Black Mirror Season 4 - My Personal Thoughts

Hi Everyone,

In my last post about Black Mirror I had only finished Season 4 Episode 3.

I wasnt super impressed with the first 3 episodes, and wasnt really interested in continuing on with the rest of the season, but a few friends as well as Steemians said that Season 4 Episode 4 is the best episode in all 4 seasons so that got me back on board!

I wanted to say a few words about each episode - why I disliked the first few and what I did like. So if you don't want spoilers I encourage you to stop reading!

Episode 1 - USS Calister

This episode explores a company that has created a virtual video game where you have control over everything within the game. The developer of the game was fed up of real life and the people who made his real life hard so he steals their DNA and uploads them into his private mod of the game.
When I first watched this episode, it wasnt nearly as fucked up as I was wanting it to be. I was expecting my world to be rocked and to really believe that something like this could happen in the future. But I was left feeling the opposite. I didnt think it was very creative in the story line. Of course the newest member added to his modded world was going to figure out how to get them out of there.

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Looking back now though, I did really like the idea of this episode and I thought the actors were all really good. I also loved the special effects. The secretary's blue skin as well as the crews outfits - I thought that was very aesthetically pleasing. Also - side note, I loved Aaron Pauls camo at the end!

I rate this episode 6 out of 10 zombies!

Episode 2 - Arkangel

In this episode a child goes missing - once found, the mother never wants to experience such things so the company "Arkangel" implant a device into the child which allows the mother to monitor her ever moves on a tablet. She can also block her from seeing things that may harm her such as blood/violence on tv. When the daughter grows up the mum decides to put the device away. That is until the daughter goes missing again - so the mum brushes off the old tablet and see's far more than she is wanting to see. The daughter finds out and loses all trust in the mother.

Again, going into this episode, I was not at all shocked. I can of course imagine this being a technology we see in the future, but the story line really didnt grip me. It was just a classic story of a teenager wanting freedom from her mum, just adding the technology behind it. That being said, I did love the portrayal of the teenager, she fit the role perfectly!

I rate this episode 4 out of 10 zombies

Episode 3 - Crocodile

A couple are driving on a highway and accidently kill someone, they then go to lengths to cover up the accident. Years go by and the couple have split. The lady has remarried and has a successful career - and also randomly a major hair cut & dye? One night the old boyfriend visits her at the hotel she is staying at wanting to confess about the murder. In turn, the lady doesnt agree and decides to murder him too. Simutanuosly while she is freaking out about what she has just done, there was an accident in the street below that she witnessed. An insurance lady is investigating this crime and has a memory recall machine that is able to depict memories on a screen. Of course the insurance lady see's the murder - meaning she too now has to die. Then this lady goes to the lengths of killing the insurance lady's partner and child.

Yup this episode was fucked up - but only for the reason of being fucked up. I didnt think it was at all good and all it left me feeling was that I didn't want to continue on with Black Mirror.

I rate this episode a 3 out of 10 zombies. - Some points for the aesthetic location

Episode 4 - Hang The DJ

This was the episode everyone was raving about! A new dating app that matches you up with people & simulates the relationship 1000 times to give you the one true match that is 99.8% accurate.

The storyline was really sweet and I found myself smiling quite a lot throughout, but I didn't think it could be deemed as the best episode of Black Mirror ever. Although a lot of people praise Black Mirror for their relationship episodes, I don't enjoy them as much as the episodes that really make you think. But that being said, looking at it as a stand alone, it was very nice to watch!

I give this episode 6 out of 10 zombies!

Episode 5 - Metalhead

This episode seems to be based in a post-apocalyptic world where supplies may be small. A lady promises her sister that she will travel to go get something for what seems to be her husband who is unwell. The lady and 2 others visit an abandoned warehouse to find supplies when an old robotic guard dog becomes active again. She then spends the entire episode trying to lose the dog. Also - the whole episode is shot in black and white.

Well, the black and white thing really put me off. The dog itself looked like terrible CGI, but I liked the idea of it. There's not really much to comment on to be honest, I found the episode very boring and it was all to find a teddy bear for her sisters son. It was meant to be sweet, but it was just a shitty storyline and the tech behind it was mediocre and unimpressive.

I give this episode 2 out of 10 zombies!

Episode 6 - Black Museum

This is the final episode of the season - a girl travels all the way from the UK to visit her dad on his birthday. Her car runs out of battery and she stops at the Black Museum while it charges. In this museum it features everything technology based that has been involved in crimes AKA everything from the precious Black Mirror episodes. Plus 3 new stories told by the owner of the museum.

Story 1 - A surgeon who gets an implant that allows him to feels the patients pain. He then get addicted to the pain and finds pleasure in it. He then is no longer allowed to work with clients as he is letting them die for his pleasure. He then starts inflicting pain upon himself.

I bloody LOVED this story. THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING BOUT WHEN I SAY FUCKED UP! It was believable because that's what addiction really is like. THANK YOU BLACK MIRROR!

Story 2 - A mum gets hit by a car and left in a coma & the husband is advised to transplant her conscious into his brain. SHe can see, feel & taste everything he is doing. But he was living his life with a backseat driver for the rest of his life. Ultimately she then gets transplanted into a stuffed toy monkey and can only say "Monkey loves you" and "Monkey needs a hug" and still to this day she is in the toy monkey.

This story was a bit more average but I still liked it a hell of a lot better than the previous episodes! It was fucked up because if that technology did exist, thats exactly how it would go.
I think the actors did a phenomenal job in this episode!

Story 3 - a man sentenced to the electric chair is then transported out under the influence that once he is gone, he was still able to provide for his family. But in fact he was just made the major attraction at the museum where people could also give him the electric chair!

This story is linked to the girl who is visiting the museum this day - she is the electric chair victim's daughter, there to set him free (so to speak) and torture the museum owner.

All in all this episode was great and tied in so nicely, and it had a plot twist I didn't see coming which I really enjoyed!
It was definitely my favourite episode of the season!!

I give this episode a 9 and a half zombies out of 10!

All images source from Here!

Overall this season of Black Mirror wasnt the best I have ever seen, but I still really enjoyed it and would recommend others to watch too and to let me know what they think!

WHat was your favourite episode?!

Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed!
Stay excellent!
Natt