Languish.org

General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: frunk on June 05, 2019, 10:05:31 AM

Title: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: frunk on June 05, 2019, 10:05:31 AM
I've long held that no two people rate Black Mirror episodes the same way.  It makes more sense now than back when there were 6 episodes and only 720 people had watched it.  With 20 episodes it'll still hold even if most of us pick San Junipero as our #1.  Now I've encountered two rankings of Black Mirror episodes, which I assume is either happy coincidence on the new season coming out or Netflix marketing.  I'll join in anyway.

AV Club Ranking (https://tv.avclub.com/black-mirror-from-worst-to-best-1835249270)

The Ringer Ranking (https://www.theringer.com/tv/2019/6/4/18651131/black-mirror-episodes-ranking)

Bandersnatch - Haven't seen it

19. The Waldo Moment - Ugh
18. Playtest - Felt generic and the hook wasn't a hook if I don't care about the characters.
17. The National Anthem - I still don't get the love for this one.  I'm not buying any politician would seriously consider going through with it.
16. The Entire History of You - The self obsession bits were interesting, the jealousy plot felt tacked on to that.
15. Be Right Back - Meh
14. Arkangel - I waffle on this one, but this is where it lands right now.
13. Metalhead - Nice action shots but not much to it beyond the dystopian setting.
12. Hated in the Nation - I wanted to like this one more, but I think it has too much fat on it.
11. Nosedive - The ending saves this one from a lower rating.
10. Crocodile - The procedural that Hated in the Nation should have been, with a genuinely horrifying and funny ending in equal measure.
9. Black Museum - I think this one suffered from being at the end of a season of people occupying other people's bodies, but stands quite well on its own.
8. USS Callister - One of the few comedic episodes, and a damn fine one.
7. Hang the DJ - It's not a dystopian hell, it's just a dating app.
6. Men Against Fire - Perfectly predictable but still powerful in its execution.
5. Fifteen Million Credits - The first Black Mirror that made me sit up and take notice.
4. White Christmas - Another one that I saw coming from a mile away, but so well done that I didn't care.  John Hamm Christmas Spectacular!
3. White Bear - The confusion and horror of this one still gets to me.
2. Shut Up and Dance - Another splendid blend of WTF, horror and an ending that fits the story and shocks you.
1. San Junipero - Damn dust in my eyes.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Tamas on June 05, 2019, 10:07:18 AM
This is a series I'd enjoy much more if it wasn't hyped to high heavens. It is harder to handle the more sanctimonious/techfobia stuff in it this way.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: frunk on June 05, 2019, 10:21:00 AM
I'd say it isn't so much a techphobic series as it is skeptical that technology will make us better people.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Tamas on June 05, 2019, 10:22:59 AM
Quote from: frunk on June 05, 2019, 10:21:00 AM
I'd say it isn't so much a techphobic series as it is skeptical that technology will make us better people.

Luckily that's not technology's job.


I mean, I don't want to be harsh I've very much liked several episodes and I haven't watched all yet. I just often seem to find gasping awe for the series online and I find THOSE level of emotions unjustified.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: frunk on June 05, 2019, 10:26:52 AM
Quote from: Tamas on June 05, 2019, 10:22:59 AM
Luckily that's not technology's job.


I mean, I don't want to be harsh I've very much liked several episodes and I haven't watched all yet. I just often seem to find gasping awe for the series online and I find THOSE level of emotions unjustified.

I haven't encountered that awe.  It's an anthology series, there will always be good and bad episodes.  It's modern day Twilight Zone without the supernatural elements but with deeper characterizations.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Tamas on June 05, 2019, 10:34:27 AM
To be fair I am mostly annoyed with the journalists at the big Hungarian liberal news site I frequent. They seem to consider Black Mirror a series of phrophecies on our future, which can be really annoying.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Habbaku on June 05, 2019, 10:35:58 AM
The coverage in the USA is much more balanced, then, I guess. The show has some truly excellent episodes and some real stinkers, but I don't think it's been perceived as some sort of visionary program so much as a take on humans+technology a la Twilight Zone/Outer Limits.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Eddie Teach on June 05, 2019, 11:30:36 AM
Twilight Zone was considered rather visionary.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Grinning_Colossus on June 05, 2019, 01:07:04 PM
Didn't Cameron actually shag a pig once?
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Josephus on June 05, 2019, 01:32:27 PM
To me it all went downhill after the pig fucking prime minister.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: garbon on June 05, 2019, 01:53:06 PM
Quote from: Josephus on June 05, 2019, 01:32:27 PM
To me it all went downhill after the pig fucking prime minister.

:thumbsup:
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Eddie Teach on June 05, 2019, 10:54:41 PM
I saw the first two episodes way back. Tonight I decided to give it another shot. San Junipero is quite good.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Josquius on June 06, 2019, 01:29:42 AM
I really don't get the San junepero love. Thats towards the bottom of the pile for me.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Habbaku on June 06, 2019, 09:31:47 AM
Quote from: Tyr on June 06, 2019, 01:29:42 AM
I really don't get the San junepero love. Thats towards the bottom of the pile for me.

You might be a coal-mining robot.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Josquius on June 06, 2019, 03:41:32 PM
20   The Entire History of You   I totally forgot about this one. Nice idea. But dull story.
19   Hated in the nation   Something about bees? Benedict Wong policeman? But rubbish
18   Playtest   Nothing much going on
17   Men Against Fire   Totally forgot this one too. But now I remember it I recall the cool use of the context filter. Bad execution but nice idea. And I do remember being super curious about why there were American soldiers in Denmark
16   National Anthem   Interesting way to start the series. I know several people who didn't watch Black Mirror for years because of this episode.
15   Black Museum   Too fan servicey. This is the sort of episode you'd expect to be made 10 years after the final episode. But it's a normal series closer? Err.... Its like they've just dumped a bunch of ideas not good enough for their own episodes here
14   San Junipero   I just don't get it. There seemed to be some really weird time travel stuff going on but then they reveal what it actually is and its just...oh. Meh.
13   Be Right Back   Nice idea again, but totally meh
12   Metalhead   Well, its cool and stylish, but no story.
11   Bandernatch   Loses huge points for how much more it could have been and my failure to recreate certain conditions. Oirginal and cool.
10   Arkangel   I think I was going to have this higher but then I realised I forgot it so it went down. Nice idea, though suffers from its small scale.
9   White Christmas   Nothing with John Hamm can be bad.
8   Shut Up and Dance   I'm sure I've seen this one somewhere before
7   Crocodie   Perfectly captures the Scandi Noir style and gave me feelies.
6   Fifteen Million Credits   After the pig fucking one it perfectly showed how this series was worthwhile
5   Waldo Moment   It saw the future. Excellent.
4   Nosedive   Manages to be very so very American and yet cool and relatable. This one came out when I was working on a project for a company heavily pushing peer reviews. This is the way we are heading. Scary
3   White Bear   Others have followed in its path but this was the first with the idea. I remember it being genuinely gripping and the twist making sense and being satisfying.
2   Hang the DJ   Really very good. A lot of angles to look at it from.
1   USS Callister   Its just brilliant. If it would be slightly extended it could be a movie in the cinema. A Galaxy Quest beater
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Grinning_Colossus on June 07, 2019, 01:11:57 AM
Which was the one with the hot young people on exercise bikes? I sat through the one with David Cameron and the pig but stopped watching halfway through that one.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Eddie Teach on June 07, 2019, 01:50:59 AM
Fifteen Million Credits
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Eddie Teach on June 07, 2019, 04:49:19 AM
Ok, I've decided to give my ratings too. Work in Progress.

Worst to best-
Playtest- This one leaves so many questions, but I don't care about the answers.
National Anthem- just disgusting and highly implausible.
Be Right Back- Boring.
Hated in the Nation- Just don't buy it.
The Entire History of You- Might have resonated more with a sympathetic lead.
Fifteen Million Credits- don't remember too well. Something about how everything can be commoditized?
The Waldo Moment- Some funny moments, but the message is cynical in a simplistic, stupid fashion.
Arkangel- I always feel like somebody's watching me
White Bear- weird in a good way. This could be higher without the static flashbacks and obnoxious buzzing.
Black Museum- This show really likes torturing copies.
Bandersnatch- interesting concept, but they should have really committed instead of constantly looping back.
Striking Vipers- Not one but Two Avengers. Pretty light storyline by show standards.
Shut Up and Dance- so dark. I do like they managed to foreshadow the twist without being obvious.
Men Against Fire- Dr. Stamper had some interesting insights.
Metalhead- Very nicely shot, wish there was more (some) exposition. Were they out looking for a teddy bear?   :wacko:
Crocodile- Well, that escalated quickly.
USS Callister- to boldly go where no pixel has gone before
Hang the DJ- Orpheus gets a happy ending?
White Christmas- Cops are sick fucks.
Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too- Lots of fun.
Nosedive- Such a banal dystopia. The beginning dragged a bit, but the end was awesome.
San Junipero- I can see why Tyr was disappointed with the time travel bait and switch, but still this one hits you right in the feels.
Smithereens- Tense and gripping from start to finish.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Josquius on June 07, 2019, 05:18:11 AM
Also honorable mention for Dead Set. Its basically Black Mirror season 0.
Hilariously of its time. But good.
Title: Re: Black Mirror Episode Ranking
Post by: Josquius on June 15, 2019, 03:42:57 AM
The new episodes rank highly. :bowler: