I’ve been
aware of Black Mirror’s existence for
a while and have received assorted recommendations to watch it, but it’s fallen
down the “so many shows, so little time” couch cushions. So, it worked out nicely for me that Jodie
Whittaker’s appearance in a series 1 episode gave me a good excuse to dip my
toes in and see what it’s all about. And
bonus, since Black Mirror is an
anthology show, there’s none of the usual confusion of checking in partway
through an ongoing series for the sake of a certain guest star. Score!
Everyone
these days is dependent on the Grain, a bit of implanted tech that serves as a
permanent harddrive for memories. Anyone
can rewind through their day, their week, their year – however far back they’d
like to go – and replay their memories in every detail. People can view these memories privately
through special lenses or cast them on a screen so others can, for a moment,
see what they saw. When Liam meets an
old friend of his wife’s who turns out to be a former flame, he becomes obsessed,
scrutinizing every moment for looks, signs, or inconsistencies that confirm his
jealous suspicions.
This is
very much in line with the kind of story I understand Black Mirror enjoys telling, disconcerting tales that explore
humanity’s relationship with technology and the effect it has on us. It’s easy to see why this is a bad road for
Liam to go down – even before he starts suspecting his wife, we see how he
dwells on moments, replaying them over and over, reaffirming with every watch
how convinced he is of his fears, suspicions, or insecurities. I’m sure it’s comforting to think of digital
copies of memories as “the real thing,” totally objective, but it’s obvious
that two people can have the same experience (and even view each other’s
memories of it) and not necessarily make the same inferences – very dangerous
indeed.
Whittaker
plays the wife in question, Ffion. Early
on in the episode, she plays enough ambiguity that, when Liam starts to obsess,
we recognize which moments are snagging in his memory. And later on, she sells the overall grossness
of the situation: being forced to watch
her husband’s suspicious memories of her and give an “account” of herself,
being interrogated by a man who’s like a dog with a bone and, of course, isn’t
prepared to let anything go. Because we
see so much of her through his eyes (literally,) it’s harder to get a read on
what’s actually going through her
mind, and that makes Ffion a little uncomfortable to watch, but I think
Whittaker is able to show enough to make you feel for her in the situation,
even if she’s not altogether sympathetic.
The last
Whittaker project I wrote about featured Rebekah Staton (Mother of Mine!) in a
supporting role, and as it happens, this one does too. Also, Liam is played by Toby Kebbell, who I
recently watched in a reimaging of Macbeth,
playing Malcolm.
Accent Watch
Northern
(Whittaker’s real accent, I believe, or maybe a little lighter.)
Recommend?
In
General
– I’d heard good things about Black
Mirror anyway, and after seeing this episode, I can see why. Stylish, engrossing, and well-acted – be
advised that it’s pretty dark, but I’d recommend it.
Jodie
Whittaker
– I can’t quite decide. Ffion is a bit
of a slippery character to get a handle on because of how the story is framed,
but there are moments when Whittaker has a chance to bring her perspective
through very well. Maybe, I’d say.
Warnings
Sexual
content, language, brief violence, drinking, and strong thematic elements.
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