Black Mirror Season 3 Review: A Technologically Twisted Dystopian Tale

Currently streaming on Netflix
Rating ★★★★★

Heads up sci-fi fans, a new favorite obsession is back. The third season of Black Mirror should already be in your Netflix queue, but be forewarned, you will probably want to delete your social media accounts and turn off your phones afterward.

The new season adds six new tales in the anthology, all of them expanding the already unsettling themes explored in the first two seasons produced and released in the UK. (Don’t worry; all three seasons are available for your bingeing pleasure).

Black Mirror has been exalted as a modern dystopian version of The Twilight Zone, exploring tales of the strange and technologically twisted while conversely being dismissed as a simplistic criticism of technology, social media, and scientific advancements. Although I don’t subscribe to the idea that Black Mirror condemns all technology as the gateway to sinister behaviors, there is something utterly captivating about the idyllic worlds, the pristine and carefully mechanized structures that deftly cover up the truly unnerving truths of humanity’s ugliness.

Black Mirror

In episode 301,“Nosedive,” we get a glimpse of the seemingly tranquil world of socially conscious Lacie Pound, played by a brilliant Bryce Dallas Howard. On first glance, her life is mundane yet serene, but the prevalent newsfeeds and ratings of social media are all but inescapable. One’s public presence, showcased by photos, comments and IRL (in real life) social interactions is cumulatively ranked into a score (out of 5 stars) that can determine where you work, who will talk to you, and where you can live. Lacie, struggling to be her perfect self, embarks on a path to increase her social value, which ultimately launches her into a downward spiral. In a world of social media influencers, and where lives are more and more public, there is an ugly truth of making your life seem perfect, while trying to bury all traces of vulnerabilities and imperfections. But as dark as Lacie’s fall from social grace is, there is a silver lining in her darkest moments. An epiphany that raw freedom of expression can be rewarding, allowing intimate connections to be made. Isn’t human connection, after all, the desire that underlines our public selves?

If gaming and VR (visual reality) is more your tech of choice, viewers will be right at home in episode 302, “Playtest.” Cooper (Wyatt Russell), our protagonist, is the stereotypical ugly American abroad—from his long blonde hair and sandals to his endless stream of selfies. Ending up short on cash, Cooper signs up to test a brand new set of augmented reality games where all your Matrix fever-dreams become reality, or so we think. Maybe you’ll want to contemplate before ordering your brand new Oculus headset.

In episode 303, “Shut Up and Dance,” Black Mirror explores how far people are willing to go to keep their secrets and how much they’ll sacrifice morally to keep them. There is plenty of hacking and blackmail in “Shut Up and Dance,” but you’ll also be quick to readjust your tinfoil hat and cover up your computer’s webcam.

Black Mirror

Episode 304 is the one to wait for. “San Junipero” is where love, death, and the meaning of forever are all available in the cloud. Grab your tissues because this one will make you root for an unexpected love story that has the potential to last an eternity. “San Junipero” is a welcome change as it paints a much more peaceful, albeit complicated, meaning of the cloud and humanity.

From the high of the hopeful note left by San Junipero,” viewers are again plunged into the darkness where humanity, nature, horror, and technology come to roost. As we get into episode 305, “Men Against Fire,” we open with Stripe (Malachi Kirby), a good-natured rookie soldier who comes face-to-face with an ongoing battle with monstrous roaches. Are the roaches aliens, monsters? Has there been a zombie outbreak? But the truth is much darker than your average sci-fi war story. After killing several groups of roaches and experiencing glitches with his internal wiring (because soldiers need software connected to their nervous systems), Stripe comes to realize the truth about roaches and comes to term with the terrible decisions he has been forced to make. This one particularly hit home, and is the kind of episode that will haunt you long after. “Men Against Fire” is among the top of Black Mirror’s darkest episodes to date, woven with poignant, political commentary.

Black Mirror

Finishing off its third season, Black Mirror ends on somewhat of a disappointing note. After the deeply relevant and unsettling themes explored in “Men Against Fire,” the overtures of the season finale, “Hated in the Nation,” seem mostly half-hearted with tired tropes. Autonomic advanced technologies and a nefarious internet scheme abound, but for the most part, you could have seen the majority of this entire storyline in an episode of season two of The Flash. Although still quite enjoyable, “Hated in the Nation” is among the least memorable installations of Black Mirror’s stunning third season.

Black Mirror is a show that sticks. Every detail is immaculate, from the costumes, graphics, and special effects that sell the belief that you are living in this near-future world. Each episode is carefully constructed, including the score and cinematography that often pair a gritty and dark scene with an equally ominous setting.

Episode 304, “San Junipero,” is among my favorites, capturing the essence of the ‘80s with its music, clothes, and games. But underneath the glamour and big hair is the realization that the characters are just reveling in the nostalgia of their youth. It’s a sublime dreamscape of snyth-pop and shoulder pads. One that some choose to live in forever.

Over its three seasons, there are no episodes of Black Mirror that are bad. The most poignant ones, however, crawl under your skin and grow roots. The implications and scenarios infiltrate your perceptions, often transforming the way you perceive the world around you. Its third season is no exception, offering a look at the beauty of true love and human connection, as well as the depravity of apathy for the suffering of others. The usage and advancement of technology is at the center of each story, but the choice to exercise for good or evil is up to us.

For more on the show, go to https://www.netflix.com/title/70264888

Follow Black Mirror on Twitter @blackmirror

Like Black Mirror on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackMirrorNetflix/.

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Erin Richards-Kunkel

The one with the overly-active imagination! Erin is a fan of all things storytelling in every form (movies, books, shows, podcasts, you name it). She is known for always carrying a book in her bag as well as paper and pen (just in case). She is also currently working on her debut YA novel. Find her on Twitter @ErinSRichards!