Black Mirror [Season 4] (Netflix, 2017)

[shariqq]

[shariqq]

I wasn't too impressed by E01 ("USS Callister") and E02 ("Arkangel"). Then I saw E03 ("Crocodile").

E01 "USS Callister" was fun because of the whole Star Trek look, but it wasn't very well thought through. They had an idea, and decided to wrap it up in nostalgia. Even the scifi part of it was quite crappy.

E02 "Arkangel" was a step up from E01, but the episode was always on the brink of going somewhere interesting before deciding to stick to the expected and predictable (like in last season's episode 3 "Shut Up and Dance"). And predictable isn't good in this anthology setup.

E03 "Crocodile": Holy fucking intense! Now this is what I wanted from a Black Mirror episode (even though it lacked the dry humour of the British episodes from S01 & S02). But bloody hell, this was a great mix of the dark-side of human tendencies and scifi.

[kaytee]

I kind of liked Arkangel mainly because of the theme and how we as parents are so obsessed to ensure our kids are protected at all times.

Hang the DJ also worked coz of its technology use and is easily the 2nd best of the season.

Metalhead is the weakest of it all.

Alas there is nothing like San Junipero in this season.

[fizz]

While there was nothing like San Junipero, overall each episode (even Metalhead) was very watchable on their own. None of them were as cringeworthy as Playtest for e.g. or even Men Against Fire, which means the season retained a consistency that was missing in the previous one.

I really like Arkangel as well for the same reasons Kaytee has mentioned - as a parent I could relate to the mother and was constantly asking myself questions while watching. It engaged me in all the right ways. It had a weak ending but the ride made it worth it. I really, really liked the last episode. Playful (if not inventive) and the fable-like approach to the storytelling made it an engrossing watch. Overall, a very welcome return to form.

[ayaa1977]

I too think this was a strong season, and I did not dislike any of the episodes, but if I am to rank the episodes it would be as following:

USS Callister > Hang the DJ > Crocodile >  Black Museum > Arkangel > Metalhead

My favorite joke would be from USS Callistar "Okay, stealing my pussy is a red fucking line".

[shariqq]

E04 "Hang the DJ" was entertaining, and the technology part made it fascinating. A proper "what if" for a future that just could be, especially if Alexa/Siri ever discover Tinder! Good leads made it engrossing too.

E05 "Metalhead" was excellent! I liked that it was in high contrast B&W (rather than more grey-ish), and the lack of a set-up or explanation just worked for me. Like a zombie episode, but with killer robo-dogs instead of the undead. And the fact that the main bad-dog starts from a warehouse of cartons (one of them of toys) made me think that of an Amazon warehouse tech gone total bonkers!

[shariqq]

E06 "Black Museum" was indeed like the Christmas special, but so much fun! Especially the first story (about the doctor who could feel others' pain). There was a wickedness in the narrator's telling of the stories (made me think of an evil version of Jack Black), and mid-way you realize where it could end up. I didn't expect a happy-ending though, instead thought the girl was gonna be another victim for another experiment. Of all the episodes this season, I *enjoyed* this one the most.

[fizz]

E06 "Black Museum" was indeed like the Christmas special, but so much fun! Especially the first story (about the doctor who could feel others' pain). There was a wickedness in the narrator's telling of the stories (made me think of an evil version of Jack Black), and mid-way you realize where it could end up. I didn't expect a happy-ending though, instead thought the girl was gonna be another victim for another experiment. Of all the episodes this season, I *enjoyed* this one the most.

Yes, probably my second favourite episode, behind Crocodile. The first story that you refer to was good enough for it's own episode, so kudos to these guys for not milking their setups (like the Marvel Netflix shows are really guilty of).