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The episodes so far:
The National Anthem
Fifteen Million Merits The Entire History of You
Be Right Back White Bear
The Waldo Moment The Christmas Special
The ones in red are my favorite.
I actually liked The National Anthem, but it put some people off.
The Waldo Moment is probably the worst (i.e., just boring/contrived) episode out there. I mean, the overall idea they're trying to convey is fine, but the episode itself just is blah.
Watched this series about a year ago and I did very much enjoy it. I'd have to say my favorite episodes are The National Anthem, The Entire History of You and Be Right Back.
I love Charlie Brooker, I used to watch his weekly and yearly wipes. IRL I wouldn't be able to tolerate his level of cynicism and bitterness but he's just too entertaining and intelligent not too watch. I started this series with no knowledge of its genre, tone or structure and I was pleasantly surprised. On the one hand, of course Brooker would create a dystopian series but it's completely not what I expected. My favourite episodes were Fifteen Million Merits, The Entire History of You, Be Right Back and White Christmas. I thought the first episode was funny but I didn't find it as impactful and it didn't really motivate me to watch the others and episode 6 - The Waldo Moment was easily the poorest of the lot.
The pacing of White Bear was great, totally enthralling but I thought the delivery of its points lacked nuance and was too repetitive.
One of my favourite scenes:
Hayley Atwell and Domhnall Gleeson was remarkable. They had me in tears by the end.
I love Charlie Brooker, I used to watch his weekly and yearly wipes. IRL I wouldn't be able to tolerate his level of cynicism and bitterness but he's just too entertaining and intelligent not too watch. I started this series with no knowledge of its genre, tone or structure and I was pleasantly surprised. On the one hand, of course Brooker would create a dystopian series but it's completely not what I expected. My favourite episodes were Fifteen Million Merits, The Entire History of You, Be Right Back and White Christmas. I thought the first episode was funny but I didn't find it as impactful and it didn't really motivate me to watch the others and episode 6 - The Waldo Moment was easily the poorest of the lot.
Season Three has released now -- six new episodes, each about an hour long. (The last one is 1.5 hours.)
One thing I like is how they utilize both decent-quality unknowns + some actors who are decently known but not necessarily "celebrities" (Bryce Dallas Howard, Cherry Jones, Alice Eve, Jerome Flynn, Wyatt Russell, Kelly McDonald, Alex Lawther, etc).
So far I've watched "Nosedive" and "Shut up and Dance." Both feel pretty relevant in terms of their comments on current social tech. "Nosedive" is a bit more sporadic -- some moments are really really good, but it feels like it goes off the rails back and forth, after the first 20-25 minutes. "Shut up and Dance" is very solid throughout.
(Nosedive deals with the perils of "swipe" popularity if it ever becomes tied to finances and occupation, and how much people modify who they are in order to win Likes / high scores from others -- just another ruthless form of acquiring social power -- but it's a bit on the nose. Shut up and Dance revolves around how people can be manipulated when their online secrets have been acquired by people willing to exploit them and to what lengths people will go to protect those secrets.)
I'm not sure the hour-long format is the best; while Shut up and Dance seemed to fit the allotted time, Nosedive felt a little padded.
Anyway, compared to the other existing seven episodes, so far this has been in the same range of quality... ranging from decent to very good. But I have four yet to go.
I'm at episode 5 right now. I had been concerned how the transition to Netflix and significantly larger budget would impact the show and have been DELIGHTED with what I've seen so far.
Nosedive and San Junipero have been my favorite so far. My life would be in shambles if I lived in the world described in Nosedive, but found it to be super thought provoking nonetheless. God I love this show.
Nosedive and San Junipero have been my favorite so far. My life would be in shambles if I lived in the world described in Nosedive, but found it to be super thought provoking nonetheless. God I love this show.
Yeah, I couldn't help but see some kind of comparison there (as far as MBTI goes) to hyper-Fe vs hyper-Fi at the other end. But hyper-Fe is the main area of abuse since it's the main offender with social Likes, it was certainly making me ill with it being both a trap and a form of manipulation. Not surprised to see Cherry Jones cast the way she was, lol; that's a typical part for her. (and Dallas Bryce Howard definitely has THAT character type down pretty well too.) It went up and down for me in terms of staying focused, although I think it ended on a rather cool note.
Not to complain. It's worth watching. Good to hear it sounds like the rest of the episodes are up there too.
It's funny reading about it on Rotten Tomatoes. A lot of folks liked the quality, then you get one outlier review every so often that says how bad it's gotten. Like... whut? Okay. I guess you either like the style or you don't.
Oh, and with Kenny in "Shut up and Dance":
I was thinking, "Dude, what you did really isn't that bad in the scheme of things." At least from what we thought it was; its been something occurring from the dawn of time. But I guess appearances and misdirections are deceiving.
Just watched San Junipero. Yes, that's easily the best of the bunch so far. I teared up a few times while watching. It was so strongly written, and there is truth from various perspectives there. The actors have done a number of things but nothing I much remember seeing. I have also had some similar experiences in a similar setting (just more on the friendship level).
also, I was having Introversion attacks watching Yorkie in the first 10-15 minutes. That's exactly what it feels like, feeling completely out of place, wanting things but feeling powerless to do anything about it and maybe even articulating them, feeling like the rest of the world has a script to follow that I have never read.
EDIT: ... and there are those tricks you use as an introvert, like hovering around someone, mirroring them a bit, forging indirect connections (like ordering the same drink the other person bought for you and/or is drinking themselves), making what eye contact you have.
"I don't know how to do this. Can you make it easy for me?" It's hard to watch her, I totally know what it feels like. Feeling so inept, wanting help, feeling ashamed and stupid that you NEED help and like the other person will just reject you as a total wash because you're so inept and ill at ease. But it's interesting to watch how she comes out of her shell once Kelly takes her under her wing.
Also, real spoilers, since I am watching it again due to liking the episode so much -- there's details that pop up that I missed on first pass since I had no context. Don't read until you've seen the episode:
- The Outrun game -- Yorkie refuses to play. Later we find out she crashed her car, resulting in her current life state. And wait, that car she is driving at the end?? That's the Outrun convertible, isn't it? lol
- The almost-crash on the way to Kelly's house -- same deal. "Sorry, you should have seen the look on your face!" Fortunately, Yorkie can laugh about it after a second.
- Interesting that Kelly crashes her car later.
- I like how Yorkie doesn't recognize games in later generations, it's all new to her. She's only familiar with stuff, well, beforehand.
- Yorkie is not just introverted, she really HASN'T done any of these things before.
- Yorkie's comments about her family make a lot more sense in hindsight.
- The picture of Allison in Kelly's home. "Is that your mother?" Kelly doesn't respond. The truth is sadder.
- Who is the nerdie "Weird Al" guy who shows up a few times? I want to know his backstory now.
- I like all the questions Yorkie asks Kelly, they're "Coming out" style questions, and it's because she never got a chance to talk about such things before.
- When Kelly uses Yorkie for cover in the beginning, her story is "she only has six months to live." Yeah, funny what comes to mind..."They said three months six months ago, so what do they know?"
- Yorkie's comments about Greg are great -- it's all accurate, but in a completely different way than you'd expect.
Looking at it all:
Kelly is really brave. Yorkie's decision is a no-brainer -- she had no life, now she does. There's no question about her choice. But Kelly is torn between her past life and her desires... She had this long committed life and marriage and family, and it could feel like repudiation / betrayal of her family to let go and move on. This is a difficult painful decision to let go of something that was SO substantial and start something new.... I know that feeling too, though not quite as deeply as she did. (I have thought I don't even know if I can marry again, after having been in a marriage for so long, raising kids... the thought of starting over seems like losing the past in some way + so difficult to start that journey over again. Kelly is pretty amazing, to have had all those experiences and feelings and then being able to accept it and move forward... that continuing to live doesn't mean she's rejecting her past and the people she loved.
Yeah, I couldn't help but see some kind of comparison there (as far as MBTI goes) to hyper-Fe vs hyper-Fi at the other end. But hyper-Fe is the main area of abuse since it's the main offender with social Likes, it was certainly making me ill with it being both a trap and a form of manipulation. Not surprised to see Cherry Jones cast the way she was, lol; that's a typical part for her. (and Dallas Bryce Howard definitely has THAT character type down pretty well too.) It went up and down for me in terms of staying focused, although I think it ended on a rather cool note.
I didn't recognize her as I dodged Jurassic World. I feel like she did a really great job in the episode. What was interesting to me about Nosedive was that for all that it's distinctly horrifying at first glance...how different is it from the way we're already living?
It's very easy to see social networks taking a more formal place in socio-economic interaction. Rideshare apps already do some version of this. If a driver falls below 3 stars on Uber, for instance, they can't drive any more. I think one of the biggest cultural divides between people in their mid/late twenties and people in their early twenties and younger now is just how embed social is into their overall interaction with each other. I have cousins who are in high school who talk about friends getting into fights because one kid didn't like the other's post when they were supposed to.
Not to complain. It's worth watching. Good to hear it sounds like the rest of the episodes are up there too.
I finished the rest of the series as of now, I'd rank the episodes like this:
San Junipero
Men Against Fire
Hated in the Nation
Nose Dive
Shut Up and Dance
Playtest
Men Against Fire was the most terrifying to me. It's the 5th episode and was just a lot. Probably this season's White Bear. Hated in the Nation was kind of weak right until they get to the point and then it's devastating. I don't know if it needed to be an hour and a half, but it highlights one of my favorite things about this show which is that help is never on its way. They commit to a premise and they play it out. Period.
Oh, and with Kenny in "Shut up and Dance":
I was thinking, "Dude, what you did really isn't that bad in the scheme of things." At least from what we thought it was; its been something occurring from the dawn of time. But I guess appearances and misdirections are deceiving.
I thought that episode was just so pointless. It was well done and pointed out something pretty real about the sadism of trolling, which I think is too often just sort of dismissed because of the medium.
I was also really happy to see that Bronn was able to settle down in the 'burbs after everything he'd been through in Westeros.
Just watched San Junipero. Yes, that's easily the best of the bunch so far. I teared up a few times while watching. It was so strongly written, and there is truth from various perspectives there. The actors have done a number of things but nothing I much remember seeing. I have also had some similar experiences in a similar setting (just more on the friendship level).
Oh my god that episode. The two women actually reminded me a lot of me and my ISTP roommate in terms of looks and their interaction. We're not intimate but it brought an extra level of visceral something to the episode for me.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw is extraordinary. I'd seen her in Belle several years ago and fell in love with her then. She's had some interesting projects over the past few years, including Beyond the Lights where she costars with Nate Parker. It was something I'd been meaning to see but had put off but am interested again just to see if Parker has enough talent to back up most of the nonsense he pops off about.
also, I was having Introversion attacks watching Yorkie in the first 10-15 minutes. That's exactly what it feels like, feeling completely out of place, wanting things but feeling powerless to do anything about it and maybe even articulating them, feeling like the rest of the world has a script to follow that I have never read.
I liked how complex both characters are. From the other side, I feel like Kelly could have very easily been reduced to some Manic Pixie Dream Girl sort, but she wasn't. There was just a lot of love in that story...even though it was still fucking horrifying lol.
I just finished "Men Against Fire" -- this one's not a far cry from other episodes we've seen, and taking the same concepts and expanding them a bit. It's not even far-fetched, it seems plausible for that to perhaps happen at some point in the future. Really decent episode.
I was happy to see Sarah Snook (Medina, the squad leader) as well as a few other actors I've seen in roles in other movies.
I'm gonna go back and watch Playtest before I watch the final episode, since I've heard Playtest might be the weakest and I want to end on a decent episode.
It all clicked for me when he walked into the room and saw the woman holding the bat.... just "bam". Although Stamper's haha, I mean, Arquette's explanation at the end ties it all together.
What I liked about "Shut up and Dance":
Sure, the people were being trolled. Most of them seemed fairly innocent or that their punishment wasn't quite aligning with the crime. The thing is, we already have people whose laptops are being locked and/or data being stolen for blackmail purposes, and the tech being used is actually commonplace now. unlike some of the other episodes, the tech here is already in place.
The thing is, who says when you pay the ransom and/or do what is asked, that the trolls will pay up? But can you afford NOT to take that chance? You're completely at their mercy.
Finally, the "spin" was that despite being asshats about it, the trolls in a sense were the good guys because we find out everyone who was taken advantage of had done things ranging from indecent to pretty horrible. We had sympathized with people who ended up being the "Bad guys" so to speak, and in the end, the trolls were just torturing them before sending them away. There's some moral ambiguity there still, though.
wind up rex said:
Men Against Fire was the most terrifying to me. It's the 5th episode and was just a lot. Probably this season's White Bear. Hated in the Nation was kind of weak right until they get to the point and then it's devastating. I don't know if it needed to be an hour and a half, but it highlights one of my favorite things about this show which is that help is never on its way. They commit to a premise and they play it out. Period.
Yes. Maybe that's a little dark, but I like that -- the whole point is, "Here is where it's going AND/OR could happen, and if it does, you're all pretty much fucked. Open your eyes before things get to that point and be willing to face the consequences if we allow things to go this far."
"Men Against Fire" didn't personally hit me that hard, I've seen similar movies/concepts that were worse. But it was still emotionally painful to see what Stripe's options were, and also to see what was happening, and feeling powerless to make any kind of change because how do you possibly find support and defeat that kind of operation? As you note, there's a real sense of helplessness here: We're all isolated and weak within the machine, and how can the machine ever be overcome? it becomes bigger than anyone and takes on life of its own.
Man, I love this show. At least there's a Season 4 already planned.
I think the Christmas episode is the most haunting for me:
- The "White out" thing where basically you're stuck in an isolated virtual hell, where you're surrounded by people but you can never interact with anyone again. And in John Hamm's case, he was branded as a social deviant -- so he might not even live very long.
- The "clone" mind stuck in the machine to be a perpetual slave, and tortured/broken by being stuck in the experience of years, MANY years, in the space of just a minute for the real world. Goddam. I can't imagine being stuck in a white room with no detail, no items, nothing by your own thoughts for a century; it would be enough to drive one mad.
Well, like Rex noted, we're kind of already there socially -- it's just not formalized yet + hooked into purchasing power, but it was so powerful because we already know the compulsion to do things simply in order to get Likes from people and build up social capital. It's definitely unsettling.
Just watched San Junipero. Yes, that's easily the best of the bunch so far. I teared up a few times while watching. It was so strongly written, and there is truth from various perspectives there. The actors have done a number of things but nothing I much remember seeing. I have also had some similar experiences in a similar setting (just more on the friendship level).
also, I was having Introversion attacks watching Yorkie in the first 10-15 minutes. That's exactly what it feels like, feeling completely out of place, wanting things but feeling powerless to do anything about it and maybe even articulating them, feeling like the rest of the world has a script to follow that I have never read.
EDIT: ... and there are those tricks you use as an introvert, like hovering around someone, mirroring them a bit, forging indirect connections (like ordering the same drink the other person bought for you and/or is drinking themselves), making what eye contact you have.
"I don't know how to do this. Can you make it easy for me?" It's hard to watch her, I totally know what it feels like. Feeling so inept, wanting help, feeling ashamed and stupid that you NEED help and like the other person will just reject you as a total wash because you're so inept and ill at ease. But it's interesting to watch how she comes out of her shell once Kelly takes her under her wing.
Also, real spoilers, since I am watching it again due to liking the episode so much -- there's details that pop up that I missed on first pass since I had no context. Don't read until you've seen the episode:
- The Outrun game -- Yorkie refuses to play. Later we find out she crashed her car, resulting in her current life state. And wait, that car she is driving at the end?? That's the Outrun convertible, isn't it? lol
- The almost-crash on the way to Kelly's house -- same deal. "Sorry, you should have seen the look on your face!" Fortunately, Yorkie can laugh about it after a second.
- Interesting that Kelly crashes her car later.
- I like how Yorkie doesn't recognize games in later generations, it's all new to her. She's only familiar with stuff, well, beforehand.
- Yorkie is not just introverted, she really HASN'T done any of these things before.
- Yorkie's comments about her family make a lot more sense in hindsight.
- The picture of Allison in Kelly's home. "Is that your mother?" Kelly doesn't respond. The truth is sadder.
- Who is the nerdie "Weird Al" guy who shows up a few times? I want to know his backstory now.
- I like all the questions Yorkie asks Kelly, they're "Coming out" style questions, and it's because she never got a chance to talk about such things before.
- When Kelly uses Yorkie for cover in the beginning, her story is "she only has six months to live." Yeah, funny what comes to mind..."They said three months six months ago, so what do they know?"
- Yorkie's comments about Greg are great -- it's all accurate, but in a completely different way than you'd expect.
Looking at it all:
Kelly is really brave. Yorkie's decision is a no-brainer -- she had no life, now she does. There's no question about her choice. But Kelly is torn between her past life and her desires... She had this long committed life and marriage and family, and it could feel like repudiation / betrayal of her family to let go and move on. This is a difficult painful decision to let go of something that was SO substantial and start something new.... I know that feeling too, though not quite as deeply as she did. (I have thought I don't even know if I can marry again, after having been in a marriage for so long, raising kids... the thought of starting over seems like losing the past in some way + so difficult to start that journey over again. Kelly is pretty amazing, to have had all those experiences and feelings and then being able to accept it and move forward... that continuing to live doesn't mean she's rejecting her past and the people she loved.
Oh I just watched this, I thought it was a pretty beautiful episode. Virtual dating ... and finding love.... the possibilities are wonderful... uh i love romance!
I watched Playtest. I agree it's the weakest episode of the bunch so far. (That just leaves me with the last one to watch.)
Sure, some of the banter is great. And I didn't know who Wyatt Russell was, but as soon as I saw him, I was like, "Dang, that's got to be Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn's kid." And yes, he is. Mom's blonde locks, Dad's face and manner.
There are various issues, though (and actual spoilers here):
- You don't get to the meat of the episode until 30 minutes in. Seriously. Like...?
- Aside from a few good jump scares -- damned spider things -- it's hard to be scared in a situation where the protagonist can't be hurt. Although the best moments are, if you feel like it's real, then it can still scare you badly.
- I'm still not really sure what his issue with his mom is, aside from him not knowing how to talk to her + losing his dad. I guess the forgetfulness was more prominent in his head than his mother, tbh, since it's what dominated.
- So he's screwed because he turned on his phone before the experiment started? That's kind of uncompelling. A mere tech glitch. Aside from "testing stuff you don't know much about," there's nothing much to learn there about tech and people.
Sure, the "endless waking" thing is a bitch, you never know when you're "out" of the system. But kind of predictable at this point.
I watched Playtest. I agree it's the weakest episode of the bunch so far. (That just leaves me with the last one to watch.)
Sure, some of the banter is great. And I didn't know who Wyatt Russell was, but as soon as I saw him, I was like, "Dang, that's got to be Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn's kid." And yes, he is. Mom's blonde locks, Dad's face and manner.
There are various issues, though (and actual spoilers here):
- You don't get to the meat of the episode until 30 minutes in. Seriously. Like...?
- Aside from a few good jump scares -- damned spider things -- it's hard to be scared in a situation where the protagonist can't be hurt. Although the best moments are, if you feel like it's real, then it can still scare you badly.
- I'm still not really sure what his issue with his mom is, aside from him not knowing how to talk to her + losing his dad. I guess the forgetfulness was more prominent in his head than his mother, tbh, since it's what dominated.
- So he's screwed because he turned on his phone before the experiment started? That's kind of uncompelling. A mere tech glitch. Aside from "testing stuff you don't know much about," there's nothing much to learn there about tech and people.
Sure, the "endless waking" thing is a bitch, you never know when you're "out" of the system. But kind of predictable at this point.
Saw it yesterday too. Only second episode I've seen of S3 (unlike you -apparently- I'm watching it in order ).
I was -again- pretty pleased with "playtest". I think it does deliver eventhough it doesn't really toss in new ideas. The technology has similarities to the "white christmas" episode of season 2. But I did find it very scary : I was constantly under the impression that the protagonists ordeal really would be damaging physically in the end. I couldn't help thinking throughout that it must be detrimental for your nervous system. And finally, that is what happened : his synapses were toasted. Except it was caused by a pretty lame tech glitch, as you pointed out, rather than the experience itself.
I agree the build up was long, but never boring.
I don't think there is anything more to the story about his mom or his Alzheimer predisposition than what we've seen and what you've stated.
Oh yeah, at some point they said the technology could help people overcome their fears. I do think that has some validity. Tech like that really has incredible potential.
Didn't know the main character is the son of Russell and Hawn. He sure has looks and charisma. If only he had a female counterpart...oh wait Kate Hudson .
Didn't know the main character is the son of Russell and Hawn. He sure has looks and charisma. If only he had a female counterpart...oh wait Kate Hudson .
I'm bummed I'm almost done. Apparently Netflix contracted for 12 episodes, so six are appearing in season 3 and the other six in season 4.
I'm about fifteen minutes into s03e06. That's the one with Kelly McDonald in it -- you have probably seen / heard her as Helena Ravenclaw (the ghost) in "Harry Potter 7.2" and as Merida in "Brave," but she's done a bunch of stuff. it's also got Benedict Wong (Sunshine, Kick-Ass 2, Prometheus, The Martian, etc) in it. Hilariously, I had no idea who Faye Marsay was (she plays Blue in this episode), except looking through her list she's The Waif in GoT -- I didn't recognize her at all.
I'm about fifteen minutes into s03e06. That's the one with Kelly McDonald in it -- you have probably seen / heard her as Helena Ravenclaw (the ghost) in "Harry Potter 7.2" and as Merida in "Brave," but she's done a bunch of stuff.
Ah gotcha -- yeah, I haven't seen that movie for many years so I don't remember anyone except for maybe Ewan MacGregor and Robert Carlyle... they were both in that, right? MOAH SCOTS
