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‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

nytimes.com

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Re: ‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

#131

Post by zouhair »

saurik wrote: post #125
zouhair wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Jesus, so now we have to torrent youtube also?

Who is "we"? I like this content and know that content like this can't exist if the people at CollegeHumor don't get paid, and I hate all the side effects of advertising as a business model, so not only do I pay for YouTube Red but if there were a way to just pay CollegeHumor specifically for this series I would do so in a heartbeat: paying for work is how I use my labor to buy food and other consumables for all the…

You do know that Youtube Red exist only in 4 countries[0]?

[0]: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6307365?hl=en&ref_...

Re: ‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

#132

Post by RangerScience »

Ntrails wrote: post #51
m_mueller wrote: post #9

Black Mirror often takes little details that we add in software, like a rating system, and takes them to their extreme and logical conclusion. Its premises are mostly sci-fi, but as thought experiments on how what we do could lead to a severe dystopia, it is superbly engaging. I recommend watching no more than one episode per day - I've been thinking about its topics quite a lot recently. At the least, it's refreshin…

I was so nervous when I saw they were being done with Netflix and in a massive season of six episodes. I actually don't think there was a truly weak episode in the bunch. Literally my only complaint was the stupid little explanation taglines Netflix shoved in my face meaning I didn't get to go into most of them completely free of expectation. Charlie Brooker man, what a guy.

TBH, I loved the tagline for the first episode: "...invited a swanky wedding. But the trip doesn't go as planned".

Re: ‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

#133

Post by RangerScience »

laurieg wrote: post #27

Black Mirror tackles one of the hardest problems about technical: How society changes around it. We spend such a long time talking about the latest cutting edge hardware, new algorithms, new problems that can now be solved, but it's too easy to forget that people are part of this system too. There's a great film from the 60's [1] that talks about the house of the future. It predicts online shopping and other modern a…

> How society changes around it. > [a classic old film] is completely blind to any social change. The wife is still a housewife, the husband still goes to work and so on.

This is an exceptionally good point.

Re: ‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

#134

Post by RangerScience »

danso wrote: post #4

I've only watched 3 of the episodes (Playtest, Shut Up and Dance, and Hated in the Nation)...I've heard the other 3 episodes were better, but the 3 that I have watched seemed subpar compared to the previous 2 seasons. Not terrible as far as overall TV goes, but after the plot thrills were over, they just didn't leave the same queasiness-about-possible-future-dystopia that "White Bear", "White Christmas", "Entire Hist…

I've only watched "Nosedive" of the new set, and it has had more of an impact than any of the other episodes. I find it the closest to "real" and "frightening" of the bunch - only the first episode is closer in terms of "This is possible", but it wasn't nearly as existentially terrifying.

Re: ‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

#135

Post by m_mueller »

n4r9 wrote: post #92
m_mueller wrote: post #9

Black Mirror often takes little details that we add in software, like a rating system, and takes them to their extreme and logical conclusion. Its premises are mostly sci-fi, but as thought experiments on how what we do could lead to a severe dystopia, it is superbly engaging. I recommend watching no more than one episode per day - I've been thinking about its topics quite a lot recently. At the least, it's refreshin…

> I recommend watching no more than one episode per day In addition, I recommend avoiding watching an episode just before you go to sleep.

While I do that (it's the only time I have anyways), I also gotta mention that it did reduce some of my sleep, especially after White Christmas, that one really got to me.

Re: ‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

#136

Post by abandonliberty »

laurieg wrote: post #27

Black Mirror tackles one of the hardest problems about technical: How society changes around it. We spend such a long time talking about the latest cutting edge hardware, new algorithms, new problems that can now be solved, but it's too easy to forget that people are part of this system too. There's a great film from the 60's [1] that talks about the house of the future. It predicts online shopping and other modern a…

That is the standard fallacy when people predict the future.

It'll be just like now, but better. Cars will fly. Housemaids will be robots. Computers will talk, but still take up entire rooms.

But the future isn't just more or better. It's also different. That's much harder to predict and grasp.

Re: ‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

#137

Post by worldsayshi »

dharma1 wrote: post #118
worldsayshi wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Self replicating bots are feasible in some form, probably not in the one presented. Also, it isn't plausible that the rest of world would look as similar to ours presented in the episode as such technology would have many far-reaching implications on the rest of society. Still, at some point you have to limit yourself. Having this one change and not change the rest of society makes it possible to imagine and relate t…

I agree with you, it's walking a fine line between the two. But in ways science fiction is in ways like chess - the author thinking more than one move ahead makes it more enjoyable. There are many interesting topics to explore though. For instance, I'd like to see a Black Mirror style exploration of a world where CRISPR use (on everything, including humans) is rampant and genetic evolution has become subject to memet…

So let's say we'd make a Black mirror episode about CRISPR. What could it be about? Biomachines making most of our stuff including houses? Designer babies that glow in the dark and can communicate telepathically? Both? 10 other things? Let's choose one. It's difficult enough to imagine the social impact of that. If we choose multiple such inventions in one swoop you would have to make a lot of assumptions that each would be enough content for a single episode. Then audience will no longer be able to use what they know about today's society because they don't know what assumptions the author has made.

edit: I realize I might be overselling a point that you're already agreeing on...

Re: ‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

#138

Post by dajohnson89 »

WillPostForFood wrote: post #30
dajohnson89 wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Netflix didn't revive it. They outbid the original producers for production rights. It would've been continued one way or another.

Netflix outbid the original broadcasters for broadcast/streaming rights. The same producers (Zeppotron /Endemol Shine) have made all three seasons.

Wow I didn't know that, thanks for pointing it out. Still, I can't help but wonder if the third season is a bit more Americanized.

Re: ‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

#139

Post by hobarrera »

danso wrote: post #4

I've only watched 3 of the episodes (Playtest, Shut Up and Dance, and Hated in the Nation)...I've heard the other 3 episodes were better, but the 3 that I have watched seemed subpar compared to the previous 2 seasons. Not terrible as far as overall TV goes, but after the plot thrills were over, they just didn't leave the same queasiness-about-possible-future-dystopia that "White Bear", "White Christmas", "Entire Hist…

Two of those three episodes you saw are actually the worst (or least-good?) of the new season. They're definitely not as good as previous seasons, but the three you're missing are a lot better.

I did consider "Shut Up and Dance" to have a pretty interesting progression though.

Re: ‘Black Mirror’ Finds Terror, and Soul, in the Machine

#140

Post by worldsayshi »

ashark wrote: post #116
worldsayshi wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you think was so scary about it?

Not who you were asking, but there are definitely some implications worth thinking on that the episode mostly avoids directly addressing, but which the song choice and choice of shots during the credits assure us they did intend to raise, and I think it'd be fair to describe those as "scary". There's a real twist of the knife in those final seconds that color the intent behind and the mood of the whole episode.

I think I missed these hints. What's your interpretation here?
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