Striking Vipers
This first episode was not what I expected….but then again I can’t think of one episode of Black Mirror that played out as I thought.
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What’s it about?
Two estranged college friends reunite in later life, triggering a series of events that could alter their lives forever.
The Bad?
The pacing in the first twenty or so minutes is a little slow, this part of the episode could have been shortened to keep the viewer fully engaged.
There were some twist and turns along the way, but it seemed to move along too slowly. The theme of the episode was unconventional and that in itself should have kept me interested but at times I found myself drifting due to the way things actually played out. It seemed too conventional which was a shame as the ideas allowed for so much more creativity.
The Good?
Danny who is played by Anthony Mackie delivers a strong performance.
His college friend Karl who stared as Black Manta in Aquaman also delivered a convincing act as the friend who never fully grew up.
However, the standout performance for me was Theo who was played by Nichole Beharie. Her acting was great throughout the whole episode with the restaurant scene being the standout.
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The virtual reality aspect of the episode was fascinating, very reminiscent of the first episode of the previous season - USS Callister which was one of my favourites. I like how it was able to clearly show the link between the two, real and virtual and how they affect each other for better or worse. The questions the episode raised and how it was able to do this was interesting. As technology improves our future might not be too dissimilar, and as a result, we might have to confront some of the same questions the characters faced in this episode.
Conclusion
One of the issues of the episode was pacing, the first half was too slow and needed to be condensed, this could have allowed time for the exploration of more interesting concepts. One example was the missed opportunity to explored the limits of the virtual world that was presented to them in this episode further. However, the episode did leave me pondering the questions that it raised. What are the boundaries of reality and do our actions once we cross it really matter? This episode not only blurred the lines between the real and virtual worlds but also the lines between sexuality and relationships within those worlds and the real.
The great performances of the cast and that all too familiar "where did that come from" feel that black mirror seems to always pull out the bag makes this episode worth a watch….just.