# Black Mirror 5.03 "Striking Vipers" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 5, 2019, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053 "2019-06-05T04:51:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/23 "2019-06-09T21:04:43Z")
I just wonder what names they rejected before coming up with “Striking Vipers”. Bumping Boas? Slapping Snakes? Rubbing Rattlers? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/24 "2019-06-10T00:13:48Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I just wonder what names they rejected before coming up with “Striking Vipers”. Bumping Boas? Slapping Snakes? Rubbing Rattlers? Would “sword fighting serpents” be too obvious? ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/25 "2019-06-10T12:56:14Z")
I found this ep kind of tedious but the ending redeemed it for me, and the more I reflect on it’s message and portrayal of the realities of marriage(the challenges and sacrifice and the sometimes mundane nature of it all)the more I like it. I agree that too much time was spent showing the interaction of the game characters. Of course, I’m not a gamer so that may have affected my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/26 "2019-06-10T13:25:41Z")
I was wondering if the reason they liked it was going to be because sex in the VR game was “Perfect.” No fatigue, no clumsiness, no premature launch, your partner is always totally hot and they can change their appearance, within a certain amount of choices, to something else if they or you like. I was also wondering if the ending was going to be something like it turns out the wife has found the game and is playing Lance without Karl knowing until too late. Talk about revenge sex. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/27 "2019-06-11T11:23:25Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I was wondering if the reason they liked it was going to be because sex in the VR game was “Perfect.” No fatigue, no clumsiness, no premature launch, your partner is always totally hot and they can change their appearance, within a certain amount of choices, to something else if they or you like. > > I was also wondering if the ending was going to be something like it turns out the wife has found the game and is playing Lance without Karl knowing until too late. Talk about revenge sex. I was thinking that same thing too and I’m glad it wasn’t the ending. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/28 "2019-06-12T19:38:20Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Would “sword fighting serpents” be too obvious? “Spitting Cobras!” ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/29 "2019-06-12T19:42:38Z")
Gives a new spin to “FINISH HER!” ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/30 "2019-06-16T01:49:59Z")
I kept wondering why they didn’t switch and let Danny be Roxette once in a while. One of my least favorite episodes. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/31 "2019-06-16T02:01:31Z")
The whole episode, my main concern was “When are they going to show more of Karl’s car?” I love those late sixties Mustangs. That’s how bored I was with the story. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2019, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/32 "2019-06-16T02:14:46Z")
I wish it had actually explored the trans aspect. Even if it was ‘are you…’ ‘naw, man.’ As it was, it was this big ol’ elephant sitting in the middle of the room. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2019, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/33 "2019-06-29T04:16:03Z")
This was the first episode, not the third. Terrible, one of the worst of the whole series. It felt like they had really interesting ideas but went nowhere with them with zero payoff. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2019, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/34 "2019-06-30T04:50:18Z")
I thought it was interesting from the standpoint “how do you classify virtual reality sex?” Is it just porn? Are they gay or trans or none of the above? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2019, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/35 "2019-06-30T05:24:05Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I was wondering if the reason they liked it was going to be because sex in the VR game was “Perfect.” No fatigue, no clumsiness, no premature launch, your partner is always totally hot and they can change their appearance, within a certain amount of choices, to something else if they or you like. > > I was also wondering if the ending was going to be something like it turns out the wife has found the game and is playing Lance without Karl knowing until too late. Talk about revenge sex. A better twist might be a retelling of Oedipus Rex. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/36 "2019-07-01T04:58:13Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > A better twist might be a retelling of Oedipus Rex. That’s what I was expecting! I kept waiting for the big Black Mirror disturbing ending and then, nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/37 "2019-07-01T07:27:46Z")
Am I the only one who found this episode to be hilarious? Lower the age of the guys to about fifteen, and that’s EXACTLY what would happen. Including thinking they were in love with each other because they boink a lot. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053/38 "2019-07-02T20:30:50Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Terrible, one of the worst of the whole series. It felt like they had really interesting ideas but went nowhere with them with zero payoff. I didn’t hate it quite this much (I’ll save “worst ever” for _Crocodile_), but I didn’t like it. It was just plain boring. Two guys like games, they have sex in the game, they struggle with it, and then it’s resolved. It could have been a 30 minute episode easily. There’s so much more they could have done with this. > [@UltraVires](#): > > Would that happen if we had that level of technology? What would that mean for your marriage and family? And your friendships? Would it really mean so much to you that your once-yearly cheating deal with your wife meant that she had real sex with another guy while you banged your buddy in a video game? Would your marriage be better or worse? Like this. I compare this episode to my favorite, _The Entire History of You_. That had a simple technological premise and explored its impact in all facets of life - interviews, social occasions, arguments, etc. This episode had none of that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-mirror-5-03-striking-vipers/835053.md?page=1)