Charlie Brooker Forum

Anybody else in the UK what this tonight? I thought it was fucking incredible.

The trailer gives nothing away but if your not in the UK, it's essentially the first in a trilogy looking at mob mentality, techno-paranoia and the way we react to, and spread stories in the modern world. In tonight's episode this case what happens when a Princess is kidnapped and the kidnappers are demanding that the Prime Minister has sex with a pig live on television. The kidnappers know exactly what to do so they can't fake the act and the government don't know how to control the situation because the kidnappers use Youtube and social media to keep the rest of the world informed.

It's incredibly well done, utterly demented satire that'll leave you squirming in your seat but I think that's kinda the point.

The next episode is about how everybody in the world is trapped and the only way to escape is to win the top prize in a talent show, kinda like The Island.

If you can track it down, I'd highly recommend checking it out.

I also really enjoyed Black Mirror, especially due to the fact that the whole pig aspect wasn't revealed in the ads - the audience finds out alongside the PM. There was also a lot of well observed stuff, like people not believing it was real when it wasn't on tv. The culmination was quite harrowing, but I thought that the wrap up at the end put too fine a point on things that should have been left with you to think about.

I though this episode was absolutely fantastic. I don't get why the journalist ran from the strike team though. It seems dumb to run from the police when you are innocent in a location where combatants are expected. It immediately reminded me of Brooker's bit on Newswipe about citizen journalists being wreckless when he showed 2 dudes going towards an exploding oil refinery.

It was really good, but very, very dark. Strongly recommend anyone in the US watches it 'somehow', for an idea of what real British drama can be.

Missed it! :(

anyone know when the repeat is??

I thought it was absolutely great. Can't wait for the others now.

@CherryBomb: I'm not sure when it's repeated but it's on 4oD: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/black-mirror/4od#3264020

IT WAS SO GOD DAMN GOOD.

I just read the review in The Guardian (which is shady to begin with since Brooker is a columnist there but I trust the integrity of The Guardian). I don't normally read reviews for TV and movies because I rarely watch TV or movies so I have to ask; is it commonplace for TV and film reviews to go over the plot points one at a time as if it were a synopsis rather than a review? Aren't reviews supposed to be to inform those who haven't consumed the product whether it is worth their time to seek it out? If I hadn't seen the show already I wouldn't need to after reading The Guardian's review. They covered everything from who the culprit is to how the episode is resolved. I haven't read game reviews in 7 years because I came across a few that had spoilers which ruined the experience. Are film reviews just as ignorable?

@mosespippy: The Guardian gets away with being a bit spoiler heavy because they post their TV reviews after the shows have aired, not before. It's more 'a week in review' as opposed to a critique of the show, they don't actually appear in the paper until Monday. They've been doing reviews like that for TV for years. Don't worry about the fact that Brooker works for them, they had no problem in criticizing 10 o'clock live every chance they got.

The trailer for episode two looks great:

I love the fact it's airing directly after the final of the X Factor, show they're clearly parodying.

@nikmonroe said:

@CherryBomb: I'm not sure when it's repeated but it's on 4oD: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/black-mirror/4od#3264020

Awwh I don't like watching things online! but I guess I'll have too (: thanks! <3

@CherryBomb: It sucks because I've been looking for the repeats to so I could show a few friends but they don't list repeats anywhere :(

I think the best thing is how much of a Charlie Brooker premise it is - kind of something he might throw out offhand in an episode of screenwipe. Not only that, but it's taken dramatically seriously, not really played for laughs, so the humor is all the better for it.

I've been looking forward to this since I've been following Brooker ever since reading some of his old PC Zone stuff.

I enjoyed it for what it was, however its message felt a bit too contrived at points, especially with the news broadcast stating it so bluntly. It's an interesting message, though, and showcased a fairly accurate look at how we consume and deal with this sort of stuff via Twitter and all the rest of it. The dialogue was typically Brooker and very good as a result and I also liked the way it was shot.

I hold high hopes for the second episode.

@nikmonroe said:

@CherryBomb: It sucks because I've been looking for the repeats to so I could show a few friends but they don't list repeats anywhere :(

Damn! :( I guess it adds to the mystery of the whole thing XD

It was great. Hilariously dark. Loved it! Roll on episode 2 (with a co-writing credit from Mrs. Brooker)!