Black Mirror Analysis | The National Anthem 

Ehrm: 2011 is ONLY 6 YEARS AGO...

Many things can happen within the span of six years

Lol I know, right?

It was actually shot in 2009. Cause Daniel Kaluuya recently mentioned that that's when he shot his episode. And he was in Season 1.

he predicted piggate

Great point! Much like most of the people in the episode. They like to have a good image and pretend they care, but they are ugly on the inside.

Seems like a typical wife to me

especially the ending when she looks at him in disgust as she walks away

Just got done watching this. Im glad im not the only one who thought this. Lol

Frank James yeah because you’ve met every married woman on planet earth

Killer is like a nolan joker

The fact that people watch this ep and all they care about it's the wife being "ungrateful" without making any effort to understand the nuances shows us how much we need more wake up calling stories like these.

Porter Carr In an Easter egg video of season 4 it said he’s kicked out of a zoo and possibly banned.

​@@dseanthekhan Which episode and minute?

Marie Reveron I think it’s that puppet one but if not then just look it up. I kinda forgot

You shouldn’t.

What about the poor pig? She didn't even get an explanation

Aisling Ó Néill it made me so uncomfortable I skipped hat whole part

Aisling Ó Néill ikr

How

I couldn't stand looking at ot for more than 2 secs! And cIm alone in my room at 3 am. Depressed & scared at the same time

It's really not that bad lol. It looks goofy

you are brilliant

still brilliant

Aren't we all doing the same thing here? I see nobody asking the REAL QUESTION... given that an innocent life at stake, would u fuck a pig on film?

Yes you are right. And I think that's the point that the kidnapper wanted to make. That after a certain point it wasn't about the princess anymore, it was more about how secretly everyone was almost eager to watch the horrendous act. That is why he let the princess go well before the act.

MrFrankcap this is something I would take the day off work for. They said it would be a serious felony if you recorded shared or possess it after that day.

XChezmaniaX I like your interpretation

XChezmaniaX So you also saw that interview or that top ten video?

XChezmaniaX omg

Jokes on you, my monitor is anti-glare.

wow so deep. technology is the devil, thomas edison was a witch.

Areli Bautista, certainly 1 of the most disturbing episodes of black mirror. But what I don't understand is that how is it that so many people, inclusive of my friends, feel traumatized by it?? Could u say specifically, which portions/scenes traumatized u, so to help me understand better?

Fushion It wasn't over an hour, it was like 5 hours lmfao

I think they specifically mention in the episode that the broadcast lasted an hour.

I can't seem to find these episodes extremely disturbing but disturbing nonetheless.

Me

Very well said

Another example of how the government is out of touch with reality here.

Yeah! It's like when you tell a person to not push the red button and they become more tempted to do so.

Angel Frechel It's even worse when you're watching porn... So I've heard

_Bakeneko_ nice save

Angel Frechel me too...i felt nauseated

Same

relax

L. T C. Yeah that's one the biggest flaw with this episode imo. They didn't really need to have more than a billion people watch the broadcast, the damage would still be done the same with less than half that number.

First, it's satire so it exaggerates. Secondly there were some people on the streets, like the couple that found the princess. Third, the video would be outlawed the next day, so many probably thought it's the only time they could see this almost historic event.

I would watch

ikr, seeing those people who watch and recorded it makes me feel disgusting. like, i would have turn off the tv and do something productive

I agree not everyone would watch but it sows that not everyone watched.. I feel like a lot more people would watch even if they are *moral* they would'nt want to miss a historic event.

Raycevick tttt

Raycevick g

The big plot hole was why didn't they analyse the finger immediately to confirm if it was the princess? They would have known it was a bluff.

Love your work Ray

alanguages probably would've taken a while

Exactly!!

Wow same. The writers really were geniuses

Hayley M Our mode of entertainment may have changed but it still screams sex and violence. No wonder why people of the old times enjoyed watching gladiators fight to the death. Now we have liveleaks.

Excactly my thoughts. The people's excitement to see an innocent animal being raped was the most disgusting and disturbing thing about this episode.

Finally! So few people mention this. I can’t watch the episode because of it. I tell most people to avoid these types of episodes, there’s no value in it.

V Ingram shut up cry baby goddamn

V Ingram what the fuck never tell anyone to skip an episode unless it's really bad

Alon.a my guess is that he actually wasn’t a “bad guy.” He wanted to believe the best in humanity but alas humanity disappointed him. He was depressed. He let her go 30 minutes before the broadcast and NOBODY knew about it for a long time. Humanity itself were the monsters and I don’t think he could bear to live among them.

@@EZ-IZZY1995 Yeah, I thought pretty much the same. Maybe he didn't want that to happen after all. He just wanted to cause the biggest political scandal of all time as some kind of message and nothing else. I mean, the finger thing wasn't real and was his. And he released Sussanah thirty minutes earlier. I guess he was hoping they would realize and stop it in time but watching it happen made him lose his mind and faith in humanity. Or maybe he just killed himself to avoid justice because he knew he would be discovered sooner or later.

People would watch the PM rape a pig over admiring and paying for the kidnapper's art. He's hurt.

i can't fucking believe y'all defending that "artist" even if he hurt her or not he still kidnapped her and terrorized her and her family. Fuck him hope he burns in hell I felt so bad for Michael

I thought he just didn't want to be captured.

Exactly. Up until the very end of the film I was expecting him to give a defiant speech in front of the camera and tell the public that he doesn't negotiate with terrorists and then exit the room. And maybe he then institutes some draconian law which could get people thinking on how willing they are to forfeit their freedoms for security. Instead the writers thought they could just treat out the audience with a bestiality scene. This was the first and last episode of Black Mirror I watched.

Well they was tryna make it seem like even if he resign his family wouldnt be safe because of public opinion and niggas would be out to get him since the princess blood on his hands. he honestly should have jus called his allies.

KGD maybe in the US but in the UK they bend over to terrorists

hyethga believe me I seen em all and this is the only episode that is literally disgusting, every other episode is actuallly pretty good and I hope u watch em!!

The princess will die, a nation will never cooperate with any terrorist! If they cooperate this time more will come in the future. Hence I find this episode extremely stupid and unrealistic. Bunch of plot holes and bugs...

Lint because the poster asked yhe viewers to give their opinion

Lint it’s in our nature to wanna hear different opinions

All fine and dandy. But since the series focuses on what technology does to our society I think the explanation given in the video is the correct one. It is a strong image and it pushes the audience to have a look at themselves. I think it's very thought provoking that way.

Because if you watched the whole thing, the disembodied voice asked us to interpret it

Alphamikee whats the statement though? For me, pig represents capitalism. Idk

I still don't get the line about not being able to protect the safety of the pm and his family, it was nonsensical.

No that half of the episode was such a turn off and just so fucked up. Had I watched this episode first I never would have watched another episode.

Agreed

Jacqueline Goodman lol I watched this one first and I believe the creators aired it as the first episode for a reason

I would suggest skipping it due to emotional reasons over it being disgusting. I watched the episode and it was very well done. But I will never rewatch it, nor could I make it through this recap. It's a horrible thing to do to a person for so many reasons. It's humiliating, uncomfortable, unhealthy, and ruined his entire marriage.

Lewis Oakes no he could've said that he knew she was set free and that they he to make sure there wouldn't be any bombs under the bridge for example. So they had to check out the perimeters first. With PR you can spin anything. But I wouldn't do it if I was him, first rule in politics, don't negotiate with terrorists.

Lewis Oakes prime minister.

Actually, the media is praising him for his elevated approval score at the end. His wife is the one who's still damaged at the end. It shows that beyond all the smiling for cameras and media approval, the prime minister's real personal life has been shattered, his black mirror reflecting only the event that had occured, in his wife's eyes.

Astral Cosmos Celestial the Third I don't see why his wife is having so much issues

@@slenderfoxx3797 cause he had his dick inside a pig!

Or an iphone without power.

Or practically any screen that's not on.

It's funny because his answer is technically true. The "black mirror" is the surface of our phone/TV/etc, the reflection we see in it when it's turned off. Confirmed in an interview with the creator.

That is probably more than obvious, but I think what he meant is that the screens themselves reflect the darkness of the human condition.

technology is a black mirror because it's both a literal black mirror (a pixel screen) and a metaphorical one, as it enhances our most dark and primitive instincts

Dragon Skunk It's really hard to give it a single message. Tbh, it's probably better that way since it might very well do the show a disservice. It's one of the best pieces of television I've seen because it poses a thousand questions and answers none of them.

my best guess would be a commentary on how we have an online persona that is nothing like our real one. The world believes he and his family has moved on and life is perfect but in reality they have not. The images of the PM's activities and nothing else probably reflects the fact that people only post about the fun and good things in their lives.

therealmaxmoon so true

Amaury De Jesus und

That's...actually what I came here for. Rip

Thanks for stopping by mate! Appreciate you taking the time to let me know what you thought.

I think you forgot to explain or maybe I missed that what does "White Bear" episode have to do with technology. So can you tell me? An by the way, you have earned a subscriber.

Great review. What is the intro music?

TopHatProductions Black Mirror by Arcade Fire

Wow, I'm an anarchist.i agree fully, I would have weeped for my country.that shit was horrendous and awful for everyone.

Smh

Marcus Chen y is that true

Yelling Hayfire same

@@daobinchen4018 what is wrong with you

The pig was sedated, he/she was fine.

did not expect to see your ass here but what’s good? hella late doe

Rebecca Schade I fully agree, just the way I would describe it with it being a darker reflection of ourselves and black side of society. I 2 felt horrified and very much sympathized with the main character, wasn't funny to me but I know plenty of ppl irl who would act the same as 86% of the voters and mockers did

Rebecca Schade it's called black mirror bc when you phone is off the screen is black and you see your reflection in it

alZiiHardstylez Well, she was initially upset just by people talking about it. About the mental image of her husband just existing bothered her. As it would many people to a family member. Now that he's done it, she can't really come back to him. Her coldness and betrayal, is sadly more realistic than some viewers would believe. Many husbands leave their wives after they've been raped. For many complicated reasons I'm sure, and lack of respect ridiculously being one of them. Women are hardly a man's moral superior however. Despite what they say, they're just as human, and just as judgmental. Many a wife will leave after a demasculation, finding their men, just unsexy now, and the incident is on permanent loop in their head. Michael's essentially been raped, on live television (your family's physical safety is at stake, and the life of the princess). She can't get the incident or the world's cruel reaction out of her head. "His wife will be tasting bacon on his dick for years! Lol." It was her time to support him, and show she isn't just arm candy but she wasn't prepared for how hard, and how weird, and how gross, life would hit. Like the little girl's recoil of disgust from worms and a little boy's initial grossness but eventual acceptance. A man could eventually brush himself off and shrug, his wife though...has that recoil built in. Time for a new wife Mike. Yours is broken.

John Hein You could say she wouldn't let him pork her again.

***** Ha

Very well stated. I was just gonna call her a self-centered bitch, which is still true, but your answer's a lot more thorough.

John Hein brilliant explanation. I would add that I think the scene is particularly relevant with regards to the ep's social commentary. While to the public the event was just a very peculiar thing that happened a year ago, something that can be brushed off as a momentary meme of yesteryear, we tend to forget that for the people involved it was a far more traumatic event. It is highlighting the difference in perception between someone simply commenting online in a yt/twitter thread, and (in a sense) the reality of the situation for Callow and his wife.

It's just the kind of good idea the govt. would throw out there.

They don't know it's coming.

Seems realistic honestly

I thought it played during the broadcast

It wasn't really a "noise" it was sonic waves. Which is some sort of sorts that makes you nauseate.

Chama B. agree on all counts

Let's goooooo

i thought no one noticed lmao

Ikr

It's a promotional picture for the show man! :)

Millad Bahrami I actually dropped my phone when I saw it lmao

it still could....

Well if u can stomach the first episode that pic ain't shit 😂

I was sitting in the kitchen with my back to the room, ended up running to the living room and putting my back to the wall. Still shook.

Zack Gravity lol

Because at the end of the day we're all humans that have our own selfish thoughts and morals in mind even when someone else is or has gone through a traumatic event, we automatically instill our biased judgment on everything, in reality all he would have to do is take a really good shower or two and it would be like physically nothing ever happened though I'm pretty sure mental therapy would be a given, I mean people fuck each others assholes for crying out loud and even do ass to mouth yet the most they would ever get from another human would be "ew that's disgusting" or "wtf that's weird" but for a man to fuck a pig in order to save someone else's life which also happened to be the princess of a country then all the sudden that's a big irreversible red flag that you can't come back from or forgive even though they're the person you're married to and in reality there is nothing to forgive seeing as how he did a completely selfless act that caused him a lot of distress and mental trauma, no matter how anyone tries to explain it such as "Idk I see the wife point of view I mean I wouldn't be able to fuck my significant other either" for example; the wife was still a selfish bitch who was only thinking about herself and her own reputation in the eyes of the public

Thanks man, hope you're getting your money's worth. ;) Next Black mirror should be done by next week.

Thanks man, hope you're getting your money's worth. ;) Next Black mirror should be done by next week.

The fans do not understand that this has nothing to do with technology. It has to do with HOW people use technology.

Thatsright lmao no

Thatsright he wouldn't vomit if he would enjoyed it

The hell? Who would like it? Were not primitive...

Explain, I'm intrigued

Wait what

wat

The kidnapper was an artist and it was all an art piece he hangs himself at his studio at the end and the newsreel mentions his exhibition is shutdown before the kidnapping happens

and phones, tablets and computers it pretty anything that has a screen and connection

yeah

you think? or you just watched Charlie Brooker explain that in a video (multiple times)

*are

Daniel Burnd *OUR

I find that to be the overall message of the show but it does occasionally dabble with some more complex themes of transhumanism and a handful of episodes are really good in this aspect and great individual stories in their own right. It's only a handful though. Honestly, I think every concept it explores someone heavily invested in technology for some time would have considered themselves or already seen explored long ago in something else. It is a good show, it's very well made and the acting is consistently great. It just doesn't have that "Ooomph" to it that something like GitS or Blade Runner has to me. Blade Runner is a bleak dystopian cyberpunk film yet it feels far less critical of technology than Black Mirror. That's because it uses technology going wrong as a mere backdrop for what the film is actually about and trying to say about humanity. I find Black Mirror incessantly beats the message of "technology could go bad" over the viewers head without saying much of anything about what that means, this isn't always the case and that's when the show is at it's best, but I also think much of it's praise is a bit unwarranted. Like this episode saying something incredibly profound about society for example.

Can you recommend some of your favourite episodes? I didn't really enjoy the first two (shame on me, I know), but I'd like to give the show another chance.

+Hannah Schü I actually recommend picking it up where you left off with the finale of Series 1 "The Entire History of You". Others I'd personally recommend are White Christmas, Playtest, Be Right Back and The Waldo Moment. In the new Series 4 two episodes stood out to me as really great; USS Callister and Hang the DJ.

Alright, thank you very much :) I will try these, maybe I will find a connection to them easier ^-^

+Hannah Schü You're welcome I'm happy to help : )

Tra Tra how are same sex relations on the same level as gore and violence...

Emily :/ Why don't you reread it dummy

I fully agree, was gonna mention something on beastiality as well but I would say apart from just the Matrix I feel like the meaning is in the name, it's a dark reflection of our selves ( black mirror)

Anal Lyons actually, he/she is correct. The reflection theory sounds logical but black mirrors are an actual thing used in witchcraft.

I believe that while technology is a focus from within this series, there is also the impact people must comply with from fears that everybody faces. To state this bluntly, this is an introspective journey into a cautionary tale.