There has been a name all over the internet recently. A name of a show. Maybe you have heard of it, it is called “Black Mirror.”
Well, after seeing so many different conversations, images and references for this show I really could not ignore my mounting curiosity any longer. I decided to start watching as well.
The show is an anthology, meaning that every episode tells a different story, entirely unrelated to the ones before or after them. They each have something in common though. The stories told in each episode all explore some facet of the nature of humanity though… not exactly the nicer parts.
I have a rather conflicted opinion on this series. I like the stories, the twists and the interesting perspectives offered with every episode. However, goodness gracious this show is not a happy show. Spoiler alert, there are no happy endings. “Black Mirror” is depressing, there is no other way to put it.
Before I delve into the negative part of my divided thoughts, I will spend some time on why I do enjoy the tumultuous rollercoaster that I have boarded. Admittedly, I do enjoy watching or reading about moral struggles, the less than pleasant aspects of humanity that are usually either glossed over or blown to a comic proportion only to be soundly defeated by a perfect hero. Humans are not perfect, none of them. There are no flawless heros, nor wholly wicked villains.
“Black Mirror” depicts that pretty well, in my opinion. It takes some of the worse characteristics of people and delves into that, like our need for “justice.” An episode that I rather liked explored that quality, the line between fair punishment of a deserving criminal and plain undeserved cruelty.
Now then…it must be said: this is a heavy show. As said before, there are no happy endings. This series contains what may be called “distressing content”. Watching it will not bring you joy, nor relieve your stress after a bad day. If you want that, go far far away. Go watch “Arrested Development” or “Parks and Recreation” or a different comical, light-hearted show. There was actually an episode I skipped, due to the nature of the content in it specifically.
The episodes depict people’s rather unhappy lives most of the time. That, or they begin with something good and the viewers get to watch it deteriorate. Sounds great, huh? Yeah, I do not think so either. I could call this show soul-destroying, to some extent.
Here is the issue: I cannot decide whether I actually like the show or not. I could recommend it to anyone that, well… likes this type of thing. There has not been anything horribly graphic or explicit (with the exception of the aforementioned episode that I skipped) in the episodes that I watched, so that is something.
But this series does not need to rely on gore or whatnot to turn your stomach. So, if you like feeling miserable and staring at a black screen in depressed shock after the episode ends….give it a try?
