I've observed the comment sections for each successive episode as I've watched, and I've been dying to say this.
Sooooooooo many people complain about seasons 3-5 (and particularly 4-5). You guys do realize that at this point, that is the majority of the series, right? Yall keep saying this episode "isn't BM" and that episode "isn't BM"... but what is Black Mirror, really?
Some of you complain when an episode is too happy or positive. Some of you complain when an episode isn't complex enough. Some of you complain when an episode doesn't move fast enough or doesn't have sufficient action or isn't super shocking or the ending isn't ambiguous enough or the tech doesn't violate enough morals or the story doesn't leave you with lingering issues to ponder about society as we know it. Some of you complain about ALL of these things being violations of what "is Black Mirror."
I've watched the entire series now, and this is my opinion:
Black Mirror is not about any of that. Do the episodes often feature qualities like grey or dark morals, shocking events and images, bad and/or ambiguous endings, dystopian settings, abuses of power, medium-to-fast-paced plot lines, and very, very little in the way of gentleness? Well, yes. But that doesn't make those qualities the heart of the program.
When I watched "San Junipero," I was amazed. Bowled over. That episode made me sob like a loser, and no other BM episode has made me cry. I was so impressed by the show, SO impressed, because to me, it was a demonstration of the range of stories Black Mirror could tell while still maintaining its core identity. There was not a moment in which I thought to myself, This is not Black Mirror.
Black Mirror's core identity is simple: It's an anthology of stories about the relationship between humans and technology. That relationship is an eternal struggle to find balance, and that struggle takes many forms.
I do agree with the general sentiment that season 5 is the weakest season. But I do not agree that it's "not Black Mirror." Additionally, I think seasons 3-4 are amazing, and I cannot understand all the whining about them. I saw a slew of "this isn't BM" comments on every single season 4 episode... and like, of course it's always valid to critique the media you consume. But frankly, if the latter half of the series isn't "Black Mirror enough" for you, all you were ever in this for was the ~twistedness~ and shock value. Find something more constructive and meaningful to say.
the woman killing herself after she finally defeats the dog is bad enough, but then you find out three people died just to get a kid a replacement teddy bear...? honestly I was totally fine with this episode until that double-eyeroll whammy. I get that Black Mirror loves downer endings, but if you spend an entire hour with a single character in a bleak environment, you want SOME kind of emotional payoff. letting the main character have her hard-won victory would have made this episode totally okay in my book, especially considering the stunning cinematography and beautiful use of B&W. it would still be a bittersweet victory, after all... all that suffering and death, and just a single dog put out of commission.