# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/101 "2014-12-11T16:59:01Z")
> [@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. Personally, I had a very very hard time with the first episode (“The National Anthem”). I did not enjoy the build-up to whether or not animal abuse would commence. It made me feel sick to my stomach. I would not recommend you watch this first, if at all. I did not have a problem with any other episode. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/102 "2014-12-11T19:08:35Z")
I’ve watched the first two episodes, liked them very much. I will watch the third tonight most likely. Recommended! ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/103 "2014-12-11T19:09:07Z")
I watched the first episode last night, and have been wondering about the series. That was seriously strange to say the least. ---
**Author:** ![callander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@callander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/callander)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/104 "2014-12-11T19:20:24Z")
Sold, sounds very interesting, thanks for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/105 "2014-12-11T21:14:12Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Personally, I had a very very hard time with the first episode (“The National Anthem”). I did not enjoy the build-up to whether or not animal abuse would commence. It made me feel sick to my stomach. > > I would not recommend you watch this first, if at all. > > I did not have a problem with any other episode. I came into say much the same thing. The very first episode is by far the worst. The science fiction angle is minimal and it seems the most forced in terms of characters and situations. The rest of the episodes more than salvages the series as a whole, though. So definitely skip the first episode. If you’re still hooked, watch it later. If not, you won’t have missed anything. Some people are also downplaying White Bear. I actually like it from a plot perspective. The problem for me is putting up with the main character whimpering, crying or screaming through an entire hour. I think my favorite was probably 15 Million Merits. The always-on connectivity and “freemium” lifestyle is a pretty good call on where we (especially children) may be in 20 years or less. Of all the episodes, it also had characters that seemed most authentic. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/106 "2014-12-12T03:53:33Z")
I don’t think the first one is bad. In fact it is good, but I do feel it is less representative of the series as a whole. ---
**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 12, 2014, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/107 "2014-12-12T04:03:20Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > I came into say much the same thing. The very first episode is by far the worst. The science fiction angle is minimal and it seems the most forced in terms of characters and situations. > > The rest of the episodes more than salvages the series as a whole, though. So definitely skip the first episode. If you’re still hooked, watch it later. If not, you won’t have missed anything. > > Some people are also downplaying White Bear. I actually like it from a plot perspective. The problem for me is putting up with the main character whimpering, crying or screaming through an entire hour. > > I think my favorite was probably 15 Million Merits. The always-on connectivity and “freemium” lifestyle is a pretty good call on where we (especially children) may be in 20 years or less. Of all the episodes, it also had characters that seemed most authentic. 15 Million Merits was the one I liked the least. White Bear, as interesting as it was, didn’t seem as preachy as the rest of them. I couldn’t find the ‘technology is destroying us’ angle the the others rubbed in our faces. Maybe I missed it, but it didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the episodes. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/108 "2014-12-12T04:31:58Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I don’t think the first one is bad. In fact it is good, but I do feel it is less representative of the series as a whole. I didn’t think it was a bad episode at all. In fact, I would consider it well done to evoke such a visceral reaction in me. I actually love having a visceral reaction to media. However, I don’t think that someone with **Spice Weasle** ’s sensitivities should watch it or if she does, she shouldn’t watch it first and consider it representative of the rest of the series. For how sick it made me feel, it could be doubly worse for her. ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/109 "2014-12-12T13:14:29Z")
The Guardian review of this years Christmas Special: > **[Black Mirror: White Christmas review – sentimentality offset with wicked wit](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/dec/12/black-mirror-charlie-brooker-rafe-spall-jon-hamm)** > > Charlie Brooker repeats Black Mirror trick, with feature-length festive special starring Rafe Spall and Mad Men’s Jon Hamm ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/110 "2014-12-12T18:09:48Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I did not enjoy the build-up to whether or not animal abuse That was not animal abuse it was: animal love. Now that I’ve watched them all I’d have to say the second one, 15 Million Merits, has had the most impact on me just because of how true to reality it is. For the past week or so I’ve been in a funk because of it. The following spoiler isn’t a spoiler on the episode per se but does kind of describe the plot. I have to get up and go to work just so I can afford a car to use to get to work just so I can afford food to stay alive and I’ll be doing this for the next 30 years or so and if I’m lucky and work hard I can advance and get a better position to keep doing the same thing. What a life. My one and only life and I’m a slave to the system. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/111 "2014-12-13T12:56:25Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > White Bear, as interesting as it was, didn’t seem as preachy as the rest of them. I couldn’t find the ‘technology is destroying us’ angle the the others rubbed in our faces. Maybe I missed it, but it didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the episodes. I can agree up to the point where the dystopian tech aspect was only ancillary bc I still thought it was part of the narrative in that the “town” exists arises, and is fueled by smartphone video/picture taking. Also, while I can see how a lot of people closely identified with 15 million credits, I thought Story of You S1E03 hit much closer to home. Also with 15 million credits, I thought: it was borderline ruinously cheesy that his show at the end had him conducting it with the glass to his throat. I get that it’s part of the overall idea that entertainment is laughably cheesy and there’s an added layer of british absurdism thrown in but it just didn’t come across that way to my sensibilities. ---
**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 13, 2014, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/112 "2014-12-13T13:26:42Z")
When I think about the episodes over time I think _The entire history of you_ is probably the most disturbing in that it seems so prescient as to where we may be heading. People already overshare, especially younger generations. Constantly checking in at places like Facebook, for example. Google Glasses haven’t really caught on as yet, and are largely socially unacceptable or at least suspect, but that may change. Imagine an always on, always recording, always streaming to a server, version of Google Glass and you have something very close to this episode. Worse actually, because the recording is on a server somewhere and therefore vulnerable to hackers. Goodbye to the safety of imperfect and malleable memories (largely the theme of this episode) and also goodbye to privacy. You won’t have to record at all moments but you may be suspect if you don’t. ---
**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 13, 2014, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/113 "2014-12-13T13:36:48Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > I can agree up to the point where the dystopian tech aspect was only ancillary bc I still thought it was part of the narrative in that the “town” exists arises, and is fueled by smartphone video/picture taking. > > Also, while I can see how a lot of people closely identified with 15 million credits, I thought Story of You S1E03 hit much closer to home. > > Also with 15 million credits, I thought: > > it was borderline ruinously cheesy that his show at the end had him conducting it with the glass to his throat. I get that it’s part of the overall idea that entertainment is laughably cheesy and there’s an added layer of british absurdism thrown in but it just didn’t come across that way to my sensibilities. I thought that was kinda dumb too, the only way I could fan wank that was because he was suicidal but the judge thought it was great entertainment and he realized that it was his way out of the system. For some it was singing, for some, sex, this was his. Speaking of that episode. When I pulled it up on my TV (on the Netflix app) a picture of him popped up from one of the scenes of that episode. With the picture that they used I honestly thought it was [del]Gus[/del]Dule Hill. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/114 "2014-12-13T16:30:29Z")
I’ve watched all of them now and I think 15 Million Merits was my favorite. Someone compared it to Brave New World and that is perfect. The worst dystopias aren’t the ones where everyone is miserable; they are the ones where everyone is happy and stupid because they don’t know any better. The world they created in that episode was so empty and meaningless but so like ours it was scary. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/115 "2014-12-13T17:39:37Z")
> [@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. I see it this way: If he does it, and they kill her anyway: Lose-Lose If he does it, and they release her: Lose-Win If he doesn’t do it, and they kill her: Win-Lose If he doesn’t do it, and they release her: Win-Win So, if I was the PM, there’s no way I’d do it. You’re giving your adversary more power by succumbing to their demands. It’s like the prisoner’s dilemma, in reverse. Only by cooperating can you completely lose. I watched the episode to see how it would work out, I didn’t find it the premise or the resolution very satisfying or realistic. Hostages die all the time, politicians don’t fulfill terrorist demands by putting themselves at the whim of the hostage takers. I thought the acting and production were excellent, but I’ll have to be pretty bored to watch more episodes. ---
**Author:** ![callander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@callander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/callander)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/116 "2014-12-14T02:37:24Z")
:smack:Mmm, I watched a couple of episodes, but have no clue where the spoiler button is. Therefore I feel I can’t say anything, A little like having duct tape on my mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/117 "2014-12-14T03:39:47Z")
> [@callander](#): > > :smack:Mmm, I watched a couple of episodes, but have no clue where the spoiler button is. Therefore I feel I can’t say anything, A little like having duct tape on my mouth. Surround the spoiler with [spoiler] [/spoiler] I put extra spaces so you can see it as text. When you do it for real don’t put the extra spaces between the word spoiler and the brackets. ---
**Author:** ![callander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@callander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/callander)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/118 "2014-12-14T04:29:41Z")
[spoiler] Thanks! Okay, now maybe it is just the Jew in me, but doing a pig! Damn, they could have picked a goat, more accurate. And what was up with him doing the pig for an hour? That was buzzed, Viagra or not! Well that didn’t work. Help. ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/119 "2014-12-14T09:18:49Z")
To continue the meaty theme, Jon Hamm stars in this years Christmas Special - turns out he’s a huge fan. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074/120 "2014-12-14T23:12:32Z")
Callander - you forgot the closing [/spoiler] tag [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-uk-show-black-mirror-is-available-on-netflix-streaming-holy-crap/706074.md?page=7)