Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (Official Thread)

[Professor K.]

About USS Calister:

Spoiler

The captain didn't die from being deleted. The "Space Fleet" bubble universe mod was deleted around him while he was still in it. He was left floating in space with no working control device to get him out of the game.

While you're in the game, your body acts like you're in The Matrix. He lives alone, and he set his doorbell to "Do Not Disturb", so unless someone pulls him out from the outside he'll just sit there floating is space until his body dies of dehydration or starvation in the real world.

Spoiler

Question is, when he physically dies, does that remove his consciousness from the game? If it doesn't, then he'll just be conscious and floating in that nothingness for all eternity. That's a fate worse than death for absolutely nothing but being a creepy nikka who wanted some friends

 

[Lakerman0834]

garbage season

 

[therewillbeboogienights]

If this was real, ethics would seriously be an issue lmao.
The government would probably have a database of like all people who could potentially commit terrorist acts. They would have your memories saved in that database. No more he said/she said in courts they would just look at your memories. Kids could not get away with ANYTHING, their parents would ask them to replay the memories

Lmao arkangel and crocodile pretty much covered this lmao.not exactly per se but it covered what I was wondering lmao.

 

[Professor K.]

Extreme point to show the difference between automated machines taking over human jobs (in this case security)

All companies want to protect their assets. What if this dog was the cheapest alternative in the future? Then any company, even one that makes harmless toys would have them.

Would human security ruthlessly hunt down and murder other people to keep someone from stealing a single toy? No, they'd have compassion or realize the scale of the crime vs/the punishment or wouldn't take their job that seriously. A machine would do it's job. What if your kids are born into a world where these things are chasing down teenagers and shooting them full of shrapnel for shoplifting at the corner store?

It's not a deep exploration of the concept but it was the only reason they bothered revealing the trivial item they were stealing at the end

Rest in Peace Mike Brown

 

[StickStickly]

What’s up with all the similar recycled storylines though?

Three of the stories involved technology that required access to the mind via temple implants.

The monkey mommy story was similar to the white Christmas lady who became her own home assistant. USS Callister Nanette also had a similar experience to her when her consciousness was copied.

Rolo’s salesman persona was similar to John Hamm’s persona in White xmas.

White Xmas also had that blocking feature which was similar to Arkangel, but there wasn’t any continuum to suggest it happened in the same universe.

Overall I had the feeling like I’ve already seen every episode before I even watched theme

 

[Lootpack]

What’s up with all the similar recycled storylines though?

Three of the stories involved technology that required access to the mind via temple implants.

The monkey mommy story was similar to the white Christmas lady who became her own home assistant. USS Callister Nanette also had a similar experience to her when her consciousness was copied.

Rolo’s salesman persona was similar to John Hamm’s persona in White xmas.

White Xmas also had that blocking feature which was similar to Arkangel, but there wasn’t any continuum to suggest it happened in the same universe.

Overall I had the feeling like I’ve already seen every episode before I even watched theme

Yeah, this is what made S4 disappointing to me. If I had to pick two episodes to keep from this season, it would be USS Callister and Hang the DJ....the rest can go straight to the bushes. If this is what's in store for the future of Black Mirror, then in all honesty Brooker can take a break.

 

[Brandeezy]

It's the same Universe at different periods of time which is why some of the tech looks like the precursor to other episodes. This video points out instances where different episodes are referenced throughout each season. Black Museum takes place in the present as every episode before it is referenced.

 

[Grand Eeezus Maxwell]

My thoughts so far:

-USS Callister is the best so far IMO, although I was expecting more of a twist.

-Arkangel was fukked up, but the ending was weak.

-‘CROCODILE’ CAN GET THE ENTIRE fukk OUTTA HERE. Ol pre-Split Shyamalan-ass twist . It was a cold-ass episode until that part.

-I’m on ‘Hang The DJ’ right now, and I’m only watching it on GP. I’m totally expecting it to be the overrated ‘love’ episode, ala ‘San Junipero’(which I liked, it’s not the ‘GOAT’ like CACs and QWERTYs are claiming)

 

[Silkk]

Watching Now


Lance Landry Clark/Todd always on that crazy shyt

 

[Silkk]

 

[Silkk]

 

[Silkk]

Jesse Pinkman.....?

 

[hex]

I haven't finished this season yet but I don't get people saying the show fell off. Honestly as much as I love this series it was never really "on" until season 3. Season 1 and 2 both had boring/bad eps with more or less the same writing problems as this season.

Fred.

 

[KalKal]

Try to play me like episode 1 don’t come before episode 3 brehs

Imma give you the benefit of the doubt but that tone seemed a lil stank

Just a little sarcasm .
I actually think the captain from USS Callister was a potential serial killer and a monster, but as of the end of the episode he hadn't killed any real live humans yet.

Spoiler

Question is, when he physically dies, does that remove his consciousness from the game? If it doesn't, then he'll just be conscious and floating in that nothingness for all eternity. That's a fate worse than death for absolutely nothing but being a creepy nikka who wanted some friends

Didn't think about this, but if the technology is related to the "Playtest" technology, then time in the game world moves much slower than the real world. So even if he's not literally there for all eternity, it might feel like it.

 

[Kenny West]

I haven't finished this season yet but I don't get people saying the show fell off. Honestly as much as I love this series it was never really "on" until season 3. Season 1 and 2 both had boring/bad eps with more or less the same writing problems as this season.

Fred.

Agreed. Every season has had one or more duds. I'll probably never watch Playtest or the Waldo episode ever again/

I think the issue is at some point I think people are looking to Black Mirror to be a showcase of futuristic technology rather than thematic & interesting stories. If you're the former then this series wouldn't have long to go before dumbasses start accusing it of running out of ideas. And to think this is with shortened british tv show seasons, if this was an american show with 3x more eps per season folks would be whining halfway through season 2.


And it's a misconception anyway seeing as the very first episode is about a prime minister forced to fukk a pig with no dystopian future technology. Same thing with Shut Up and Dance. When the focus is on the tech you get wack episodes like Metalhead: A showcase of tech with very little resembling a story to drive it home. On the other hand when focused on themes and story you can get vastly different episodes like White Christmas vs USS Calister vs San Junipero even though they're technically exploring the same concept. The way each story frames the tech is what makes them unique especially in USS Callister's case where it has you rooting for sentient code against a flesh and blood human. San Junipero having you watch some make a very human choice of a guaranteed digital afterlife for your conscience vs a non guaranteed natural death.

This show is so much more the tech concepts. Some of the best shyt on TV right now imo