Two days to go until season three. I’m more excited for it than for any film of the last year. It’s also great to have an excuse to revisit the old episodes, or discover it for the first time. I was especially excited to rewatch the first season. I like all the episodes, but the three episodes of season one are still my favourites.
I wrote this in the same style as my season two review. A short, spoiler-free review of each of the three episodes is on page one, and I get in-depth on page two.
The National Anthem
I maintain that this is the ballsiest pilot episode in TV history. It’s a miracle that it was approved and that it was so well-received.
In present day Britain, Prime Minister Michael Callow (Rory Kinnear) wakes to learn that the fictional royal, Princess Suzanne, has been kidnapped. The assailant gives the PM an ultimatum: Suzanne will die unless Callow appears on live national television having full, uncensored sex with a pig by four in the afternoon.
Yep, you read that correctly. Don’t let the absurdity of the premise put you off, though. What follows is a tight drama following the PM’s struggle to catch the kidnapper, journalists trying to describe the situation, and the public wrestling with the dilemma. Should their leader sacrifice his dignity to save a life?
From a dramatic standpoint, the disgusting premise actually makes the episode very compelling. It’s so vile that you know at the back of your mind that there’s no way the show will ever go through with it. But as time runs out, you start to wonder. It makes for extremely unpredictable TV, and there’s nothing like the first viewing when you don’t know how it pans out.
It’s hard to discuss the themes of the episode without spoiling it, but I will say that it’s more about the public than the pig. In the end, it’s one of the most emotionally resonant and memorable episodes of TV I’ve ever seen and sets a strong tone for the rest of Charlie Brooker’s dark, twisted series.
Fifteen Million Merits
In this beautiful piece of science fiction, Bing (Daniel Kaluuya) inhabits a satirical dystopian world, where everyone must cycle on exercise bikes to earn points that they can spend on food, porn, and additions to their digital avatars. Those too fat to pedal are reduced to cleaning staff or humiliated on game shows. The only way out is a reality TV talent show called Hot Shot, and fame awaits successful entrants.
This is the only episode of Black Mirror that doesn’t take place in a subtly enhanced version of our own world. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t comment on reality. There’s so much going on here that I can’t wait to discuss it on the next page.
It’s a gorgeous sixty minutes, with stunning visuals and sound design with some great music. Kaluuya also gives an excellent performance as an awkward man who’s desperate for something real in his life. While much of the episode proceeds at a steady pace, you’ll never be bored because the worldbuilding is so compelling. It reminds me of when I read Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four – even though the pages describing the world provoke a strong emotional reaction from me because it’s so well-designed and horrifying.
Once the stage is set, the second half of the episode pulls us through an emotional storm that builds and builds until an electrifying conclusion that’ll leave you gawping. It’s another great, challenging episode that will make anyone think about the modern world, their place in it, and whether there’s a point to, well, anything.
The Entire History of You
As I said earlier, I like all the episodes, but The Entire History of You might just be my favourite.
In the near-future, almost everyone is implanted with a grain. It’s a small device in your head that records everything your eyes see. Then, your memories can be replayed on the many screens littering the world.
I do not want to say a single thing about the plot of this episode. Even though this device has lots of world-changing implications, Entire History is a quiet, contained story. It’s what I love about this episode. Instead of blowing up the whole concept, it hones in on one story about a small group of people and how they’re affected by their grains. It’s elegant.
I recently re-watched this episode and loved every second of it. The main character is played by Toby Kebbell, a man I consider achingly underrated and underused. He’s so talented but must have the worst agent, being cast in shitty films like the Ben-Hur remake and 2016’s godawful Fant4stic. Anyway, he’s an utter joy to watch in this episode. Cool, sarcastic, and a little bit broken.
If I ruled the world – a prospect so terrifying it warrants a Black Mirror episode all by itself – I would make Entire History mandatory viewing for all citizens. It’s that important. Go. Watch it. Now. It’s forty minutes you’ll never forget. Then come back for my in-depth discussion on the next page.
Magoo's Reviews 