, Community already parodied the concept before and I'm sure it's been done a few other places. I really liked episode 2 but yes the main American dude overacted it a tad at his freakout. I think Brooker dropped a Bioshock reference in there too ("Would you kindly open the door"). Episode three was great, made me feel filthy to the core.

 

Deffo defanged though yeah. Brooker is quite candid with the production process of his shows so I'm sure we'll get some insight to other ideas he may have had or what had to be cut back in the near future.

[caze]

Liked the first episode of Black Mirror. Not exactly subtle, but it's ok for satire to overdo it at times.

[pcock]

what the hell happened at the end of atlanta with that invisible car knocking everyone over?

[olo]

what the hell happened at the end of atlanta with that invisible car knocking everyone over?

 

It was a callback to the photo paper boi's comical friend ( I forget his name) showed him on his phone. An athlete standing next to an invisible car. Paper Boi  told him it was a fake & don't be an idiot.

Edited October 24, 2016 by olo

[pcock]

ah right, i didnt notice that.

[Guest]

Black Mirror - watched the first two episodes of the 3rd season... they were both a bit trashy, maybe a slight decrease in quality but not very much I think.. the older stuff was just like that IIRC. The game testing one got me pretty bad actually... haven't spoken to my mom in years..

[Kennylogg Bubblebath]

Just finished the new season of Black Mirror. Wasn't particularly keen on the first episode, but the rest were superb.

 

Playtest and Shut Up & Dance were proper gripping. San Junipero had a great atmosphere too.

[eugene]

ya'll should watch goliath with b b thornton fam. it's basically a deeply 90's legal/conspiracy drama in 8 parts with a great and fun cast and all the necessary eccentricities of the genre. it kinda fizzles out towards the end and what was supposed to be a big climax is kinda underwhelming, but it's a really good run nonetheless.

Edited October 26, 2016 by eugene

[jeremymacgregor87]

ya'll should watch goliath with b b thornton fam. it's basically a deeply 90's legal/conspiracy drama in 8 parts with a great and fun cast and all the necessary eccentricities of the genre. it kinda fizzles out towards the end and what was supposed to be a big climax is kinda underwhelming, but it's a really good run nonetheless.

 

Thanks for the tip. you haven't failed me thus far

[A Reggae Lee Bowyer]

I'm a bit surprised by some of the negative comments about Black Mirror. I thought this season was outstanding.

I didn't notice any "overacting". In the first episode, that's kinda the whole point. Everyone is overacting and being false for the sake of getting rated. The American guy in the second episode can appear to be overacting a little but I honestly just think that's how most Americans come across in an English setting. I don't mean that to be offensive in any way. I just spent 6 years living in America and I'm pretty sure I appeared very underwhelming and boring.

[melancholera]

Just now watching S2 of Black Mirror. The second eposide (White Bear) uncannily had the tone of nightmares I've had before. Certainly have never seen anything like it.