Commentary: A Recent ‘Black Mirror’ Episode Takes A Jab At Netflix
by Frank Martin
As companies grow more powerful, it’s hard to find media that criticizes big business these days. Production studios become very strict regarding their brand and image, so creators are very conscious when making social commentary. They don’t want to irritate the powers that be, even if they are at a rival company. Fortunately for viewers, Black Mirror has never shied away from controversy. The sci-fi dystopian show has made many meta stories that address both the filmmaking industry at large as well as its streaming service Netflix. So it’s no surprise that its latest season also takes another subtle jab at the streaming channel.
The show’s seventh season opens up with a disturbing episode titled “Common People.” The story follows a couple on the verge of starting their life together when the wife, Amanda (Rashida Jones), is diagnosed with a terminal tumor. Fortunately, there’s a new cutting edge operation that her husband, Mike (Chris O’Dowd), agrees to. It removes a large portion of her brain that contains the tumor, which is then replaced with synthetic material that can connect to a Wi-Fi network. Then a blueprint backup of the brain is streamed into her head, allowing her to function. This entire service starts at the low cost of only $300 a month.
Of course, nothing is ever simple with Black Mirror. The couple quickly learns that the $300 a month, which they could barely afford to begin with, was just the tip of the iceberg. The terms of the deal continue to change, forcing the couple to pay more and more money just to get the standard service. These upgrades include a wider service area so Amanda can travel as well as eliminating ads that she spontaneously says without realizing. Although Netflix is never mentioned in the story, it’s easy for viewers to see the parallel. Netflix started as a very simple service with one fee. It has since grown to create multiple tiers, even going so far as to implement ads — something they said would never happen, much to customers’ chagrin. The fact that Black Mirror subtly addressed this issue right on Netflix’s platform proves the show doesn’t care who it has to go after to make a point.
Black Mirror is now streaming on Netflix.
