For those of you who haven't heard of it, "Black Mirror" started out as a British sci-fi TV series that focused on the darkness in our modern society, and the implications of our lifestyles and constantly evolving technologies. It was picked up by Netflix for two more seasons after the first two seasons attracted a cult following. You can find all three available seasons on Netflix, and a fourth six-episode long season is slated to come out soon.
The show has many good qualities. It's very well made and beautifully shot. Each episode is its own self contained story, with unique characters and plot lines (although its creators have alluded to future episodes that are sequels to previous episodes). And obviously, its on Netflix, meaning its easily binge-able once you get addicted!
But the best part of the show isn't the format, or the acting, or the availability. The message of the show is what sets it apart. I don't think I've watched any other TV show that makes you think after every episode. In that way, "Black Mirror" truly lives up to its name: the show is a mirror, held up to our society and our technology, and the image in that mirror is certainly not bright and cheerful.
Some say that it's more of a funhouse mirror, twisting our future into something much uglier than it ever could be. I disagree. I think the show is frighteningly realistic.
For example, one episode features a comedian who plays an animated bear, a character he uses for a political satire TV show. Through a series of coincidences and mishaps, the bear- not the comedian, the cartoon itself- ends up running for political office, and accrues a real political following, simply because he "Isn't a politician" and "Tells it how it is". If that doesn't sound familiar, I suggest you take a closer look at a certain orange hued presidential candidate. If anything, the episode is a positive spin on a this election- at least the bear has some background in politics.
Now that I look back at the title I chose for this article, it may be a little bit of an exaggeration. Not everyone needs to watch "Black Mirror", because not everyone is inheriting the world, although any fan of sci-fi or good TV would enjoy this show. That said, I strongly recommend this show to my peers, the high school students throughout this nation. We are inheriting this technology, this society, this world. We will hold more power than any generation ever, as did the generation before us, and the generation before them. What we do with this power is our legacy. Will we destroy ourselves, becoming slaves to our phones, our tablets, our laptops? Or will we rise to the challenge presented by great power, and take great responsibility?
Only time will tell. But in the meantime, let's watch some good TV, and remind ourselves what makes us human.
