After four long years, Netflix series Black Mirror is back with its sixth season. The anthology show, created by Charlie Brooker, has been able to carve out a space for itself by portraying the terrifying influence of technology on humanity. In season 6 the dystopian series is back with five episodes; each episode centred around a unique story and concept.
The first episode—“Joan is Awful”—is about a woman who starts off a typical day in her life. She is going through a phase where she does not feel like the main character in her own life and confides in a therapist. Later that day she finds out that her entire life is out there for the world to see on a television show, with her character being essayed by Hollywood actress Salma Hayek. How would you react if you are constantly being watched and your life is no more yours to keep?
The next episode “Loch Henry” follows a young couple who enter a village hoping to film a documentary as part of their graduate project. But after discovering the village’s haunted past about a serial killer, they decide it would make for a more fitting topic for their documentary. The episode pushes you to rethink the definition of success, and if it is worth the human cost of bringing up dreaded ghosts from the past.
The third episode named “Mazey Day” deals with the paparazzi culture and the carnivorous nature of the entertainment industry as it feeds into the lives of the people involved. Bo, an invasive paparazzo from LA, tries to make a living by exclusively capturing the intimate moments of celebrities which lead to a celebrity taking his own life. Despite calling it quits from the paparazzi life, Bo is hooked into taking one last photo which could assure her a giant payday by tracking down a celebrity who has been MIA. It shocks the audience by showing the power and authority paps can have on people's lives where they can totally destroy a person's life with a snapshot.
“Beyond the Sea” is the fourth episode and also happens to be the longest—stretching over 80 minutes of screen time. Set in a backdrop where two accomplished astronauts who were known for their lives at home are made to leave on a six-year-long space mission in 1969. Far away from their homes, the duo connect with their families through android replicas of themselves. The mission runs smoothly until a horrific tragedy destroys one of their replicas, leaving the family on earth in despair. The chilling episode shows how the astronauts' lives can be as empty and dark as the infinite space surrounding them. It is a slow motion tragedy that subtly conveys how bizarre the replica experience or one’s connection with their android bodies could be.
The final episode “Demon 79” follows the life of Nida who works in a shoe store where she often feels victimised by her colleagues. She later discovers a talisman in the basement and accidentally activates it with her blood, releasing a demon which informs her that she must end three people's lives in the span of three days to prevent an apocalypse. This episode focuses on supernatural forces, instead of technology, and what would happen if one acted according to their darkest impulses.
The Black Mirror series has been one of the most thought provoking shows that satirised the impact of futuristic technology on our lives. But the latest season turns out to be an exception as it has strayed from its sci-fi roots with multiple episodes set in the past and present. From nervous breakdowns, to true crime, horror and apocalypse, season 6 of Black Mirror brings in all that it takes to blow its viewers' minds.
Season 6 also delves into toxic human behaviour with the internet culture growing more invasive over the past two decades. The season divides focus between old school videotapes, digital cameras and the present day AI, data harvesting and deepfakes. The show also takes a dig at Big Tech and streaming giant Netflix, referring to it as 'Streamberry'.
The show is a reminder that even though technology could change the future of society, human nature might still remain the same.
Show: Black Mirror, Season 6
Streaming on: Netflix
Rating: 4/5
