Hated in the Nation

As others have mentioned, the intensity and quality of this episode is good enough to merit a feature film. At first, I was a bit leery of the now-standard sci-fi murder procedural. We see way too much of that in American Sci-fi TV that seeks to cover a lack of sci-fi contextual imagination with the same old murder-of-the-week tropes.

Thankfully, that's not what evolves in this episode. As the murder investigation expands, so does our understanding of the bigger picture and the larger questions (privacy- safety-security)and controllable(?) technology. In concert with these larger philosophical/political issues, the actual story keeps expanding in pace and scope. Soon, before you know it, you're saying "whoa ... " and wonder how this is going to play out.

I won't reveal any spoilers. Like any high-quality fiction, there are unforeseen twists that are realistic in retrospect, and one must watch and pay attention until the very end.

S03E06 is an extraordinary episode, which, with little modification, could have been (or still could be) an award winning feature film. Everything about it is captivating, including the high-end, cutting edge computer graphics concepts which have helped make the Black Mirror series the exceptional series that it is.

It felt like new and original material, which doesn't happen very often. My only comment is that as an American English speaking person, I found the British accents a little difficult to understand, but with headphones I was fine. This is a thrilling and brilliant roller coaster ride of an episode which is not to be missed.. Here's a toast to Charilie Brooker for creating such fine work!

Black Mirror always manages to enthrall and entertain, and every so often it manages something verging on utter brilliance, Hated in the Nation is such an episode. It shows a craft, a skill, an intelligence, and proves that story telling is indeed an art. The imagination behind this is nothing short of genius, almost every element stuns.

The fantastic story is equally matched by the superb performances, Kelly MacDonald and Elizabeth Berrington stand out for me, but everyone plays their part.

I don't want to imagine a world without bees.

Feature film feel and quality, this is one of the best. 10/10

In my opinion, the third season of Black Mirror has been very shaky. Each episode has had its own major attributes and its own major flaws. This one is the least flawed of the season. And while it may not quite achieve the moral intensity of "men against fire" or the interpersonal chemistry of "San Junipero", these elements were strong enough to be serviceable, and much better balanced with each other. As a result, this is the most polished and watchable episode of the season.

The plot focuses on the investigation of the mysterious death of a hated journalist. While this starts out as a commentary on the social media age, it gradually builds in more futuristic elements until it is full-on science fiction horror. I was pleasantly surprised by just how dark and terrifying it got by the end of the episode. This was the right episode to put at the end of the season, and it is probably the strongest overall.

What if they just wear masks or cover their faces? Do they still kill them? The plot doesn't make much sense. I guess you can find ways for them to protect themselves.