Black Mirror

I just finished Black Mirror and the first word that comes to mind is...wow! I've never seen anything like it. The stories are all shocking, disturbing and thought provoking. Most of them are about how technology is changing, has changed us, and not always for the better. It's almost like a satire of how media obsessed we have gotten. Each episode really makes you think afterwards and will make you want to talk about what happened. Every episode is like a mini movie, there're stand alone episodes and every episode has an incredible cast filled with A-list actors. While everyone will have their own favorite episodes, every single one of them will make you think and there's not a "bad" episode in the entire series.

I have only seen the first two installments of this series and but was impressed enough to leave a review. Charlie Brooker has popped out of the internet at times when I least expect it revealing the more unsettling aspects of our culture through his program Screenwipe and others. That was my first exposure to Doug Stanhope, a comedian who among others brings us closer together via demonstrations of how media and technology are changing our society and rarely for the better. Black Mirror arrives in the form of anthologized science fiction in the vein of the Twilight zone. It is a series that examines our society's relationship with the media and how it allows us to both shape our own identity and imprison us in a space where empathy and truth are weaknesses and something to hide in order to get ahead.

I have always been interested in futurists and Brooker seems to fill the requirements for one. There is nothing in the first two installments that do not reflect current trends in our collective behavior but instead extrapolates where current trends in communications technology; avatars, social media and reality television might lead us if we do not seek to preserve what is beautiful and pure about our collective consciousness and humanity.

Having seen reviews here that feel there is no commentary embedded within these stories I couldn't disagree more. As the title suggests, Brooker's Black Mirror shows us a dark reflection of our selves and allows us to evaluate these scenarios through our own emotional filters.

There are no blatant soap box messages but I interpreted the narratives as cautionary tales and would hope that no one, when confronted with them, would hope for these near futures. The only thing holding them back from becoming reality is our own resistance to complacency and purely spectator culture.

Beyond these philosophical aspects, the program is incredibly well produced and executed in my opinion. The characters and sets create convincing realities and I was never once drawn out of the story due to poor acting, scripting or characterizations. I could not recommend this series more and hope that it will continue on. Congratulations to Brooker and company for their work and their apparent concern for all of us.

Black Mirror is an anthology, meaning it is complied of different sci fi tales to make their seasons. This means the series doesn't really have any synopsis I can say, the only thing I can say is just watch the bloody show already. Every episode is different, some horror, some romance, some drama, and if you don't like the episode then just skip it, it's not like you'll miss anything as the next episode on your binge watch will be the complete opposite of what you just watched. As far as acting goes, it's top notch, stars like Jon Hamm, Daniel Kaluuya also appear on episodes bringing their amazing performances to the table. Every episode has their own cinematography, some bright and colorful, one episode will be black and white, really adding in on the unique feel of the whole thing. I would definitely call this show a masterpiece, but i almost gave it a 9 because of the 5th series. 2 episodes from the fifth series were pretty sh*te. Smithereens was great, so was Andrew Scott's performance. So yes, a masterpiece still, I won't let 2 bad episodes change that especially when compared to the works of art that the previous series had to offer. So ignore season 5 apart from Smithereens, Smithereens had a very important message and was a wonderfully shot and acted tale. Think of it as a mix of mini films. Now there may be some things that you may not find good, but there's always an episode for you. There 's twists, laughs, scares all in hour long episodes and tied up in a neat little bow just for you. And the Christmas Special was stunning, don't forget to watch that. But if that isn't enough, they have their own interactive film, Bandersnatch. An. Interactive. Film. You choose what the main character does, and it is awesome. So please, If you have the time, try watching this, you will not be disappointed. Verdict: With something new every episode, Black mirror really gets to you, and in all the right ways. A+

You're reviewing the whole show here,not individual seasons or episodes. Don't give a low rating just because you didn't like Miley or the 5th series. Keep everything in context and just rate on your overall impression of Black Mirror. Carry on.

Amazing British anthology series with a very intriguing concept. The premise: taking contemporary phenomena (ranging from the wild popularity of talent shows on TV to the impact of social media and smartphones on our lives) as a starting point and speculate how such phenomena could/would evolve in the future. Each episode tells a different story with different protagonists and focuses on a different theme. Of course, the series doesn't explore the beneficial aspects or any positive trends - (where would the fun be in that?) - but clearly approaches its topics from a pessimistic, cynical point of view (hence the title). As the show's creator Charlie Brooker ('Dead Set') puts it: "...They (the different stories) are all about the way we live now – and the way we might be living in 10 minutes' time if we're clumsy."

The resulting mix of bleak sci-fi, drama, satire and black comedy makes for highly intelligent Television and ranks among the most original and entertaining shows I've ever come across. The writing and directing are excellent and the cast includes such talented thesps as Domhnall Gleeson, Rory Kinnear, Toby Kebbell, Hayley Atwell, Jon Hamm, Jason Flemyng and Rupert Everett - to name but a few. Unique, fascinating and highly recommended. 9 stars out of 10.

Favorite Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054200841/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/