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Black Mirror
S2.E1
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Be Right Back

  • Episode aired Feb 11, 2013
  • TV-MA
  • 48m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
59K
YOUR RATING
Hayley Atwell in Black Mirror (2011)
CrimeDramaMysterySci-FiThriller

After learning about a new service that lets people stay in touch with the deceased, a lonely, grieving Martha reconnects with her late lover.After learning about a new service that lets people stay in touch with the deceased, a lonely, grieving Martha reconnects with her late lover.After learning about a new service that lets people stay in touch with the deceased, a lonely, grieving Martha reconnects with her late lover.

  • Director
    • Owen Harris
  • Writer
    • Charlie Brooker
  • Stars
    • Hayley Atwell
    • Domhnall Gleeson
    • Claire Keelan
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    59K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Owen Harris
    • Writer
      • Charlie Brooker
    • Stars
      • Hayley Atwell
      • Domhnall Gleeson
      • Claire Keelan
    • 82User reviews
    • 16Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos44

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    Top cast13

    Edit
    Hayley Atwell
    Hayley Atwell
    • Martha
    Domhnall Gleeson
    Domhnall Gleeson
    • Ash
    Claire Keelan
    Claire Keelan
    • Naomi
    Sinead Matthews
    Sinead Matthews
    • Sarah
    Flora Nicholson
    Flora Nicholson
    • Midwife
    Glenn Hanning
    Glenn Hanning
    • Delivery Man
    Tim Delap
    Tim Delap
    • Simon
    Indira Ainger
    • Martha's Daughter
    Pamela Betsy Cooper
    Pamela Betsy Cooper
    • Mourner
    • (uncredited)
    Tony Fadil
    Tony Fadil
    • Christopher
    • (uncredited)
    Richard Glaves
    Richard Glaves
    • Sarah's Man
    • (uncredited)
    Richard Herdman
    • Onlooker
    • (uncredited)
    Chris Wilson
    Chris Wilson
    • Paramedic
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Owen Harris
    • Writer
      • Charlie Brooker
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews82

    7.959.1K
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    Featured reviews

    9winner-98765

    Diving in deeper to the depths of the terrified human psyche.

    Black Mirror touches upon the edges of what is possible and where we are heading. It also raises some warning alarms that might seem esoteric and far fetched at first but they ring so true if we just consider the already psychopathic exchange we have with the available technology. New diseases are now being coined as a result of our obsession with the internet and social media; we do not hesitate at all at denouncing someone at chats and obstinately sticking to our opinion without considering every angle; we are slowly but surely moving away from reality to a contrived virtual reality. More powerful technology is certainly going to cause more egregious side-effects.

    This episode is so engrossing. The acting and the scenes are convincing enough in relaying the grief and misery Martha is going through. You can relate to her feelings and actions as she takes several steps in the wrong direction. The episode succeeds in conveying the addicting power of such a tech, and how it may adversely affect the terrified human psyche, that with every ounce of its being opposes the idea of death. It wants to cling on to happy memories and is so fearful of moving past.

    A few plot instruments might seem inconceivable, but we are not far from the possibility of a virtual avatar with your voice, personality and behavior based on all the digital storage we have of us. But we need to recognize that there is another side to the veil as well.
    8GraXXoR

    Simulcra and Simulation

    At what point do we step over the "uncanny valley" and into a simulation of something so real that, even for a brief moment, we convince ourself that it is real?

    In this episode, what technology takes away from us when we are living: our concentration and focus on the here and now, it attempts to reinstate when we are dead, all those lost opportunities and moments spent in the virtual world are returned, with interest.

    Only what comes back is merely a simulacrum, a reflection of what once was, and when the grief is over and one opens one's eyes again, one realises the shallowness of that before them and any previous feeling of intimacy and thankfulness is quickly soured into resentment and anger.

    IS there a difference between life itself and a simulation, thereof? And if a simulation were of sufficient complexity and sophistication, would it become indistinguishable from life itself?
    10smohsen93

    Mindblowing

    Hope this is not our future. Insane. Mindblowing. Intense emotions. I love it.
    9ritikaagrawal-32248

    It really might not be that tough to have our multiple digital clones walking around

    As much as the episode kept me connected throughout the whole story, feeling Martha's pain and jitters with every scene of the episode; it was also a revelation how much we are allowing the technology and different technical giants to control us. Every single movement, every single browsing history is captured somewhere. In this case clone was created for a loved one and the reason, howsoever illogical was genuine ... but doesn't it allow for digital clones that can be created and misused for any person possible. Texture mapping and tons of data floating around definitely make it very much feasible.

    Yes, the idea of being connected even after death was very touching and I am sure it pulled in the audience, because only at the moment you lose someone you want them all the much more, you understand their importance in your life. But at the same time i felt really bad for Martha, she was stuck with a robot for life whom she cannot get rid of out of the respect for Ash memories but that will never ever let her move on with life as well. She will keep clinging to the memories and never be able to make new ones.

    Also, the part where she yells at the robot to hit her brings out a very interesting aspect of human psychology. As much as we all want perfect and serving people in our lives, what makes them real and lovable is their imperfections. The imperfections in humans is what makes them different from algorithmically programmed robots; by the time we realize this difference it shouldn't be too late that we are living our lives more in control of the robots than ourselves.
    8mjw2305

    Good but not perfect!

    Be right Back is a great concept, but there was something missing that I am struggling to put into words here?

    Don't get me wrong, it is a good episode that realistically toys with a very chilling concept that, in part, may be somewhere in our future (Scary thought!)

    I think the first two thirds of this story played out better than the final third, maybe it went a little too far and became less scary when it could have become terrifying!

    As much as I enjoyed this, I was left wanting a little more.

    8/10.

    "Black Mirror" Episodes Ranked by IMDb Users

    "Black Mirror" Episodes Ranked by IMDb Users

    See how every episode (and one very unique movie) of this deliciously dark show stacks up, according to IMDb users.
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    Production art
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A service called 'That can be my next tweet!' has existed since 2013 that analyzes a person's Twitter stream and attempts to create a Tweet that they could have written.
    • Goofs
      At 8.45, The lights of a police car can be seen. It wasn't a emergency so the lights would not have been on.
    • Quotes

      Ash: Just sharing that.

      [he holds the photo of Ash as a boy]

      Ash: Thought people might find it funny.

      Martha: It's not funny; It's sweet.

      Ash: Trust me; that day wasn't sweet... first family outing after Jack died... When I came down the next morning all Jack's photos were gone... she put them in the attic. It's how she dealt with stuff. And then when dad died, up went his photos to the attic. She just left this one here. Her only boy giving her a fake smile

      Martha: She didn't know it was fake.

      Ash: Maybe that makes it worse.

    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojoUK: Top 10 Actors Who Have Appeared in Black Mirror (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      If I Can't Have You
      (uncredited)

      Written by Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb

      Performed by Yvonne Elliman

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 11, 2013 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Netflix
    • Language
      • English
    • Production companies
      • Zeppotron
      • Channel 4 Television Corporation
      • Babieka
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 48m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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