Bleak yet believable: Has Black Mirror lost its relevance?
The following article contains spoilers for Black Mirror’s Sixth Season.
Did something ironic and terrifying happen in real life that made you say: this feels like a Black Mirror episode? Well, you are not alone.
The anthology series, Black Mirror, never failed to paint a dark and alarming fictitious portrayal of reality that it’s so absurd how perfectly plausible they are. But, this is part of its appeal. Black Mirror has never shied away from posing existentialist questions on how we ought to live our lives amid technological advancement and takeover. The terrifying aspect of the show is not just its gut-wrenching imagery or how it may predict our future, but rather how we might be living in the same or worse reality that it aims to portray.
On June 15, five new episodes of Black Mirror were released on Netflix, and enthusiastic fans immediately binge-watched the show. However, its fans, almost surprisingly, were disappointed with the new episodes, claiming that Black Mirror may have lost its relevance. What exactly happened that made them make such a critique?
Although some may place the blame on shifting genres (incorporation of 70’s horror and werewolves) or the insufficiency of disturbing imagery, I would pose the thought that perhaps it feels amiss because it does not push its technological critique. In an article with Pajiba, Chris Revelle argue that Netflix is attempting to practice corporate self-deprecation to position itself away from other corporations and to highlight its relevance and corporate values.
However, what makes this attempt lacking is that the new season attempts to focalize on each character instead of making an overall critique of technology. Co-showrunner, Charlie Brooker, contextualizes this choice by claiming that he does not want the show to portray the detriments of tech alone, but also to show that “people are fucked-up.” The current season poses a much-needed self-reflection among viewers on how they participate in this techno-horror we’re living in—from questioning their hyper-fixation and obsession with true crime to emphasizing the unsettling romanticization of celebrity life and paparazzi culture’s disregard for privacy. I would venture a proposition that given these criticisms, Black Mirror needs to push for more existentialist commentary on technology if it wants to remain relevant.
Is the new season still worth watching? Absolutely. The current season has its gems like Loch Henry, which explores a young couple trying to make a true crime documentary about the horrors that led to a small, vibrant, Scottish tourist town turning into a ghost town. Aside from exploring the romanticization of the true crime genre, navigating the money-hungry scheme of profiting off victims’ tragedy and re-traumatization. This episode also highlights why Netflix’s attempt to corporate self-deprecation seems feeble.
Beyond the Sea makes commentary on what happens when toxic masculinity is paired with grief and solitude. In the longest episode of the season, Beyond the Sea follows two astronauts with replicas on Earth, attempting to live their picket-fence dreams while simultaneously being physically absent.
Mazey Day is also worth watching despite its disappointing execution. While it tries to humanize paparazzi trying to make ends meet, it still successfully criticizes society’s obsession with uncovering the private lives of celebrities. These episodes alone should encourage you to still watch the season.
Much like any show, Black Mirror’s execution ebbs and flows throughout the season, but still retains its existential exploration. Despite the feeble attempt at corporate self-deprecation and lack of technocriticism, Black Mirror, at its core, depict the absurdly believable bleak nature of humanity.
banner photo by: @ashleynicole.mov
The post <b>Bleak yet believable: Has ‘Black Mirror’ lost its relevance?</b> appeared first on WE THE PVBLIC.
Source: we the pvblic
No comments