“Everything happens for a reason” was the mantra that echoed through the most recent Black Mirror Season 4 trailer that dropped yesterday. The new season is set to debut on Netflix on December 29th, just in time to ring in the uncertainty of 2018. This season will focus on concepts like memories and dating, coupling these themes with the show’s trademark sadism. Based on their trailers, here is what we can expect from each of the six episodes of season 4.
Arkangel
Ah, yes. The helicopter parent. We all knew those parents who didn’t let their children go outside, monitoring every little thing they did. It’s a far cry from my parents’ childhood when running rampant without supervision was encouraged. But now, Black Mirror comes along to remind us of how messed up everything really is, with mass shootings and kidnappings reaching into even the safest of communities.
However, when does the loving, well-meaning parent go too far? Exploring the deepest fears of every parent, this episode’s plot drives one mother to take her daughter to some sort of specialist to have some sort of device installed. A tracking or mind control device, perhaps? Something that will allow the mother more control over her child. Regardless, according to the trailer, it’s completely safe… Nothing to read into there.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yef_HfQoBd8[/embedyt]
Crocodile
What happens when you can’t trust your own memories? Does reality matter if memories can be manipulated and changed? Well, that seems to be one of the key themes of Crocodile. The assumed protagonist seems to be investigating a car accident. Or was it an accident? That is likely the subject of the investigation.
“Private stuff is private stuff,” says the protagonist. Well, in today’s age, that seems hardly true with hacks galore and everybody constantly connected. However, the one thing we’ve always had is our thoughts, being able to choose whether or not to make them public. But what happens if someone had a device that could dive into your memories? The last frontier of privacy.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HuPDkma-yA[/embedyt]
Rollo Haynes’ Black Museum
“How long can happiness realistically last anyhow?” asks Rollo Haynes, the proprietor of the Black Museum. I’m guessing the answer is not long. This episode looks like it is going to be one of, if not the most, sadistic Black Mirror episode yet. But, in a world where horror movies, and movies in general, are getting more and more gruesome, is it so wild to think that one day people would want to experience these frightening things first hand?
The subject of this episode, the Black Museum, is a museum of authentic criminological artifacts (including a ski mask from Season 2 episode White Bear). It would seem people come from far and wide to inflict true terror upon themselves in this purely sociopathic museum. The main question: Can you handle it?
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV0J3Bq3BIc[/embedyt]
Hang the DJ
As if dating wasn’t already stressful enough… A number of dating apps are now available to make meeting people easier. However, Hang the DJ asks, do these apps really improve the dating experience? Or, does adding more apps to our lives only leave us with more questions?
Although dating apps can assist in bringing people together, can a machine truly guide you through an entire date? The app, Encroach, looks like it works well for some, while only frustrates others. This episode does look like it will be on the more light-hearted side, but will probably hit the chronically single a little close to home.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5N_Tq1EtRQ[/embedyt]
Metalhead
Black Mirror goes post-apocalypse in this episode. The main antagonist, though, is a little shocking. The trailer follows a woman who is running for her life from… a dog. But, it’s probably safe to say that this isn’t your typical Yorkshire Terrier. At one point in the trailer, referring to the dog, she says that “it is still operational.” So what are we dealing with here? A government-controlled robot dog, perhaps?
This episode is Black Mirror’s first dive into the black-and-white genre, which is pretty exciting. But, for now, there seems to be a lot of mystery shrouding this episode.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xejjA2AFO5I[/embedyt]
U.S.S. Callister
And finally, we have Black Mirror’s Star Trek spoof, the U.S.S. Callister. What looks like a potentially, dare I say, funny episode, follows the members of Captain Daly’s crew. The episode looks extra campy, featuring the crew actually giving a “Hip Hip Hooray” to their beloved captain.
The episode looks extremely light compared to the rest of the season. May there be some darkness under the surface? Will Captain Daly and Lieutenant Cole achieve their mission? Find out, on next week’s episode of Black Mirror!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgTtyfgzGc0[/embedyt]
