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That would end poorly. The US based company trying to emulate another culture and then force feeding it to US culture to satisfy another culture. That other culture should take it upon themselves to make their own version. Subtle example, The Office, the UK vs US version are basically the same, but the humor is totally different, I personally can’t stand it, the US version caters to the US.
It’s funny how drawn I am to the technology but how repulsed I am by the social platforms depicted in this episode and real life. Not sure if it makes me anti-social to want all the technology required (contacts for facial recognition, single mono app/os/platform that rates everyone) but without any people to use it with.
It’s also a painful trudge towards a telegraphed obvious "twist" at the end. My least favorite episode of the bunch because it was already done much better by Community a couple years back. That’s actually a huge complaint I have with this season: it’s so derivative and full of plot devices and twists we’ve already seen. Man Against Fire was ripped straight out of an Outter Limits episode almost scene for scene. Save for Shut up and Dance and Hate in the Nation, which felt more like a SyFy Saturday horror film, every episode copied recent and relatively well known works. One of the things I liked so much about Black Mirror was it’s originality. I guess there’s really only so many stories you can tell and the well has gotta run dry sometime.
Even calling it a "twist" seems disingenuous since I don’t think they intended anyone to be surprised. You calling it a "twist" (with quotation marks) implies they intended it to be a twist, but you were too smart to not see it coming. My point was they told everyone up front what was going to happen. That means the ending was expected and not a "twist" in any way. A twist (or a "twist") in this case would have been if her speech somehow went over well and everyone 5 starred her into the stratosphere. instead what happened was exactly what they told us was going to happen.
Calling this a twist is like saying "Saving Private Ryan" had a twist. The title of the episode tells you exactly what’s going to happen. Maybe the fault lay in your expectations since this was an anthology show.
I strongly agree with your assessment of the squirm factor. Knowing exactly where the episode was going made it more and more difficult for me to watch as it got closer and closer to the climax.
Agreed, I was watching this just last night and got to the scene at the wedding and had to stop watching, for now. The older I get the less taste i have for Horror and Cruel comedy or the twisted future scifi that Black Mirror portrays. I have longed for a future where things are "technologically" at the levels portrayed in the show. But if it means it will be anything like what is portrayed in BM then I’m glad we are at the dawn of that future.
FYI I finally watched the Christmas episode this past week as well and both of the storylines within made me feel the same way. But I did finish watching them, because they were cleverly intertwined and well done.
The Christmas episode has been my favorite so far.
With Black Mirror, I "enjoy" them for the emotional stories they tell and the ethical questions they ask, not because they give me a feeling of joy. With Nosedive, I felt so bad for Lacie by the time she got to the wedding I was dreading watching what was going to happen because it clearly wasnt going to end well for her. But in the end, that whole scene seemed very cathartic for her character and I thought it was a perfect ending for that story.
Stackoverflow already does that. 11 and under (usually noobs) can’t upvote or do much. But I understand it is justified for a site like that, to keep crap-posters to a minimum.
"Nosedive" is an appropriate title for the first episode of this new season, as that seems to be what happens to the quality of existing TV shows after Netflix gets involved.
Comments
I also think it interesting it takes place in the US. It’ll be interesting to see if they add cultural differences into the mix
By JanZ on 10.24.16 11:16am
That would end poorly. The US based company trying to emulate another culture and then force feeding it to US culture to satisfy another culture. That other culture should take it upon themselves to make their own version. Subtle example, The Office, the UK vs US version are basically the same, but the humor is totally different, I personally can’t stand it, the US version caters to the US.
By DG002 on 10.24.16 12:29pm
What are you talking about? Black Mirror is British. Netflix just bought the rights.
By Lapfaptap on 10.24.16 6:46pm
I’m English… and love both the UK and US version of The Office.
By kayzee on 11.30.16 8:21am
Such a twisted episode, I could never live like that and would end up having my "Contacts" ripped out shortly after they where installed.
By malaclypse_the_younger on 10.24.16 11:34am
It’s funny how drawn I am to the technology but how repulsed I am by the social platforms depicted in this episode and real life. Not sure if it makes me anti-social to want all the technology required (contacts for facial recognition, single mono app/os/platform that rates everyone) but without any people to use it with.
By wigby on 10.24.16 11:50am
Not a so "distant" future:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-surveillance-big-data-score-censorship-a7375221.html
Creepy as f**k!
By 8ardock on 10.24.16 11:52am
It’s also a painful trudge towards a telegraphed obvious "twist" at the end. My least favorite episode of the bunch because it was already done much better by Community a couple years back. That’s actually a huge complaint I have with this season: it’s so derivative and full of plot devices and twists we’ve already seen. Man Against Fire was ripped straight out of an Outter Limits episode almost scene for scene. Save for Shut up and Dance and Hate in the Nation, which felt more like a SyFy Saturday horror film, every episode copied recent and relatively well known works. One of the things I liked so much about Black Mirror was it’s originality. I guess there’s really only so many stories you can tell and the well has gotta run dry sometime.
By Middleman907 on 10.24.16 12:01pm
Is it really a twist if it’s given away in giant letters in the first 5 seconds of the episode?
By rahulp on 10.24.16 12:29pm
No, which is why I called it Telegraphed and said "twist" in quotations.
By Middleman907 on 10.24.16 3:54pm
Even calling it a "twist" seems disingenuous since I don’t think they intended anyone to be surprised. You calling it a "twist" (with quotation marks) implies they intended it to be a twist, but you were too smart to not see it coming. My point was they told everyone up front what was going to happen. That means the ending was expected and not a "twist" in any way. A twist (or a "twist") in this case would have been if her speech somehow went over well and everyone 5 starred her into the stratosphere. instead what happened was exactly what they told us was going to happen.
By rahulp on 10.24.16 4:47pm
It’s called Nosedive. Pretty much tells you what’s going to happen even before you watch it.
By oxHanoverxo on 10.26.16 6:56pm
I’m actually really enjoying this season regardless of how predictable some of the episodes are.
By OkComputer on 10.24.16 8:08pm
What episode of Outer Limits did Man Against Fire rip off? I just saw that ep of Black Mirror, really liked it.
By porkrind on 10.24.16 9:00pm
Sorry didn’t see your reply until just now. It was called Hearts and Minds
By Middleman907 on 10.26.16 3:29pm
Calling this a twist is like saying "Saving Private Ryan" had a twist. The title of the episode tells you exactly what’s going to happen. Maybe the fault lay in your expectations since this was an anthology show.
By mar3nez on 10.26.16 12:59pm
I strongly agree with your assessment of the squirm factor. Knowing exactly where the episode was going made it more and more difficult for me to watch as it got closer and closer to the climax.
By rahulp on 10.24.16 12:38pm
Agreed, I was watching this just last night and got to the scene at the wedding and had to stop watching, for now. The older I get the less taste i have for Horror and Cruel comedy or the twisted future scifi that Black Mirror portrays. I have longed for a future where things are "technologically" at the levels portrayed in the show. But if it means it will be anything like what is portrayed in BM then I’m glad we are at the dawn of that future.
FYI I finally watched the Christmas episode this past week as well and both of the storylines within made me feel the same way. But I did finish watching them, because they were cleverly intertwined and well done.
By ttringle on 10.24.16 12:56pm
The Christmas episode has been my favorite so far.
With Black Mirror, I "enjoy" them for the emotional stories they tell and the ethical questions they ask, not because they give me a feeling of joy. With Nosedive, I felt so bad for Lacie by the time she got to the wedding I was dreading watching what was going to happen because it clearly wasnt going to end well for her. But in the end, that whole scene seemed very cathartic for her character and I thought it was a perfect ending for that story.
By rahulp on 10.24.16 1:19pm
I hope they add this feature to The Verge, only 4.0 rated people can read Mossberg’s editorial.
By jordanbiffle on 10.24.16 1:34pm
Implant Mass in editor’s head so that they’ll see some users as having below 4.0 rating.
By LegenDaddy on 10.24.16 1:53pm
If you’re under 3.0 you can only read TLDR and animal reviews.
By Nicholi on 10.24.16 5:35pm
Stackoverflow already does that. 11 and under (usually noobs) can’t upvote or do much. But I understand it is justified for a site like that, to keep crap-posters to a minimum.
By blagalag on 10.25.16 2:18am
It should be the opposite, heathens always take those articles too seriously!
By acido44 on 10.25.16 2:25pm
"Nosedive" is an appropriate title for the first episode of this new season, as that seems to be what happens to the quality of existing TV shows after Netflix gets involved.
By toowheelsgood on 10.24.16 2:04pm