Just finished Metalhead and I'm not sure I understood the ending at all...

was it supposed to be a reference to White Bear or something? It had crossed my mind that they were part of some sort of 'real life' hunt show but I'm guessing not... was it just supposed to show that there is nothing precious left and everyone wants something nostalgic or comforting?

 

 

Just finished Metalhead and I'm not sure I understood the ending at all...

was it supposed to be a reference to White Bear or something? It had crossed my mind that they were part of some sort of 'real life' hunt show but I'm guessing not... was it just supposed to show that there is nothing precious left and everyone wants something nostalgic or comforting?

 

i thought it was supposed to show grim and hopeless reality of that world. if people risked their lives for a teddy bear it means there's not much left of anything including hope. That couple laying in bed kind of gives you that impression too

 

Ok so just finished. Loved them all but I think Hang the DJ was probably my favourite, but only by a margin as they were all so damn good. 6 EPISODES IS NOT ENOUGH CHARLIE.

omg crocodile. SO dark!!

 

 

Once again, so interesting how your sympathy for a character can just dissolve throughout an episode. It's actually quite funny that she ends up getting caught by a hamster! The acting was superb though, she came across as increasingly cold but still aware (and regretful) of what she'd done. The final scenes at the play were particularly amazing from her.

 

 

 

Arkangel was solid but perhaps a bit too seen it before ie

hands off my daughter, daughter gets mad at parents, although of course it did the whole Black Mirror spin on this! I thought it started out really well but I thought they were going to do more with the filter ie its dangerous to completely block children from seeing harm. I thought they were going to do something with the Grandad suffering a stroke and that he might die due to the daughter having no idea what was going on.

 

i thought it was supposed to show grim and hopeless reality of that world. if people risked their lives for a teddy bear it means there's not much left of anything including hope. That couple laying in bed kind of gives you that impression too

Ah okay, that would be a sensible interpretation. The actress in that one gave a really good performance I thought, especially as she managed to shake off my initial OMG it's the young one from Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies!

I saw USS Callister last night so I'm just going to comment on that without reading beyond page 3 because WELL, that was one of the best Star Trek satires I've seen and as a Trekkie I've been aware of more than a few (sorry can't hardcore binge yet). Although to be fair what self-respecting Trek nerd that can go into what is effectively a holosuite of their favourite TV show doesn't at least make it Next Gen focused?

 

But that was quite the way to reintroduce the series,

what with people being trapped in a computer game (anime did it well with Sword Art Online, but this did it better), really quite horrific and opens up a ton of debates as to whether the people we were watching on the USS Callister were really real people or just facsimiles created by the AI of the program that THINK they have the memories of the people in the real world. The latter seems more realistic and actually more horrifying if AI gain intelligence, think they're real people and think that humans are torturing them for their own amusement

. So many layers and that it

had a fairly light ending for a Black Mirror episode doesn't change that this seems like one of the darker episodes of the series in its ramifications

 

 

Will be watching the rest when I get a chance, I hope they're as good as that.

Finished them all now. I was convinced before it began that I was going to be freaked out by Black Museum and, whilst it wasn't entirely freak out free, I really enjoyed it and found it to be one of the best episodes of the series. It's a difficult one to rank, I really enjoyed Hang The DJ, Black Museum and USS Callister. I enjoyed the other three also but they didn't stay with me in the same way and I'm not sure I'd rush back to watching them again. It's probably no coincidence that the three I preferred all

have happier than anticipated endings.

I think Metalhead was probably the worst of the bunch for me, possibly because it had none of the thing mentioned in the spoiler tags to balance it.

URGH - that moment when you type Metalhead and a

dog barks in the fields behind your house

I’m nervous to watch Metalhead because so far the order seems similar to Season 3 aka

01. big budget ep, 02. more traditional black mirror ep nothing too standout 03. rootable person turns out to be evil with a very dark ending 04. happy love story ep sooo that might make Metalhead the shit one :(

 

 

and I’ve heard literally nothing about Metalhead which was the exact same for Men Against Fire

Oh it's better than Men Against Fire - dive on in...

I really want to talk about this and read what everyone else has to say but I've only seen USS Callister & Arkangel so far (which are both f***ing briliant).

I really liked Men Against Fire, don't see why it gets so much hate :(

 

But yeah that similarity is pretty bizarre and I wonder if that was intentional...

I've finished the season. I thought it started off well with USS Callister, and Arkangel was alright but a bit average.

 

But I absolutely hated Crocodile.

Black Mirror has done some pretty out-there episodes but it has always still felt realistic for me. But this episode didn't at all. When she killed the first guy it felt so odd and out-of-place. I didn't even realize what she was doing for a few seconds. And the killing of the blind baby felt cheap.

 

 

But the show won me back over completely with Hang The DJ.

I'm usually more into the dark episodes, I seemed to be the only person who didn't love San Junipro last year as I thought it didn't feel like Black Mirror. But this season the 'happy ending' one is easily my favourite. The concept was cool and the acting was brilliant. I really wanted them to get together.

 

 

I found Metalhead ok.

The ending felt a bit underwhelming. I know they were trying to leave it open-ended but it didn't work for me. The dogs were cool, I wanted to know where they came from. And what was the teddy bear all about, we're the going to transfer someone's consciousness Black Musuem style? :lol:

 

 

But Black Musuem was an amazing episode that really felt like classic Black Mirror.

The Doctor story was my favourite part. I would watch a whole episode just based on that. I also loved how all the stories intertwined with the development of the human consciousness technology increasing with each one.

All the nods and references to other episodes were cool as well.

 

Overall I think the season did not quite live up to the standards of the previous but it was still always a fascinating and immersive watch and I can't wait for it to come bkac. Or for just anything from Charlie Brooker, I was very disappointed that the Wipe Of 2017 got cancelled.

I've finished the season. I thought it started off well with USS Callister, and Arkangel was alright but a bit average.

 

But I absolutely hated Crocodile.

Black Mirror has done some pretty out-there episodes but it has always still felt realistic for me. But this episode didn't at all. When she killed the first guy it felt so odd and out-of-place. I didn't even realize what she was doing for a few seconds. And the killing of the blind baby felt cheap.

 

Do you mean it was unnecessary to kill that guy? It felt pretty logical to me. The technology of looking into memories already existed and there was quite a chance they would find him and see that he had an accomplice. And imo killing of the baby was necessary to actually fully show Mia's character. After that scene you had absolutely no doubts about her anymore.

Unless you mean something else.

USS Callister was a brilliant opener - wacky, absurd and twisted. It's not a favourite of mine, in fact it'll rank fairly low in the grand scheme of things because I prefer the GRIT the show delivers but it was a really strong experiment and executed pretty flawlessly.

 

Arkangel was one of my favourite technological explorations but my GOSH it failed to deliver. My main issue was the casting - the girl aged 15 played by a 21 year old who looks like she's in her mid 30s. Some really choice moments throughout with the dialogue, pacing and acting and all together i'd blame it on Jodie Foster's directing rather than the idea at heart. The ending was a complete joke too AND I sided with neither party involved (mother and daughter).

 

Crocodile was phenomenal. It was the show at its most gripping with twists and turns throughout.

 

Hang The DJ was up there with San Junipero - a truly stunning piece of cinema. Perhaps the strongest acting i've seen on the show since it debuted. A beautifully crafted story, so modern yet so timeless. The ending had me gagging and researching all over the internet for alternative interpretations.

 

Still to watch the final couple ~

I’m going to do a Black Mirror rate in a few weeks time or so, giving everyone time to watch Series 4!

 

Re Crocodile

the first killing (of her ex) appeared more accidental for me and came from a form of anger and the realisation she needed to quieten him and it does come from the coldness of her character too. Then it just spirals out of control as, the more you try and cover things up, the more ‘plates’ you have to spin so to speak and I found it fascinating to see that downward spiral follow the cold character!

 

 

Hang the DJ was a superbly acted story but I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as everyone else seems to have done. It’s certainly not on San Junipero levels for me!! Is it just me who

despite finding the ending happy, it can also be interpreted as very dark. There were ONE THOUSAND versions of them existing in that virtual world. The fact we have USS Callister in the same season highlights that darkness for me, because those 1,000 versions all have minds of their own and have had to suffer ‘the game’ I guess of the app.

 

 

Arkangel was one of my favourite technological explorations but my GOSH it failed to deliver. My main issue was the casting - the girl aged 15 played by a 21 year old who looks like she's in her mid 30s. Some really choice moments throughout with the dialogue, pacing and acting and all together i'd blame it on Jodie Foster's directing rather than the idea at heart. The ending was a complete joke too AND I sided with neither party involved (mother and daughter).

Yesss this is my thoughts! The premise looked to be so good, it created a lot of interesting questions but it just fell flat for me and underwhelmed me.

Do you mean it was unnecessary to kill that guy? It felt pretty logical to me. The technology of looking into memories already existed and there was quite a chance they would find him and see that he had an accomplice. And imo killing of the baby was necessary to actually fully show Mia's character. After that scene you had absolutely no doubts about her anymore.

Unless you mean something else.

 

 

I think it was the speed in which she decided to kill him that felt a bit weird. She literally went from asking him to not to say anything to murder at ultra speed. She just seemed a little to unconcerned about killing her own friend. She also didn't seem to know much about the memory technology which made me think that wasn't the reason she did it.

 

Regarding the baby, it was really the choice to make it blind that felt cheap, it didn't really add anything to the plot over than just try to make the audience feel a little bit more disgusted I felt.

 

 

 

Rank

 

1. USS Callister

2. Hang The DJ

3. Metalhead

4. Black Museum

5. Arkangel

6. Crocodile

 

USS Calister -

I was a bit skeptical going into this due to it not sounding Black Mirror esque but it ended up being my favorite. I started off liking the main character but as he became quite evil in keeping them in the video. I was very glad they escaped and that he got his comeuppance.

 

 

Hang The DJ -

I adore this episode like San Junipero just quite simply stunning filmmaking wise and the story actually being quite happy for once. I was shipping them two together and yes that made it quite predictable even with the virtual world. The ending though...still don't fully understand it but was very good.

 

 

Metalhead -

One of the more avant-garde episodes they have done. I loved how tense it was. The ending was very open to interpretation which I feel like was needed for this ep if it was closed I it wouldn't have gone with the story imo.

 

 

Black Museum -

I loved the main story with the girl and the guy. What was even greater was that they had little hints to the final story in the first two subplots. The first sub-plot was alright but the second I wish was explored in its own story it would have been like White Christmas meets Be Right Back. The final story I feel like was a bit rushed left me to struggle to care about the killer/his wife and daughter. YES to the easter eggs in this episode too.

 

 

Arkangel -

Hmm tricky one to rate I love the premise and was excited about this as I LOVE Jodie Foster. However, it falls a bit flat. I side with both the mother and daughter. Of course, you don't want your children to see horrible things but at the same time, I believe that shielding them can cause more harm than good. Especially when you meddle with your child's personal life. Overall I can't help feeling it could have done MORE especially with that awful ending.

 

 

Crocidile -

Now don't get me wrong this episode isn't weak per say in fact none of them are. They all are strong and have got good things about them. Its just I feel like with this type of story you should empathize with the protagonist but she was really unlikeable. First of all, she is a bit dumb she doesn't want to go to jail for something that happens a long time ago but commits more murders to add to her eventual sentence?? . I sort of agree with someone that said that the killing the baby felt cheap and what I think he means is it felt really like shock value for the sake of shock value. That felt very not like Black Mirror to me. In fact. I was more interested in the insurance storyline and would have loved to see that lady come out on top and send her down for the murders.

 

Metalhead is a complete non event? Nothing happens in it, I didn't think once about any subtext or anything!? Why did we care about the woman trying to run away? Nothing to it at all :( the ending was a cop out too, but omg black and white so arty~~!!1

 

I'm glad it's the second lowest rated on IMDB (second only to Waldo :'))

Wow Metalhead was a very simple story, I liked how it was trying to evoke a horror film but

I'd have preferred it to have explored more about the dogs, learn more about what the three were trying to achieve. Why were they taking the van as well? Did they know the dogs would be there, there didn't really seem to take precautions? I guess it was quite tense with the determined unstoppable nature of the dogs but it is one of the only episodes where I've not really cared/thought about it afterwards.

 

 

Black Museum was superb although

I wasn't as keen on the first story as everyone else. I much preferred the second one, definitely gave me White Christmas vibes which I got chills about and, like Pavel, that idea of a consciousness living quite uselessly forever is one of my worst nightmares, particularly when she's stuck in the bear and has lost all communication. What does Nish plan to do with the bear though, surely it's more humane to kill it but if it's illegal?? (although she has just killed someone and committed arson so... :lol:) The consciousness thing aside, it obviously did mirror White Christmas through the storytelling techniques and, if I'm comparing, I do think that was more successful overall. I felt more connected and interested in both the main characters in that than the one here and I felt the stories flowed a lot better in WC. It was still a step up from Metalhead and very solid overall. LOVED all the references to other episodes and made me glad I watched it in the Netflix order as you can see the stuff from Arkangel and Crocodile there!

 

 

My ranking:

 

01. USS Callister

02. Crocodile

03. Black Museum

04. Hang the DJ

05. Arkangel

06. Metalhead

 

Solid overall but I prefer Series 3 in terms of the Netflix series! A RATE will be on it's way soooooon!