Black Museum

My initial reaction to the season 4 finale of Black Mirror was that it was good - I can barely think of one episode that wasn't at least trying something intriguing or questioning our perceptions of the world thru our technology in some form... And yet I found this mean spirited piece of business with a hammy lead performance....

(One hour later) after pondering some more, so appreciate that this structure is similar to White Christmas but the nastiness lends itself more to something like CREEPSHOW: here are people who get twisted by the technology that they are given by this doctor-cum-carnival barker, but that doesn't excuse how far two out of three of these subjects abuse what they are given and end up going for the worst in humanity.

The last subject in this museum is a guy who rides the lightning and his consciousness in computer form has to relive it over and over. I might question how a computer entity can feel pain and become mentally fractured by it, but this is also a season that began with a video game programmer using the DNA of his coworkers to warp them in simulated space madness, so it is consistent.

I think the hamminess of this guy, how sweaty he gets, his general demeanor, is too much in the moment and yet of all the episodes this is one I want to watch again the most. It's sick in its humor (that one doctor and what he does with his pain receptor is the best part for me, I could have done with a whole episode about him, or seen him crop up in a Philip K Dick short novella or something) and it leaves on a note of that is not depressing. It's just... Trying so hard.

This may not be a 'Black Mirror' style, but this is one of the best episodes in this series indeed. The end was totally unexpected and that's why I gave it 10.

"Black Mirror" is an anthology show a bit like "The Twilight Zone" but also much darker and with an emphasis how near-future technology can make our lives horrid. This episode clearly is about the horrid.

When the story begins, a young lady arrives at a crappy little museum in the middle of the desert. The place is called 'The Black Museum'...a term inspired by the British Black Museum of crime and criminals that actually does exist. She is soon shown in by the owner, Rolo Haynes...a guy who seems to really enjoy frightening his patrons and regaling them with stories of misery and death. Unlike other episobdes I've seen of "Black Mirror", this one consists of several short stories--all horrid and all which in some way involved Rolo in his old job of selling strange technology to folks at a hospital. I could summarize the three tales but frankly you're better off just seeing them and being surprised.

Throughout his little tour of his chamber of murder and horror, Rolo seems to enjoy this very much. In many ways, he's at least partially responsible for much of the misery and you hope that there is an accounting for his actions. And, don't worry...there certainly is!

As with many episodes of the series, the only problem with it is that at times it's too vivid and too grotesque. This is NOT a show for children and the easily offended!! Still, like so many episodes it's incredibly imaginative and well written...and well worth seeing.

I really hope Karl Pilkington got paid in some way for this. Almost word for word what he's said on an old podcast episode.

Look it up if you don't believe me, it's crazy!

Fingaz MC.

What a amazing season finale for season four, great plot, storys, characters and one of the biggest twist EVER! Can't wait for more episodes, keep on going Netflix!