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poliphilo ([personal profile] poliphilo) wrote2011-12-05 11:36 am
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Black Mirror: The National Anthem

I thought I knew what to expect from Charlie Brooker- and this wasn't it. Usually he scarfs up his moral seriousness in comedy but here it went naked. A people's princess is kidnapped. The kidnapper will kill her unless the prime minister of the day has sex with a pig on live TV. In pre-publicity Brooker talked about being inspired by The Twilight Zone- which had us expecting a twist in the tail,  but the only twisted tail was the piggie's. The P.M went to his preposterous doom like a tragic hero. He was a shit, but even shits have their human dignity- and a premise which had seemed comic at first became something else in its playing out. I went to bed chastened. Like the fictional population of Brooker's fictional Britain I'd wanted to see the politician fuck the pig and that wasn't very nice of me, was it? Most TV satire is about her awful they are. This was about how awful we all are. I looked into the Black Mirror and what I saw was ugly. 
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[identity profile] ron-broxted.livejournal.com 2011-12-05 11:47 am (UTC)(link)
It was nuanced, the whole use of Twitter and not being able to ban anything. Plus public opinion. I enjoyed it.

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2011-12-05 11:53 am (UTC)(link)
It was damn good. Original too. Best new show for ages.
sovay: (Rotwang)

[personal profile] sovay 2011-12-05 04:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Like the fictional population of Brooker's fictional Britain I'd wanted to see the politician fuck the pig and that wasn't very nice of me, was it?

That does not sound like a pleasant viewing experience, but a necessary one (and brilliant). I suppose it's inaccessible to watch online outside of its home country?

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2011-12-05 05:48 pm (UTC)(link)
It was screened on BBC 4. Past experience suggests it won't be accessible in the States. :(
sovay: (Psholtii: in a bad mood)

[personal profile] sovay 2011-12-05 09:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Past experience suggests it won't be accessible in the States.

Just because we don't have a prime minister . . .

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2011-12-06 08:45 am (UTC)(link)
Sorry that was a mistake. It was on Channel 4.

[identity profile] jfs.livejournal.com 2011-12-09 08:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Caught up with it a couple of nights ago.

Yes. Um. That wasn't comfortable watching.

Kind of makes me glad I don't have a TV.

[identity profile] butterscotch711.livejournal.com 2011-12-08 09:44 am (UTC)(link)
I downloaded this after reading your post. Queasy but worthwhile viewing. I liked it a lot. Thanks for writing about it!
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