Black Mirror

[slackster]

Seen all 3 newbies. All a bit meh.

[Lang Spoon]

As with the above, only seen the first two. The first one was definitely more intriguing and had better leads (Andrew Scott was v good in the second, but most everyone else, especially the Clueless English cops, were piss annoying. Dunno if it was original or a cop out that the Corporate Behemoth Topher Grace character was comparatively sympathetic, but then Brooker is prob on friendly terms with Netflix Gods these days).

So many roads not taken in both episodes but, Smithereens was a colossal waste of time in the end. Scott just wanted to be listened to. Wow.

That there's only really about 3 ideas in the show is becoming painfully apparent. I'm a bit scared to watch the Cyrus ep. but by the end I really disliked Screenwipe and Centrist Charlie's predictable stances, so maybe I'm not the target audience. If I wanted to hear a miserable cunt not as funny as he thinks he is shouting at the telly I'd film myself. I enjoyed Clunk but.

[Ginger Yellow]

I've only watched the first two so far. Both a bit underwhelming. Not bad, but just fine and rather predictable once the premise was laid out. None of the bite of earlier seasons really.

On the other hand, also on Netflix I just watched I Am Mother, a cool little sci-fi film which is not far off an extended Black Mirror episode. Definitely recommended.

[Stumpy Pepys]

Striking Vipers

I enjoyed this one the most; very high-concept. I agree with the criticism that it could have explored its premise much deeper, but still good nonetheless.

Smithereens

A fairly thin idea stretched too far, although Andrew Scott's acting kept it going.

Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too

I thought this was fine (as was Miley Cyrus). I was just disappointed with the final scene.

[Femme Folle]

I did the same thing, HP. I kept thinking that I had heard the song before, but didn't know where until the end.

[Hot Pepsi]

I liked the Miley Cyrus one the best.

Not sure why I didn’t catch before the end the the song she was singing throughout was just a reworked version of Head Like a Hole.

[Femme Folle]

I watched all three episodes this weekend. I think the Andrew Scott one is the best of the lot, but I didn't think the Miley Cyrus one was as bad as the critics are saying. The first one was OK, but my least favorite of the three.

[Stumpy Pepys]

Three new episodes arriving tomorrow (June 5). Featuring Andrew Scott and, erm … Miley Cyrus.

[Hot Pepsi]

Same. I don't think the end justified the four hours I spent trying to get there. I wanted to kill the dad myself by the end.

That's why it's so effective.

[Femme Folle]

Same. I don't think the end justified the four hours I spent trying to get there. I wanted to kill the dad myself by the end.

[Stumpy Pepys]

I enjoyed it, but I don't think I'd like to repeat the experience.

[Femme Folle]

Fuss: I felt the same way at that fork. I haven't finished all possibilities yet, but I'm looking forward to finding that path.

[Fussbudget]

I loved it, but I'm a sucker for anything overly complicated and meta. I didn't really care very much for the characters but became really invested in the creation of the video game (at some point I got to a fork where I had no choice but to destroy the computer one way or another and was pretty much yelling NO DON'T DO THIS YOU NEED TO FINISH THE GAME!! at the screen), which made the 5/5 ending very satisfying

[Nefertiti2]

have to say i found it pretty tedious. The interactive storyline didn't make up for tedious characters wooden acting and predictable storyline.

[Ginger Yellow]

And I like trying to spot all the Easter Egg references to previous BM episodes - there were at least 10.

Oddly enough I missed pretty much all of them except Nosedive and the White Bear one (and even then I only knew it was familiar, not which episode). On the other hand, I enjoyed all the 80s computer/gaming references. Especially casting Jeff Minter as the author.

[slackster]

I had an enjoyable couple of hours yesterday afternoon watching (most of) the Bandersnatch permutations. It was a pretty basic 1.01 course in free will/control, but darkly comic and thoughtful. And I like trying to spot all the Easter Egg references to previous BM episodes - there were at least 10.

[Ginger Yellow]

Brooker started out as a video games journo, of course.

[imp]

Modelled on this I think

Ah, thanks for that. I found myself mesmerised by the first edition, until I managed to switch off after about 15 minutes. Which mirrors my own relationship with computers at that age - my dad got one, and I'm struggling to remember why, but it would certainly have been something to do with work, maybe for accounting purposes. So it was sometime around 1984 or 1985 that I spent a whole day on it playing Manic Miner, stopping only to eat and go to the bog. At the end of the day I was horrified how many hours I'd wasted - at least 12. And even though I really, really wanted to get to the next level, I held back and never played Manic Miner again, or anything else. Although I've still managed to waste thousands of hours sitting at a computer.

[Hot Pepsi]

Indeed we eventually found it, hooked up a laptop to the TV and had much family fun. Our choices meant our version was over in 90 minutes, though, so we'll definitely have another watch/play.

Especially liked the David-Mellor lookalike reviewing computer games. Was there any such kind of programme on British tv in 1984?

Slight spoilers...
Like I mentioned before, it helps to have the flowchart so you can remember what you did before. All of it only really makes sense, insofar as it does at all, after you follow multiple paths and go back and forth.

The one outcome where the game is a success is the most satisfying, but I only makes complete sense if you’ve been through the path where you ditch therapy to follow Colin Ritman to his apartment and I don’t think you can get to that ending if you’ve followed him there at that earlier point.

The “Netflix” ending is amusing but kind of a dead end that’s not very satisfying.


There are lots of references to previous episodes. The choice-branch glyph symbol showed up in “White Bear.” The game Ritman is making, “Nohsdyve” refers to the episode “Nosedive,” the one where Bryce Dallas Howard goes mental trying to get people to like her on social media. Tuckersoft also has posters of their big hit Metal Hedz, which was that episode about the robot dog things murdering everyone.

[Hot Pepsi]

Yes. Every time I search for something, even when I know it's definitely on there, it won't bring up the actual movie/series, but just "titles related to..." and then a ton of stuff, most of which isn't related to the title you were looking for at all.

When it does that, it means the title you want isn’t on Netflix. Try Amazon Prime or iTunes or whatever other options you have.

[Ginger Yellow]

Especially liked the David-Mellor lookalike reviewing computer games. Was there any such kind of programme on British tv in 1984?

Modelled on this I think

[imp]

This. One thousand times this. It's a fucking nightmare.

Yes. Every time I search for something, even when I know it's definitely on there, it won't bring up the actual movie/series, but just "titles related to..." and then a ton of stuff, most of which isn't related to the title you were looking for at all.

[ad hoc]

Netflix could make it easier to find stuff.

This. One thousand times this. It's a fucking nightmare.

[imp]

Indeed we eventually found it, hooked up a laptop to the TV and had much family fun. Our choices meant our version was over in 90 minutes, though, so we'll definitely have another watch/play.

Especially liked the David-Mellor lookalike reviewing computer games. Was there any such kind of programme on British tv in 1984?

[Hot Pepsi]

That’s true. But it should pop up on the new releases or recommendations for anyone who previously like Black Mirror.

Netflix could make it easier to find stuff.