Board 8 > Rate the Black Mirror Episode: S1E1 - The National Anthem

(+) Yeah! (+)

Hey B8! As some of you might remember, I made a topic gauging people's interest on a 'Best Black Mirror Episode Tournament'. But after considering your feedback and inputs, I think going with a rating and discussion topic might be the better way to go.

Using this format, I hope that every episode can get their day in the sun, but it doesn't need to be as structured and long as a 'B8 Watches' topic (since honestly I don't have the willpower to run something more complex like that right now).

So yeah, rate this episode between 1-10. Feel free to give your reasoning if you'd like.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_National_Anthem_(Black_Mirror)

6.5/10.

Its a good start that establishes that its not just extravagant sci-fi settings the show is about. The whole David Cameron thing, actually breaking years after this episode aired, makes it better. However theres not that much to it and overall it is maybe relying a bit too much on shock value.

9.2/10

The insanity of this episode taps into a very real, visceral palpable depiction of the voyeuristic nature of tabloid society. Of course it's an overexaggeration - until it isn't. While it doesn't quite reach the level of substance as Network or other sort-of prophetic pieces of media, it's really damned good.

9/10

I'm bumping it to 10 because of the life imitates art aftermath.

9

8

7/10

Solid introduction to the series and true to the form of the "black mirror" - a reflection of society's darkest desires. That of voyeurism, that of grabbing the next viral sensation, of all Black Mirror episodes, this one perhaps feels the most grounded and prescient, almost oracle-like in how it approaches its subject matter. However, you can also tell the series is still securing its footing, exploring and experimenting in what the show wants and should be, if it should be anything at all. Characters are a bit thin and more explored as vessels for the message, which is okay but later episodes would plumb the depths of human emotion to some of the greatest effects imaginable.

6/10

it's hard to fairly rate Black Mirror episodes given that they're all at least "good", I don't know that there are really any I outright dislike, but while I enjoy National Anthem I do think it mostly set a bar that the following episodes jumped off of and continued to improve upon

1/10

This was genuinely the worst episode in any show ever. Even ignoring how disgusting and unrealistic the premise is, I loathed just about everything about how the episode was put together. Apparently in the UK, hospital workers have nothing better to do than stand slack-jawed watching a TV in the waiting room all day. There was that one loser who spent a whole day laying naked in bed giggling about the news. The sheer absurdity of a political party demanding a Prime Minister do such a thing, plus the public demanding he do so as well, plus him going along with it, ugh. There was also that pointless reporter girl. It was all just so over-the-top and awful, the whole way through. Like seriously, every single thing about this episode that was irredeemably terrible. I'm glad it wasn't actually the first Black Mirror episode I watched because, if it was, I never would have watched any more.

Johnbobb posted...

it's hard to fairly rate Black Mirror episodes given that they're all at least "good"

Yeah, I decided to rate in comparison to just the mean average television episode. That probably puts it on a curve!

I have no idea how I'd rate it. I'd have to watch it again tbh. But I am very interested in the topic.

Yeah, no worries, I'll accept late submissions as the topic series goes along.

8.5

i thought the meta aspect was brilliant - the viewer goes through the same journey as the characters, starting from "what? this is weird, why would i want to watch this" to "wait are they actually going to do it? will i turn my eyes away if they do or do i actually want to see it???"

it holds up an actual mirror to the viewer, which the show basically stops doing after season 1 in favor of "look at this fucked up technology thing, wouldn't that be fucked up?"

hard to rate since usually my rating of a TV episode will be based on how emotionally invested i am in the characters and their stories and that's not really a thing in this episode, they are entirely there just to advance the message, but it's very well-done

8/10?

9/10

3/10

It's certainly interesting how polarizing the episode is. Though I get the feeling this trend will continue.

2/10

8/10

5.5

I rewatched it just for this topic! Thoughts later, but for now

3/10

Alright thoughts: This episode is really hard to watch, and I know that's entirely the point but that doesn't mean I have to like it. There are way too many messy plot threads that go nowhere such as the reporter sexting the guy with connections to the prime minister for leads on her next scoop and how an artist was able to pull off a high-profile kidnapping and accrue the technology needed to mask her presence and fool the government. I also don't care for how the immediate fallout of the indecent act is skipped over in favor of a flash forward in which he puts on a cheerful public faade while his personal life quietly falls apart- like let me see Jane's rage and disgust, show me the resulting argument from the sense of betrayal. Don't just show her walking away, that's like ordering ribs and only getting the bones! It's all just sad and a little bit mean-spirited. Again I get the point of it all, but yeah...

1

Nearly turned me off the show it was so cringey to watch. You can argue that's intentional but I think you can execute this premise in a much less obnoxious way and lose nothing. In fact I know you can because I've seen indie films that work off this basic premise.