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Episode 1 - San Junipero
Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis
Directed by Owen Harris
Written by Charlie Brooker- Set in the '80s, two women visit a beach town known for "sun, surf, and sex"
- Charlie Brooker describes it as
"an ‘80s coming-of-age drama with a Black Mirror undertow"- This episode is also Brooker's cheeky response to fans of the series that were afraid it'd become "Americanized", so he specifically set this episode in California
(
I'm still hoping the love story is between Gugu and Mackenzie, like previously hinted at in earlier reports...)
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Episode 2 - Shut Up and Dance
Starring Jerome Flynn and Alex Lawther
Directed by James Watkins
Written by William Bridges- Set in present day much like "The National Anthem" w/o overly scifi-elements, but described as "the most grounded" of these stories
- A withdrawn 19 year old (Alex Lawther) finds himself caught in an online trap and is forced into an uneasy alliance with a man (Jerome Flynn) who both find themselves at the mercy of persons unknown
- Brooker describes it as
"a kitchen sink nightmarish thriller"![]()
Episode 3 - Nosedive
Starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Alice Eve and James Norton
Directed by Joe Wright
Written by Rashida Jones and Michael Schur- An insecure office worker (Bryce Dallas Howard) lives in a world in which everyone obsessively ranks and rates every tiny social interaction. She thinks she finally may have found a way to rank alongside her friend (Alice Eve), who’s one of society’s elites.
- Brooker describes it as one of the most unusual episode he's done
"Each episode this season is a different genre; this one is a social satire," Brooker says.
"It’s got a creepy serenity to it and won’t be what people expect."![]()
Episode 4 - Men Against Fire
Starring Michael Kelly, Malachi Kirby and Madeline Brewer
Directed by Jakob Verbruggen
Written by Charlie Brooker- Set in a post-war future
- Two soldiers (Malachi Kirby and Madeline Brewer) are posted overseas, tasked with protecting a frightened village against horrific mutant creatures. They hope the new military technology given to them can help turn the tide
- Brooker says
"It stemmed slightly from thinking about drone attacks and how technology is alternating the face of warfare, but it’s not about drones,"-
"It’s a horror thriller, almost like The Walking Dead."![]()
Episode 5 - Hated in the Nation
Starring Kelly MacDonald
Directed by James Hawes
Written by Charlie Brooker- Show's first ever 90-min episode
- Inspired by Scandi-Noir thrillers like
The Killing and
Borgen- A police detective (Kelly MacDonald) and her geeky young sidekick investigate grisly murders that have sinister ties with social media
- Brooker teases,
"It deals with online rage. It starts out like a stylish standard police procedural, then takes a bizarre turn."![]()
Episode 6 - Playtest
Starring Wyatt Russel and Hannah John-Kamen
Directed and written by Dan Trachtenberg- A thrill-seeking globetrotter (Wyatt Russell) visits Britain, hooks up with a woman (Hannah John-Kamen) and tests the latest in video game technology
"a device as mind-bendingly sophisticated as it is terrifying."- Brooker previously worked as a gaming journalist and this is him revisiting that world
- Brooker praises Trachtenberg saying,
"Dan is fantastic at creating suspenseful and tense mood; this is our Evil Dead 2."---
So which stories piques your interest the most? The first three episodes will be shown soon at upcoming festivals this month, so hopefully we'll get a trailer soon! IIRC some ONTD members have commented they are attending said festivals, lucky ducks.
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Meanwhile I'll be sitting here waiting for it to premiere on Oct. 21, 2016 on NETFLIXSOURCE12GIF1
