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Black Mirror is back and with more episodes in one run than ever before. With an increased number of installments, this means that they’re not all 100% written by its creator, Charlie Brooker, although they do have his take on near-future technology in there, and while series one and two each had three episodes, with a Christmas Special in 2014 featuring Jon Hamm and Rafe Spall, it looked like we wouldn’t see any more.
Thankfully, like Amazon Prime with Ripper Street, Netflix knew there was an audience for more Black Mirror and had the backing to find not three, not six, but TWELVE episodes. The first six make up series 3 and are all released in one go, this Friday, October 21st.
Personally, sure, I use my mobile phone while I’m out and about, including just as I wake up. As one friend told me, “You’re never alone with a phone”, but I still also like to stop and stare, and when I’m walking from A to B in town, I prefer to see those around me rather than the screen I can look towards at any time… not least because I don’t want to crash into someone!
In Nosedive, however, as Lacie (Bryce Dallas Howard, above-centre) is trying to make her way to Naomie’s (Alice Eve) wedding, everyone seems more obsessed with their smartphones and social media than we are in real life, to the point where, thanks to our in-built eye technology, we can even rate everyone’s attractiveness in an instant – almost subconsciously because it’s become a part of reality. That feeling of posting something online and not getting instant feedback – and ensuring it’s rated with a gratifying full marks – gives us a deflated sense in this world, in this episode co-written by Rashida Jones (co-writer of 2018’s Toy Story 4) and Michael Schur (co-creator of Brooklyn Nine-Nine), based on a story by Charlie Brooker. And it goes deeper – low social media ratings, even from strangers, can lead to it affecting your financial status.
Enter Hansen Davis, from the company Reputelligent, who has tips to give her life and social status the boost it needs! But with a title like Nosedive, you know things aren’t going to be plain sailing. In fact, it feels like it’s a nosedive with the force of a hammer on top! It made my heart sink as to the way this future can do you down.
This first episode in the new series also attracts big names in Jurassic World‘s Ms Howard, Star Trek Into Darkness‘ Ms Eve, and the first female US President in 24‘s Cherry Jones.
I will add that while I really enjoyed it, the very end of it did not make sense to me. Obviously, I won’t divulge anything about that here, but when you see it, you can make up your own mind. A lot of it also reminded me of one particular film, so I’ll put its title in the spoiler tag below.
All that said, I could downvote someone on TV every time they say the archaic “forward slash” in a website address instead of just “slash”. And motorists who cross lanes without indicating. And cyclists who jump the lights! Ooh, I think I want one of these, now!
Black Mirror: Nosedive is available on Netflix from this Friday, October 21st. Also, click on the top image for the full-size version. The series isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but you can buy a DVD boxset of Series 1 & 2 and the 2014 Special.
Score: 7.5/10
Widescreen ratio: 1.78:1
Director: Joe Wright
Producer: Laurie Borg
Writers: Rashida Jones and Michael Schur (based on a story by Charlie Brooker)
Music: Max Richter
Cast:
Lacie: Bryce Dallas Howard
Naomie: Alice Eve
Susan: Cherry Jones
Ryan: James Norton
Paul: Alan Ritchson
Bets: Daisy Haggard
Carol: Susannah Fielding
Airport Stewardess: Michaela Coel
Hansen Davis: Demetri Goritsas
Chester: Kadiff Kirwan
Man in Jail: Sope Dirisu
Ted: Clayton Evertson
Electro Station assistant: Andrew Roux
Space Cop: Anjana Vasan
Anthony: Colin Moss
Glam Woman: Nambitha Ben-Wazi
Cab driver: Jeffrey Davenport
Jack The Barrista: Ntokozo Majozi
Keith: Justin Munitz
Alien girl: Zandile Madliwa
Pastor: Kevin Otto
Chuck: Shane Zaza
Airport Guard: Abubakar Salim
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.