mambadragon
Banned
From some point in late 2016 to early in 2017 I watched Black Mirror. I somehow had no knowledge of this show (even though I must have come across info about it at some point in the sites I browse) when I started watching in 2016. I went in knowing it was highly regarded... a show that is described as a "a modern and more disturbing Twilight Zone" is my perfect pitch for a show. It was a real joy to find this show with 3 seasons completed so late.
Anywell, the series is great, and I have my own top episodes list, but I want to focus on the S1E1 episode The National Anthem. In my ranking of episodes, it's probably in the middle, but it continues to haunt me to this day. The pig sex scene still deeply disturbs me just thinking about it (and I only saw it once). I feel like I have vivid memory of:
- the PM and the pig
- the TV viewers facial expressions
- the PM in the bathroom afterwards
- learning it was all unnecessary in the end
The concept I existentially most dread in Black Mirror is in White Christmas, and there's probably a few others ahead of The National Anthem, but the National Anthem is still so disturbing.
I've recommended the series to others with the caveat that they should not watch S1E1 first (I usually recommend The Entire History of You).
But it makes me think... I went into this show knowing it was highly regarded and "bold and daring" and all that. So I was willing to accept (and look past?) the crazy authorial intent of The National Anthem. But how was it received in 2011 when this was the first and only episode released? It certainly was a thrilling episode, but going in blind I feel Charlie Brooker had not yet earned the trust to air something so fucked up.
Anywell, the series is great, and I have my own top episodes list, but I want to focus on the S1E1 episode The National Anthem. In my ranking of episodes, it's probably in the middle, but it continues to haunt me to this day. The pig sex scene still deeply disturbs me just thinking about it (and I only saw it once). I feel like I have vivid memory of:
- the PM and the pig
- the TV viewers facial expressions
- the PM in the bathroom afterwards
- learning it was all unnecessary in the end
The concept I existentially most dread in Black Mirror is in White Christmas, and there's probably a few others ahead of The National Anthem, but the National Anthem is still so disturbing.
I've recommended the series to others with the caveat that they should not watch S1E1 first (I usually recommend The Entire History of You).
But it makes me think... I went into this show knowing it was highly regarded and "bold and daring" and all that. So I was willing to accept (and look past?) the crazy authorial intent of The National Anthem. But how was it received in 2011 when this was the first and only episode released? It certainly was a thrilling episode, but going in blind I feel Charlie Brooker had not yet earned the trust to air something so fucked up.