# The UK show "Black Mirror" is available on Netflix streaming. Holy Crap! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074 "2014-12-01T22:00:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/81 "2014-12-09T13:13:52Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’m on the 4th episode right now. First of all, IMO, the Twilight Episodes are mostly in comparison to the way each episodes stands on it’s own, both in plot (each one could be a movie in and of itself) and with the different cast from episode to episode. And lesser because of the content. If the same idea were a comedy or drama, they wouldn’t say that. > > Now, the part that’s been bugging me, in the episode where they all had chips in their head: > > A)What’s the point if you can selectivly remove sections of the memory, doesn’t that defeat the entire point? > B)I assume they still have ‘normal’ memories above and beyond the chip, right? Or rather, the chip memory is above and beyond the normal ‘human’ memory. > But still, it seems like that memories (or rather the POV style camera angle which is really what it is) is really pointless when you can say 'Hmmm, that meeting with the terrorist group I just had…delete. Sex with the hooker…delete. etc Regarding your spoiler: the point was they were free to have them. It was not a Totalitarian dystopia; they were a gadget that almost everyone has, like smart phones. I think the Twilight Zone comparison is not exact but fair. The Outer Limits is a closer approximation since that was more straight Sci fi like this is. As I wrote above, it’s an anthology series which used to be fairly common but now seems to be blowing people’s minds. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/82 "2014-12-09T14:42:50Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Regarding your spoiler: the point was they were free to have them. It was not a Totalitarian dystopia; they were a gadget that almost everyone has, like smart phones. Yes, this. You weren’t forced to have them but the technology was so ubiquitous that the world was predicated and structured to make it far easier to have one than not. It was a remarkable thing to go without. Even though the downsides are clear the near-future population just accept them without thinking. There was an interesting point made regarding using the chip as a security device and people demanding access to certain data plus the absence of data and specific deletion points acting as incriminating evidence. Are you more of a risk and do you have something to hide if all you data is not immediately accessible? (the facebook/social media parallel is obvious) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/83 "2014-12-09T15:07:02Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Regarding your spoiler: the point was they were free to have them. It was not a Totalitarian dystopia; they were a gadget that almost everyone has, like smart phones. I missed that and it was further embedded in me that you had to have it with all that talk of being gouged and the main character doing what he did with his. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/84 "2014-12-09T15:32:15Z")
I watched, and enjoyed, nearly all of the episodes. The only one I wasn’t too fond of was “The Waldo Moment” - kind of stupid and not very funny. In White Bear, I was a little distracted, thinking who was going to pay for all of that? (I think both of those comments are spoiler-free enough.) But thanks for the recommendation! Good show! And now that Netflix has Season 3 of American Horror Story on streaming, I can switch to watching that! ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/85 "2014-12-09T16:51:11Z")
Yeah, _The Waldo Moment_ was definitely the weakest episode, but 5 out of 6 isn’t bad. No one succeeds 100% of the time. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/86 "2014-12-09T21:09:12Z")
I’m pretty sure “The Waldo Moment” wasn’t supposed to be funny. I actually rank that episode above “National Anthem” (the weakest, I think). ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/87 "2014-12-09T21:38:56Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > Can I Stream It says it’s on OnCable by XFinity, so if you have that you should look on demand there. Can I Stream It is usually pretty good about saying where things are available, although it doesn’t say that Black Mirror is on Netflix, so maybe it doesn’t always get updated immediately. What a very handy site. I’ve watched the first two episodes of Black Mirror. As for the first one, both me and my gf were thinking fuck the pig. no big deal, do it and save the princess. I don’t see a downside for the PM. I’m not sure I could get it up, but I’d do it ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/88 "2014-12-09T22:14:03Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > What a very handy site. > > I’ve watched the first two episodes of Black Mirror. > > As for the first one, both me and my gf were thinking fuck the pig. no big deal, do it and save the princess. I don’t see a downside for the PM. I’m not sure I could get it up, but I’d do it Because if he does it, that people can get him to do anything. It only encourages it to happen more. It’s no different than saying ‘we don’t pay ransom, period\*.’ My guess going into it was that he wouldn’t do it, even if it meant her dying. \*FWIW I heard part of an NPR piece a few months back that said that even though most countries ‘don’t pay ransom’, most of them actually have secret channels through which they actually do pay it unofficially. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/89 "2014-12-09T22:19:29Z")
saying “We don’t deal with terrorists” is the standard opening line of negotiations with terrorists. If he does it and they release her, he’s a hero. If he does it and they don’t release he, he’s a hero. If he doesn’t do it and they kill her, he is a huge jerk. This is a freaking Princess. People like them. The Queen is going to make you a Duke or something after this. Heck she’ll probably give a couple of islands or something. Of course a huge security overhaul is in order but for right now? Do it. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/90 "2014-12-09T22:44:55Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Regarding your spoiler: the point was they were free to have them. It was not a Totalitarian dystopia; they were a gadget that almost everyone has, like smart phones. Sure, you’re free to have one or not but the impression I got was that not having one would make things like air travel difficult if not impossible. Recall the scene at the airport were he was asked to play back the last 2 weeks (or months, or whatever, I don’t recall exactly). You’re not legally required to have one, but you probably would run into constant discrimination and suspicion if you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/91 "2014-12-10T03:55:15Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > saying “We don’t deal with terrorists” is the standard opening line of negotiations with terrorists. > > If he does it and they release her, he’s a hero. > If he does it and they don’t release he, he’s a hero. > If he doesn’t do it and they kill her, he is a huge jerk. This is a freaking Princess. People like them. The Queen is going to make you a Duke or something after this. Heck she’ll probably give a couple of islands or something. > > Of course a huge security overhaul is in order but for right now? Do it. FWIW European countries pay Terrorist ransoms all the time, England included. It is a major source of income for terrorist groups so taking a stand like that would clearly be an obvious ploy since the theoretical terrorist would know it’s a lie. I may be wrong but America is the only country I believe that officially takes a “No bargaining” stand. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/92 "2014-12-10T05:12:30Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > FWIW European countries pay Terrorist ransoms all the time, England included. It is a major source of income for terrorist groups so taking a stand like that would clearly be an obvious ploy since the theoretical terrorist would know it’s a lie. I may be wrong but America is the only country I believe that officially takes a “No bargaining” stand. The British government? [No.](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/02/british-government-dilemma-refusing-pay-hostage-ransom-isis) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/93 "2014-12-11T00:26:51Z")
I’m skipping much of this thread to avoid spoilers, but I’m trying to get a sense of in what _way_ this show is disturbing. I am really curious about checking it out but sensitive to certain kinds of disturbing content. I can handle gore, but not torture or prolonged agony. I can handle supernatural evil but people doing evil is tougher. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/94 "2014-12-11T01:46:50Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I’m skipping much of this thread to avoid spoilers, but I’m trying to get a sense of in what _way_ this show is disturbing. I am really curious about checking it out but sensitive to certain kinds of disturbing content. I can handle gore, but not torture or prolonged agony. I can handle supernatural evil but people doing evil is tougher. It’s disturbing in a way that it makes you look at the nature of humanity as a whole. A lot of us take comfort in the fact that humans are basically good people. An enlightened species if you will. Back Mirror makes you question all that. It’s introspective. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/95 "2014-12-11T01:49:47Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > The British government? [No.](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/02/british-government-dilemma-refusing-pay-hostage-ransom-isis) Oops. Sorry for the misinformation. i could have sworn I had read that they did. To Spice Weasel: I’m not sure that question can be answered without giving at least a little away. I’ll put the title of an episode you might want to skip in a spoiler in case there’s someone who wants to go in knowing nothing at all. All that’s under the spoiler is the episode title. You may want to skip White Bear ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/96 "2014-12-11T04:54:43Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > It’s disturbing in a way that it makes you look at the nature of humanity as a whole. > > A lot of us take comfort in the fact that humans are basically good people. An enlightened species if you will. Back Mirror makes you question all that. > It’s introspective. Okay. I believe humans are inherently selfish so I’m not sure I would find it disturbing so much as reinforcing. I think I’ll have to give it a shot. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/97 "2014-12-11T06:55:24Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I’m skipping much of this thread to avoid spoilers, but I’m trying to get a sense of in what _way_ this show is disturbing. I am really curious about checking it out but sensitive to certain kinds of disturbing content. I can handle gore, but not torture or prolonged agony. I can handle supernatural evil but people doing evil is tougher. I’d consider skipping White Bear. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/98 "2014-12-11T11:23:08Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I’d consider skipping White Bear. Definitely skip White Bear. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/99 "2014-12-11T13:56:34Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > Definitely skip White Bear. I didn’t find it all that disturbing and thought it was pretty good. I’d give it a shot as a test episode. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/100 "2014-12-11T14:20:14Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I’m skipping much of this thread to avoid spoilers, but I’m trying to get a sense of in what _way_ this show is disturbing. I am really curious about checking it out but sensitive to certain kinds of disturbing content. I can handle gore, but not torture or prolonged agony. I can handle supernatural evil but people doing evil is tougher. There’s not much of that. Most of it is a mind experiment and psychological. I’d recommend you watch at least the first episode to get a feel for it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074.md?page=6)