Black Mirror, Season 3 now on Netflix

I've seen the first 3 eps. I have to say that so far I'm disappointed. The Netflix series doesn't have the same bite as the Brit production. In all three eps, I was totally engrossed in the narrative - there was so much potential. But, by the time each ep ended, I felt - meh.

I quite liked the first one with the ranking thing, as an extrapolation and indictment of today's shallow social media culture. The big letdown was the wedding speech which should have been epic, but kind of went nowhere. The last scene where they get to speak their mind was good though.

The second ep with the AR was compelling, but had no payoff at the end and I wondered what the point of it was?

The third ep, again was compelling as the story was told (and the kid was brilliant), but when it ended, I again wondered what it was about.

The episodes just don't have any kind of payoff like they used to. Maybe the next three will improve...

 

Should've stayed on Channel 4.

 

I watched Nosedive, Shut up and Dance, and Playtest, and all three reminded me of The New Twilight Zone, which I don't mean as a favorable comparison. There was something sinister in the original British episodes that is sadly missing from these.

 

Yes, it's what I alluded to before about not having 'bite' and no killer payoffs at the end. It's a pity because the various narratives are pretty interesting as they're going along, but then they kind of fizzle out at the end.

 

You got more out of them than I did, because I didn't much find the narratives compelling from the get-go. They are all reasonable enough extrapolations from our current reality, but I kept thinking "so what." The original episodes seemed to be a step or two beyond reasonable extrapolation and felt more character driven. These seemed to be premise driven, with the characters merely serving as pawns.

 

Just watched "San Juniperos" (episode 4) and the first 3/4 or so was a big improvement, but the ending was again a disappointment. Still going to watch the last two...

 

I've seen them all now. My assessment is that I liked 2.5 out of the six. The half star goes to Nosedive (for reasons I mentioned before).

The standout episode was definitely San Junipero. I liked how it unfolded as an innoxious period piece, but then certain elements and dialog taken in stride in the piece were real huh? moments for the viewer. It was really beautifully done and brought some moisture to my ocular implant! And it ended perfectly with that Belinda Carlisle song while displaying shots of the 'facility'. Wonderful.

The second really good episode was Men Against Fire with some interesting ideas about coping with the effects of warfare through manipulation, and the (continuing) exploitation of technology to wage war.

The other eps were either meh or boring, like the interminable Hated In The Nation, which just dragged on and on and on. In fact, that was another common problem with series - most of the eps were way too long for the story. Many of the stories could have been made better if the ep running time was cut down to maybe 40 mins or so.

The other general problem I had was that too many times the 'twist' was telegraphed early on, which kind of primed you to look for details to confirm it, rather than perhaps only noticing those details after the surprise twist is revealed.

So, for a series with an edgy reputation, this was pretty weak tea with a couple of nice eps.

 

I liked "Hated in the Nation," even though it seems like something entirely separate from Black Mirror, more like a stand alone movie. But I enjoyed it as much or maybe more than "San Junipero" and "Men Against Fire."

So in my estimation, first half of the season is predictable, second half is much better. The endings of those last three episodes are bleak in the way the best episodes from previous seasons were, and that includes "San Junipero," which appears on the surface

Spoiler

to have a happy ending, but I can't shake the sense of irony of living for eternity in a world where "nothing matters," as Kelly says at one point.

Overall, I agree that none of these episodes were as powerful as the best of seasons 1 and 2 (or the Christmas episode), but there are things to like.

 

I watched EP 1 of the new season 3 last night (starred Bryce Dallas Howard, Ron's daughter). Not horror or even suspense, this one, but interesting...kind of like a mini-movie. I'm looking forward to watching the other episodes. Anyone else catching the new episodes yet?

 

Good to see this back. I'm halfway through, enjoyed the first episode the most so far; although what I've read online suggests its one of the weaker episodes.

 

I hope so because I've been seeing rave reviews on this season

 

Very good overall, loved the Nosedive episode with Bryce Dallas Howard. The rest of the series is very good too. Surreal, and keep an eye out for the news ticker in the final episode in the bar towards the end of the Hated in the Nation episode. Nice touch. 5/5

 

I liked episode 1. Episode 2 is the weakest of the whole series so far.

 

If Episode 2 is the weakest, I must be in for a real treat with the rest of the season because I thought Ep. 2 was great

 

I liked all the eps in S03

 

San Junipero is the best episode of season 3 and the entire series, in my humble opinion. An incredibly moving, uplifting story! My second favorite episode of season 3 is Nosedive followed by Hated in the Nation.

 

Just watched the 1st 2 episodes of season 1 last night after a recommendation from my son. Good stuff! With only 12-13 episodes making up the 3 seasons on Netflix I'll be making short work of this puppy! As soon as I saw the face of the excellent Rory Kinnear (Frankenstein's monster in Penny Dreadful!) as the PM I had high expectations and the episode certainly didn't disappoint. I said to my son that if the rest of the series matches the bar set by that 1st episode it should be a fun ride but from the commentary I see on this thread that doesn't seem to be the case (my son also told me that a few episodes 'drag').

 

If you like Black Mirror, you should also check out another Brit anthology series that's very similar in nature, called Inside No. 9. I enjoy it just as much.

 

I've been looking for another anthology show. I'll have to give that one a shot.

 

I just finished "The White Bear." It was great, though unrealistic by any measure that I could see in a future society. I mean, they built a whole theme park around one woman, for god's sake. So, one day she dies. Then what?

Maybe it's they have these parks all over for various people who have committed such revolting crimes? If so, when the guy was reciting the park rules he should have said something like, "Now, I know some of you might have had different experiences in other prisoner parks, but in this one these are the rules... " Otherwise, unfortunately, I've heard of worse crimes in this world, which might rate a similar punishment. Therefore, I'm wondering what made her so special out of all of the cold blooded murderers in the world who have been under the world's spotlight? Mark Chapman. Osama bin Laden. Jeffrey Dahmer. Just to name a few of those types.

 

I just watched the first two episodes of Season 1 and I was totally underwhelmed. Didn't like it at all, not very clever, didn't give a rats about any of the poorly developed characters. Not for me at all.

 

Netflix has released the titles and a snippet of each of the six season 4 episodes. One of them appears to be a Star Trek parody.

 

Lots of science fiction is social commentary.