Plaything

This masterfully built episode channels the essence of good old Black Mirror - an unsettling return , forming cerebral and existential discomfort in all the right ways. The cinematography is true raw old school and the soundtrack elevates every frame, pulling from the pioneers of lush deconstructed electronica and meta-noise. There's a precision in the way it all breathes. Gribben is unapologetically chilling and Capaldi's performance is transfixing - the man unravels on screen in the most subliminal magnetic way.

Plaything isn't just a sci-fi trope, it's a well calculated descent into an existential mirror.

And some mirrors don't reflect you, they absorb you...

Plaything is genuinely the greatest Black Mirror episode to come out in years. It's such an incredible concept executed extremely well in just a very short time. The actors have done an incredible job on this one, and so have the directors. They do an extremely good job building the world, and all the references are so fun to catch. The soundtrack is doing an exceptional job too.

The episode is even more fun if you've watched Bandersnatch, the interactive episode. Glad to see Colin Ritman again, in a completely brand new plot.

While the recent reviews seem to be harsh on this episode, it will age as one of the best Black Mirror episode to exist.

Loved the Trainspotting / Shallow Grave aesthetic for the 1994 scenes - I'm sure Danny Boyle and team would approve! Really caught the period beautifully.

Lewis Gribben as the young Cameron Walker was a compelling counterpoint to the shifting, shambolic older self in Peter Capaldi's brilliantly lurking performance.

Story structure was well put together, despite what others on here say about the ending. I beg to differ.

Black Mirror at its best wants you to think but I think the message here was crystal clear: The old cro-magnon core still drives us along, but technology has been worming its way inside our brain and changing our chemistry. How's that going to play out?

Yes, acting was great. Idea was fantastic. Some excitement which kept me glued, but only because I was intrigued by the whole idea, which by the end was sort of left empty and wasted. Some episodes are 1.5 hours long when they should be 45 minutes and then this one is 45 minutes when it should be 1-1.5 hours.

Also, the overly angry cop was a bit annoying. It feels like every line he had, he said it with a clenched mouth as if he was going to murder someone. Just relax for 2 seconds buddy. I don't know if that was done on purpose but I believe the director really made a mistake here with this actor.

I think Plaything will ultimately be remembered positively, akin to the way Metalhead became years later. It's definitely the closest this season comes to OG Black Mirror, gritty, pitch black, and British.

Lewis Gibbon really stole the show as the younger Cameron Walker, a man being interrogated for the murder with a mysterious connection to a 90s era video game. His performance was deeply uncomfortable and unsettling, in a very good way. The scenes have the energy of the Crank movies, and have a grit and grime to them that stands out.

I think this is the best looking episode of the series so far. I like how it generally felt like the 90s, when it was set. There was something about the film grain, and of course, the amazing set design and costumes, that was so evocative of the era. You can watch this episode with no audio and put on some industrial British sludge on, and it'd fit well.

Peter Capaldi as Cameron Walker in the present was...surprisingly unimpressive to me. I just didn't think he was doing anything I hadn't seen him do better. Those scenes definitely lacked energy in comparison and dragged the episode down.

I liked the ending, although it was very predictable. I was fine with how it ended as well, I know some found it to be too abrupt. To me, it really represented the bleak world the episode presents.

This, to me, is the best episode of Season 7, by a long shot.