I was disappointed by all 3 of the Black Mirror eps - they were OK but it just seemed like a drop in quality compared to previous series. I think it probably is due to Bandersnatch taking up a lot of time and money. I agree about them all seeming like they could have been tightened up too - had not thought about the length being deliberate to get them into different categories but it sounds plausible.
I think Striking Vipers was probably my favourite of the three, but I wasn't impressed with it at first - it just seemed better after I had watched the other two! White Bear is still my favourite ep I think, followed by San Junipero.
I wasn’t that impressed with Striking Vipers at first either, it just seemed completely pointless to me! I only ended up appreciating it more after reading some of the online discussion analysing it a bit more, but my first viewing was very much confusion on where the big plot twist was, and why the story wasn’t going anywhere.
And I’m not sure if that was the reason for the bloated feeling or not lol, but it did sort of feel like there almost had to be a determined effort to get over an hours worth of content from an episode with such a simple story as Striking Vipers, so I wondered if that could be a factor. Certainly they did have a ton of success in the past with awards for USS Callister and San Junipero in television movie categories.
The length of the Miley episode I get more, but Striking Vipers and Smithereens are so clearly ~should be 40 minute tv episodes~ stretched out for no other reason that I can see
I really didn't care for the new Roswell. I watched the first episode and gave up part way into the 2nd. It really felt like they were shoving how racist people (or Americans specifically?) can be towards Mexicans/Mexican-Americans. Which I get, and I am even Mexican-American myself, but it was just over the top. But maybe it was better in later episodes? No idea.
Honestly I’m mostly just curious to check out this version as I used to enjoy watching the original show back in the 90’s, and I was confused when Netflix didn’t add it here after the US Netflix added it in May, before then I’d just been assuming it was a given that all the new CW shows were still going to be added. I’m surprised if they are letting that deal lapse, Netflix seems to be chasing younger viewers more than ever lately, and CW shows must do very well for them in that respect.
And hmm I know that they hired a Mexican actress for Liz (as she was also Mexican in the original book series) after the original show cast Shiri in the role, so possibly they wanted to lean into that early on, especially as immigration between the US and Mexico is a very topical issue right now? Certainly the writing for CW shows isn’t always as subtle as it could be though!
I never got around to reading the books actually, but I do remember reading about them in my Roswell tv book companion, it got into all the changes that the tv show brought in :)
The Miley ep was okay. Doll!Ahsley was too cute, and the rescue mission was priceless. Smithereens was sad like so many of these eps tend to be, without really saying anything new about social media. Striking Vipers seemed to be a metaphor for gayness and the guys being unable to admit their love expect in the game. Like Karl saying he liked sex better as Roxette, and that somehow being his true self maybe. A very sad ending anyways.
Agreed on Smithereens, nothing about its message was particularly groundbreaking, so the whole hostage scenario completely fizzled out for me when it just ended up feeling like the writer lecturing us on needing to look up from our smartphones and engage with the world more. It’s not a bad message perhaps, but there were surely more interesting ways to convey it without hammering the audience over the head with a tragic story on getting distracted while driving and accidentally killing his wife. A little bit of subtlety wouldn’t have hurt there!
And I found Striking Vipers to be the saddest ending of the three as well. I’m not sure whether we were supposed to think it was actually a good compromise that they get a single night a year together, but it just seemed like a very lonely and dissatisfying way of dealing with their feelings to me idk
Yeah. Smithreens was carried by the great acting and not the message. We get it already. Not!Mark Zuckerberg as sympathetic dude on a retreat was nice though.
Striking Vipers had a sad ending for all three, Theo didn't seem happy in her marriage and being allowed to cheat/flirt won't help it once the novelty wears off. The guys should have tried it in RL. I think maybe they were going for a bittersweet ending. Maybe.
Comments 26
I think Striking Vipers was probably my favourite of the three, but I wasn't impressed with it at first - it just seemed better after I had watched the other two! White Bear is still my favourite ep I think, followed by San Junipero.
Reply
And I’m not sure if that was the reason for the bloated feeling or not lol, but it did sort of feel like there almost had to be a determined effort to get over an hours worth of content from an episode with such a simple story as Striking Vipers, so I wondered if that could be a factor. Certainly they did have a ton of success in the past with awards for USS Callister and San Junipero in television movie categories.
The length of the Miley episode I get more, but Striking Vipers and Smithereens are so clearly ~should be 40 minute tv episodes~ stretched out for no other reason that I can see
Reply
Reply
And hmm I know that they hired a Mexican actress for Liz (as she was also Mexican in the original book series) after the original show cast Shiri in the role, so possibly they wanted to lean into that early on, especially as immigration between the US and Mexico is a very topical issue right now? Certainly the writing for CW shows isn’t always as subtle as it could be though!
Reply
Reply
Reply
Smithereens was sad like so many of these eps tend to be, without really saying anything new about social media.
Striking Vipers seemed to be a metaphor for gayness and the guys being unable to admit their love expect in the game. Like Karl saying he liked sex better as Roxette, and that somehow being his true self maybe. A very sad ending anyways.
Reply
And I found Striking Vipers to be the saddest ending of the three as well. I’m not sure whether we were supposed to think it was actually a good compromise that they get a single night a year together, but it just seemed like a very lonely and dissatisfying way of dealing with their feelings to me idk
Reply
Striking Vipers had a sad ending for all three, Theo didn't seem happy in her marriage and being allowed to cheat/flirt won't help it once the novelty wears off.
The guys should have tried it in RL. I think maybe they were going for a bittersweet ending. Maybe.
Reply
Leave a comment