Black Mirror Analysis | Striking Vipers

[@HarrysMovingMedia]

It has come to my attention that some sports fans have corrected my comment about Dennis Rodman being a baseball player. He is indeed a basketball player, I'm clearly not old enough to appreciate who he is (like Karl's girlfriend), for I too had to google who the hell he was. Have a great day

[@NelsonBrown]

Dennis Rodman is also best buds with Kim Jong-un. One imagines they met while gaming online, escalated to sexting, and then eventually Kim invited Rodman over to his place.

[@NelsonBrown]

Also, I don't think the writer's choice of Dennis Rodman was just for establishing the age difference. Rodman has long shown a flamboyance in his appearance (e.g. colorful hair) that caused many people to speculate about him being gay or bisexual. Especially for Gen-Xers like Karl, there's a layer of extra stigma attached to African American gay/bisexual men that I vaguely understand, but I think most Americans will recognize as an undercurrent in Striking Vipers that maybe isn't apparent to foreigners.

[@Ren-hc4ke]

bro they even said he was a basketball player in the ep

[@kipayami6273]

Was about to say that lol great video though!

[@brianfarrell1808]

Just about to comment about that lol

[@kenttt1998]

They should've named this episode " Super Smash Bros"

[@cam-tw8eq]

This is it, Best comment

[@errorcode6168]

You get my vote for comment of the year. 😂😂

[@BoilingHotTea]

**WHEEZE**

[@sebastianw.6637]

I laughed out loud on a toilet in a public restroom when I read this

[@oversizedmochalatte2607]

Stolen comment smh

[@harrisonrolls4122]

Black mirror season 5: Episode 1: love Episode 2: death Episode 3: robots

[@grandmage1925]

jheze

[@TheJadedJames]

Mindblown

[@wutheringheights01]

Hold awn a minute......

[@SilkfireStudios]

Oh shit

[@dacho707]

episode 3: miley

[@jayw9619]

Danny could have TRIED playing the game with Theo - it might not have worked but she was into role playing and maybe the digital thing could have helped both of them? That’s just what I was thinking while watching ...

[@gregoryfenn1462]

Same, cynically you could argue this would have been too sensible and not created enough conflict for a story.

[@jonsnor4313]

Him telling about what hapened and them trying in the end could have been ahopeful ending.

[@fishbloop4448]

danny and his friend likes playing that video game. his wife probably doesn't care for VR and wants to have sex as herself and not some asian chic or a polar bear. also it could remind her of him cheating on her. maybe she did try and she realized she would rather be piped down by strangers. just because VR makes Danny hot doesnt mean that it will for theo. I know i wouldn't like that. the agreement the couple have in the end makes more sense imo

[@BigPurp9]

Crazy how they’re saying he just wanted to escape to virtual reality. It’s not like San junipero where they left to live in a virtual world, the only thing about this virtual world that Danny enjoyed was fucking his best friend 😖🤷🏾‍♂️

[@Chris-hx6tr]

I don't think that Danny was simply into having sex with Roxette or any other hot woman. I think that his kink was Karl's mind in a hot woman's body + having sex as a different, more virile person. I got the sense that he had always had more chemistry and a deeper emotional bond with Karl than he ever had had with Theo, but that it had never developed into anything sexual or romantic because he was not into men. I think that having his best friend in the body of a hot woman during a time when his life and his marriage had grown stale was what made it so good for him, so having Theo play the game probably wouldn't have had the same effect.

[@aniwhitetree3543]

Dude, most woman use a period/fertility tracker app. It's not a Bo jack thing. It's a real life thing.

[@dionysus3774]

Oh shit...

[@whiistlingwinds]

Sksksk i actually paughed when he pointed that out as "stealing" BOI

[@birkegaardnielsen]

Thank you!

[@vaudeville-villain]

Whiistling Winds SKSKSKSKShut the fuck up

[@jcd561]

Ani Whitetree someone is having a tough time huh?

[@martyroffact4038]

Do you seriously think... BoJack Horseman created the concept of ovulation trackers??

[@Pining_for_the_fjords]

@@jmls3584 If you've never tried to have a baby, why would you need to know about them?

[@martyroffact4038]

@@Pining_for_the_fjords Also, it's something that someone could easily Google?

[@KaterynaIsBored]

it's a joke lol

[@hectorhernandez7689]

I guess my wife idea of tracking her ovulation cycle was stolen from bojack

[@whiistlingwinds]

Like the man is dumb. Idk how you dont know this when the internet exists...

[@hanc724]

This episode is the ultimate depiction of homiesexual

[@MoeDavinci]

well played

[@lovettdeleted]

no it wasn't tbh

[@Tickerchicken]

So it's not being gay for dudes just for you're mate

[@CommanderShepard-wq3wo]

It’s not homosexual so they’re not gay.

[@SabrinaRina]

I too really felt Danny did feel something from the kiss. The performance really read as a lie against something he didn't want to admit, especially after Karl said he didn't. I could tell as much if he was lying, seemed direct enough.

[@benserra5032]

Sabrina it’s gay doe

[@julesviil]

I think both felt something, you could see it on their faces

[@judigemini178]

Well of course they felt sth, what part of their subsequent fight in the rain didn't come off as sexual frustration to you?like who knows how that fight would've ended if the police hadn't shown up

[@SabrinaRina]

@@judigemini178 Same as in the game probably. But more aggressive. Oops. 😅

[@MalikBasir88]

@@benserra5032😂

[@saltoftheegg]

I’m so glad to see a video about Black Mirror that isn’t just a list of Easter eggs.

[@helloitsme7553]

Omg you're right, there are way too many of those

[@jacklong1844]

The Easter eggs are just getting ridiculous

[@judigemini178]

Lmaooo this is the tea

[@nightowl8477]

3:40 nah, it's fairly common for couples trying for a baby. They only have sex when the woman is most fertile, as it's best for the man to "save up."

[@SayaCeline]

My friend described it as "you gotta reload the pencil" and to this day that still cracks me up!

[@Digger-Nick]

@@SayaCeline Gotta let the tank fill up

[@gillianc592]

As someone whom has gone through fertility treatment and ivf. Saving up allows for more plus better quality sperm. It can put a strain on the relationship as both partners see each other aw breeding components. Sex on demand for baby making isn't romantic.

[@streetsiswatching9660]

Bustin' All kindz of nutz

[@HarrysMovingMedia]

Not once is the word "Polar bear" mentioned in this analysis. BUGGER

[@marshalinehamismother]

She does know about the vr at the end, she says she wants it back the next day at the end.

[@natesnarrations7215]

Harry's Moving Castle Dennis Rodmen was a basket ball player

[@ranma15g]

Yeah, the Polar Bear line pretty much broke me. The next day at work I couldn't stop getting that thought process out of my head, and I'm still grappling with it.

[@Pining_for_the_fjords]

The polar bear was definitely the coolest of the characters.

[@tweetybaby1100]

He Vs a polar bear in the beginning of the episode too 😂

[@l.tc.5032]

So Falcon has a thing for Black Manta in Mantis's body.

[@Normalaatsra]

the new Captain America.

[@johans3164]

@@Normalaatsra a strange alternate reality indeed

[@uhhhhawahauh7376]

Get out

[@ShawtyFyne1]

Now that's a a Tl i could bend over in front of

[@BeoWeapon]

also black ranger

[@CaatsGoMoooo]

In my opinion, I think it was pretty vague on both sides whether the kiss made them feel anything. In my head I was like "they're both 100% lying to protect themselves"

[@ClodaghQuinnchannel]

That's so true...I could see in the married man's (can't remember his name) face that he wasn't being fully honest

[@annaliseaudrey963]

I think that the kiss made them feel *something* but it wasn't enough/what they feel in the game. Therefore they did feel a teeny bit of heat, but they needed fireworks to prove a point. I also think that's why they started fighting because the married man was so sexually frustrated and he was disappointed at the fact that the situation wasn't as simple as him being in love with his friend.

[@Hekateras]

@@annaliseaudrey963 It fits into the point of the episode IMO. If the VR game is deliberately engineered to make every sensation unrealistically intense, and real life is more subtle... then trying to understand whether what you feel in real life is "real" would be confusing as hell.

[@TheSupernite]

@@Hekateras As the reviewer said technology will open other aspects in our life's as humans we are so used to define raw interaction experience so this will be very new and confusing to us .

[@Hekateras]

@@TheSupernite What amuses me is that the quandary regarding realness of relationships already exists without any VR assistance... in online written RP communities. Writing an RP "ship" together has many similarities with a real relationship, down to using some of the same lingo, and it can be similarly hard to understand whether the attachment you feel to your RP partner is for THEM as a person or just to the construct you share and have created together. But that's not particularly mainstream so I doubt the creators of BM are aware of this aspect.

[@jaye8579]

Its not gay to clap yo homies cheeks your just helpin a bro out 😎🤙

[@TheSuperNats]

CLEAN xl someone called the first ep “super smash bros” and that fucking killed me too 😂😂😂

[@RedMaitreya]

Lmao has long has you say no homo

[@i_am_an_idiot_but]

Wtf that’s hilarious

[@osmo3535]

💀

[@thee_morpheus]

@@RedMaitreya I would lather my homie up in warm cocoa butter and lick it off with chocolate icing...no homo

[@marchjay7413]

Anyone suspect when first watching this episode that something was going to go awry with the knives in the dishwasher? There was like 2 mentions of it being loaded wrong then it just NEVER came up again. Half expected something awful to happen, maybe just me looking for too much foreshadowing lol

[@vshark7869]

March Jay I thought that guy was gonna kill all of them

[@Pining_for_the_fjords]

It could have turned out to be a sentient dishwasher that goes psycho and kills everyone with cutlery.

[@lexbogie1]

March Jay it was symbolic of there relationship. Theo has always had some kind of intuition about Danny and Karl. However, Danny has always been aware thatTheo does desire other men but doesn’t act on it. So they both have hidden desires that if not handle right can cut both of them

[@akrybion]

I think it was a metaphor for there being something wrong in the marriage. Though I believe not that good a metaphor.

[@kriskater]

No you’re good It’s perfectly normal to worry about knives in a black mirror episode lol

[@Cubanounesp]

'The police came from nowhere' ? Dude, there were two black men fist fighting on a street in São Paulo, of course the cops would show up, the only thing I couldn't believe was the fact that no one got shot.

[@alidi13]

Lol

[@Pining_for_the_fjords]

The first rule of two black guys fighting in the rain to diffuse sexual tension club is YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT two black guys fighting in the rain to diffuse sexual tension club.

[@ms.bubs4fun506]

@@Pining_for_the_fjords LMAO, y'all stooopid.

[@mahadomar7039]

@@Pining_for_the_fjords always love a good old fight club refrence

[@thewrongshoes]

Yea

[@valerievedette9542]

If the police hadn’t come I’m 100% sure in the middle of the fighting they would’ve ended up making out again, the way they did the first time they played Striking Vipers X. I was just waiting for it to happen and I was so unsatisfied when they were just stopped and arrested.

[@paisleykinchlow]

I was expecting the same lol

[@oof-rr5nf]

SAME

[@laikaperraespacial6025]

7u7

[@b.a.t.8076]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@mintayza7784]

Every gay was waiting for this 🤣 there's a shortage of such scenes

[@Xaedroth]

My man, did you call Dennis Rodman a baseball player?

[@ericsunderland8736]

Dude he worse than the woman lol

[@yawns2170]

lol! At least I know I'm not trippin

[@miltrix]

He did. I couldn’t tell if he was joking

[@fede2710]

jesus i just saw this comment as i heard him say it

[@grandmage1925]

No one in UK cares about US sports. Haters gonna hate but it is what it is

[@SnowCat-nu7gj]

The fertility tracker is an actual thing that you can get now. It’s not a rip off cos it’s real

[@AkinlabiStClair]

What do it do?

[@elzzz2000]

@@AkinlabiStClair you can get apps that track your cycle and tell you when you're most likely to get pregnant Its pretty accurate too and theve been around for years

[@evieburr]

theres free apps that have it like clue

[@NearSmash]

Dennis Rodman was a basketball player not a baseball player

[@renegadetheartist6826]

My thoughts exactly. I must be getting old.

[@user-mb9nm7bq5e]

issa joke

[@personperson5041]

Bar San issa mistake, issa only an idiot that doesn't know this

[@user-mb9nm7bq5e]

@@personperson5041 relax dude

[@personperson5041]

Bar San I am relaxed its just that there's literally no indication that that was a joke, Harry made a factual statement and it was wrong, I just dont get how someone doesn't get this

[@simplefatkid9971]

I watched with the captions on and the scene where he says “let’s just kiss bro” I couldn’t help but think of the meme potential.

[@AkinlabiStClair]

You never know what's possible because "the hardest decision requires the strongest will's"

[@barackobama6720]

Lmfaooo I thought the exact same thing when he says "just fucking kiss me man" I yelled out THIS BETTER BE A MEME

[@jessestefan6177]

Just fucking kiss me bro

[@BryciePie]

Kinda don’t like this season, but this episode was my favourite with Smithereens having my favourite performance. ALSO... the whole season was a ton of comparisons lmao

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

Bryce Smithereens was my favorite! It was the closest to a “True Black Mirror” episode.

[@trblessed1020]

This one is my favorite episode but smithereens had me tearing up at the end

[@biancataylor635]

@PINKYCULTURE the hostage episode IS smithereens

[@panda_commanda]

MORIARTY IN BLACK MIRROR WTF!?!

[@David-rt2oo]

This season was ass

[@marshalinehamismother]

She does know about the virtual reality at the end

[@TheJadedJames]

Also .. she was probably aware that Danny was playing VR video games and that such games existed. That didn't mean she knew he was having sex in the game or that it was possible to do that. Primitive VR sex exists in the current year, and I don't think everyone is fully aware of that. Especially if you only have a casual relationship with video games and video game culture

[@piratetv1]

I was wondering about that. The character screen was on the tv, was the rest of the game not on the tv?

[@TheJadedJames]

@@piratetv1 From the "outside" shots it looked like there was no television display when playing the VR game. If you were in Danny's situation would you want there to be?

[@piratetv1]

@@TheJadedJames I'd hope the monitor goes off especially when his son walked in and kicked him

[@williamjones7751]

@@TheJadedJames we see the screen in the background multiple times in the episode while there playing and it just went to a fighting vipers X screensaver looking thing probably would have been an option to make that the screen instead of what's actually going on in the game. Or at least that's what would make sense in this situation the gamemakers I'm sure knew this was an option and would have wanted to give their players a way to be discreet about it. And yet also was confusing to me that the maker of this video didn't understand that winds seem cut to Black after Theo confronts Danny it's obvious he told her because in the end that's what they do either once a year or once a month that part isn't clear but he gets to play the game she gets to be with somebody IRL

[@coletravers9959]

I feel like the season was less Black Mirror-y if that makes sense than any before that, it's a lot less grim with mostly positive endings, but I'm not against the way the series is going. I think this format could do a lot better with a blending of elements from the first few seasons and USS Callister.

[@SE_Lin]

I personally think Black Mirror should branch out from it's usually cynical technophobia. That kind of approach is great don't get me wrong, it's very interesting and thought provoking, I just prefer a more post-cyberpunk esque mindset when it comes to technology like in Ghost in the Shell that doesn't always paint it as a negative that impedes on the human experience but instead brings us closer to solving the problem of the human condition.

[@susanalopez5052]

To me the only true happy ending was the one from Ashley too, this one is very grey as in its kinda happy but also kinda sad, Overall I still felt the happier endings felt way more satisfying than the episodes on season four (episodes like metalhead for example) idk I just felt this season was a step up from the last one

[@Tridentus]

@@SE_Lin Human beings were anthropologically designed to live in small tribes and communities (that means a limited number of recognisable people), with minimum interference from "other" tribes, that's when we are happiest. Problem is that technology increasingly pulls us away from this. That's basically why these themes usually end up being dark. You can't really change that fact unless you somehow change the human genome I suppose.

[@SE_Lin]

@@Tridentus You're right. Human beings also evolve, though. I think it's possible that technology bringing us together into one unified tribe could be the solution to a lot our problems. It can be hard to have faith in tech and people like that though, I get that. I just see it as a definite possibility.

[@fobluv4lyfe]

I think I was so accustomed to BM being so bleak, that when they introduced something emotionally lighter, I can't help but think this is a diff. Show. But i like a show that changes and experiments with new material.

[@em3952]

3:35 wtf are you on about. plenty of women track their ovulation in order to conceive, especially if they have trouble conceiving. definitely didn’t copy. maybe you were joking, but it didn’t come across like that to me lmao.

[@miurtouissi1093]

Thats the part that confused me 😂

[@whiistlingwinds]

He's an ignorant man smh. Of course he doesn't know that it's common for people trying to get pregnant to regularly do that lmao.

[@arm003]

emma the guy is probably not been to long with women

[@qortezmccoy7211]

Damn y’all got so pissed

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

I thought it was implied at the end that he did tell Theo.

[@comeoncarl5616]

It was very clearly laid out that he told her, considering on what I assume is his birthday he gives her a case for her wedding ring so she can pick up guys at the bar and he gets his VR chip from her so he can have sex with Karl

[@Ren-hc4ke]

they didnt "steal" from bojack cause tracking ovulation/fertility is a real thing couples do when they r trying to conceive. like the joke in bojack is a parody of that

[@sign543]

This also explores what sexuality actually is with real people. The two men are grappling with the idea that they might be gay...and I also find it interesting that they used men of color, since being gay is still a pretty big taboo with black men.

[@NicholasOon]

Decided to search Harry's moving castle after watching the episode, and lo and behold, uploaded 26 mins ago. Amazing. Thanks for the video!

[@jacobcarey2847]

Also I found that contrasting the main character playing Tetris, a game which symbolises order and control, to getting a call from his friend, which would lead him to loose control. And if you look back at the game after this call, the Tetris screen is hastily piled up, symbolising the beginning of a loss of control and order

[@lexbogie1]

Jacob Carey what were your thoughts about the dishwasher? Also, I felt Theo was always lustful and desired other men, however, because of their relationship she kept it suppressed and I feel she has always had some intuition about Danny and Karl and very subtly tried to push Danny to be upfront about therefore allowing a window for her to act on her latent desires

[@infinitefantasy5277]

The color yellow also plays a big role in this episode. The Game Over sign was flashing neon yellow, the one dirty plate in the dishwasher was yellow, when Theo was at the bar it’s all yellow, and she was even cutting lemons when she was approached in the kitchen. My current theory is you see yellow when they’re talking about what they really want or lust for. During the Dinner they have together where Karl gives him an ultimatum he is wearing a yellow shirt but masking it up with a blue jacket. That takes another meaning since blue is the color typically given to boys or is usually thought of as “masculine”.

[@dadevi]

Your yellow theory makes sense. Also, yellow isn't a male or female color, making it perfect for ambiguous sexuality the two buds find themselves in.

[@luke2183]

This whole episode was gay I meant grey

[@laikaperraespacial6025]

Grey gay

[@layoverbear]

Striking Vipers was my favourite. I definitely think they had real-life feelings for each other, but everyone ended up pretty happy! Unusual, but nice.

[@mahalodst6373]

woah woah really?!? this was my least favorite episode big time! I don't mean to be rude or anything but Im just curious? why was this one your favorite?

[@toby-md4um]

Tckr is like a rebranded tuckersoft from bandersnatch

[@bigbitch4558]

it’ll have been done intentionally, black mirror loves dropping easter eggs from different episodes in.

[@AnnaSefalik]

It goes back fuether than that. TCKR was the company that uploaded dead people to the cloud in "San Junipero." Tuckersoft was the Easter egg.

[@Chikadulce10]

The second time I watched it I noticed the foreshadowing in Karl and Danny’s first scene playing video games together. I also noticed little tidbits throughout where I think that maybe Danny’s struggle stems mostly from a possible desire to be unfaithful to his wife, not because he doesn’t love her, but maybe he’s grown bored and tired of his life. There are small moments where Danny stares at other women and I think he just wanted a different experience, and once he got it without the risk of his wife knowing and even from the comfort of his own sofa without necessarily sneaking around, it was addictive.

[@TheMadisonMachine]

I'm not so sure the ending is supposed to be a happy one. The writers seem like they're using the "staying together for the kids" thing as a negative, but it's handled awkwardly, and with a lot of people being open minded to open relationships, I think it fell flat completely. 🤷‍♀️

[@signalfire15]

I actually didn’t view it that way. I don’t think Theo and Danny stayed together just for the kids. Even at the end of the episode when they gave one another “permission,” there was still a ton of love and affection shown between the two of them. If anything, I would think that this “deal” that they’ve worked out has made them happier and, most likely, better partners to one another. I think they stayed together because they do genuinely adore and love one another. However, the sexual passion isn’t there any more. So they’ve come up with a system to satisfy those needs. But they both know a marriage is more than just sex. It’s about commitment and loyalty. Why throw away the whole marriage if they found something else that can work?

[@sandrols7]

@@signalfire15 I don't believe it's about a lack of sexual passion, it can happen that people seek relationships outside their marriage. It's either polyamorous or, in this case, an open marriage. I, for one, thought that the ending was a very good compromise of them. What's a bit of a challenge is that we don't see Theo and Danny being happy with it together, rather their interaction is not focused on that much, that leaves things ambiguous. But in the end, both are able to pursue something they clearly desire. And I choose to believe that they opened their marriage for now, and are both happier for it.

[@piplup2009]

I think it should've ended with his wife leaving him, he plays the game to have sex only to find out the developers have patched it out

[@DraconasTenZHG]

That would be perfect ending. But if the game perfectly simulates the feeling of having sex, wouldn't that mean they made it on purpose? Also how did the developers know how sex with a polar bear feels like?

[@galaga2x808]

This season was a bit dissapointing It felt very lowkey Nothing really felt like black mirror or high stakes Even smithereens felt very lowkey

[@kriskater]

An Aroused Chiwawa it had a point though. And the episode was much deeper than you are seeing it as right now

[@asiaoharasbutterflies9425]

You .... need to do more research. Just a bit. Or just pay attention. Idk.

[@josephrobinson6171]

I think that Danny and Karl loved each other, but as best friends. I think that Danny was entirely straight, and Karl was bi. If Karl had been a woman, Danny would've likely pursued a relationship with him/her.

[@miurtouissi1093]

@Tara Lang I think everybody saw it that way

[@scottdavis2213]

I couldn't help but find this episode a metaphor for the way our lives change once we grow up, get married, etc. He used the VR as an escape to get close with his best friend again. He even felt the need to hide the fun he was having with his friend from his wife (unfortunately this concept is all too real sometimes). Obviously the episode used a romantic connection to bring more of an "in your face" aspect to the issue, but I couldn't help thinking it was all simply about two guys who missed the good old days of just being best friends.

[@punk91]

Honestly wasn't impressed with this season. I can appreciate that some people like that these episodes have a less grim outlook and aren't as depressing, but that's what I love about Black Mirror. I like that it's overwhelming, I like having to press pause and process what I just watched and how it makes me feel. Season 5 didn't go there and I wish at least one episode had.

[@samg4337]

How was Smithereens not depressing? The final scenes where everyone reads the news and doesn't give a fuck were gut wrenching to me, honestly

[@susanalopez5052]

To me this season felt better than season 4 particularly, I’m starting to like their most lighthearted episodes, the only home runs from season 4 were black museum, USS callister, and hang the DJ (all very happy endings), while arkangel crocodile and metalhead felt underwhelming to me, it kinda made me realize that it really does not matter which episode fucks you up the most but which feels more satisfying and has a more compelling story/characters. With that outlook this season felt like a step up, all three episodes still delved into their super dark aspects, but we saw the show branch out into different genres

[@punk91]

@@samg4337 I guess I found it predictable, and I miss the Black Mirror twist that a lot of older episodes had.

[@susanalopez5052]

Personally I liked this season better than the last one, I used to be unsure and bothered by more lighthearted episodes (which this season only has one of those) but after season four I’ve come to realize that USS Callister, Black museum, and Hang the dj felt satisfying and compelling, still delved into super dark topics, yet they just ended on a more victorious note, a good ending/episode is good if it’s written well, making it darker won’t necessarily make it better (ahem metalhead ). The episodes this season felt very different from each other yet still kept the black mirror dark magic imo and all three endings felt satisfying and fitting for the episodes tone

[@devonmunn5728]

I liked this season too. I can completely understand why some fans are disappointed but personally i liked this. And this episode was my favorite of the season and i will definitley be looking out for Yahya Abdul Mateen II, he gave a great performance

[@RalphJr-xp3hp]

Devon Munn go check out Yahya on Netflix’s The Get Down. That’s where I first discovered him and seen how talented he really is.

[@bojackbojackbojack]

This was my favorite episode of season 5 because I couldn't exactly explain how I felt about the VR-relationship between Danny and Carl. It was awkward but cool but such a new concept for me that it had me hooked to see how it would culminate. It took me a few weeks to remember to look up your channel after watching the new season, but I had saved a screenshot of your KZbin name ages ago after getting hooked from your review on "White Christmas" and several other episodes. I like your content, and I'm glad I got more of it after season 5 of "Black Mirror". Cheers.

[@randomcitizen3939]

>.> Black Mirror took "Bros Before Hoes" a lil bit toooooo far....

[@comeoncarl5616]

Is no one gonna mention that they gave the fighting game characters working genetalia? I was thinking about this when I watched this episode and it reminded me of the USS Callister episode where they reveal that none of the people in the simulations have genetalia

[@FeebleSaturn3]

I absolutely think both men felt something during the kiss - Danny's a terrible liar and it seemed like Karl was moping around the entire episode with unrequited love and frustration. The question is... If the cops didn't stop them fighting in the rain... Would it have evolved into something more like their vr counterparts?

[@SmokeyMcPotProductions]

Wow, I literally just finished watching this 10 minutes ago, what a treat to see you just uploaded your take on it. I really, really liked it. And it totally wasn’t what I was expecting. Can’t wait to see what details you bring to light.

[@getitboont]

Besides San Junipero, USS Callister also used the VR gaming device. The Black Museum and Crocodile also used the same device or similar.

[@rmbee5412]

I think I agree that the episode's ending left something to be desired. It was uncharacteristically upbeat for the standards of Black Mirror. I especially enjoyed the notes on symbolism; I often have difficulty catching such things myself.

[@TheMrWillje]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the meaning of showing Danny and Theo acting like it was their first time meeting since it turns them on. It establishes the themes of the episode-- people pretending to be someone else because it turns them on.

[@alisterfolson]

Watching this late at night with my spouse was unnerving and awkward...everything a Black Mirror episode should be

[@zero1188]

these episodes seemed very watered down

[@marshalinehamismother]

It felt so simplistic, like what what I would come up with if someone asked me to make a black mirror episode.

[@marshalinehamismother]

It felt like they ran out of ideas tbh

[@niamhb811]

no it feels like they know their style now and dont need to overcompensate w fancy plots and features

[@char124eve]

It felt very "Americanized" in my opinion, if that makes sense. Very lighthearted, glossy, high-budgeted setups with a (somewhat) happy ending.

[@Thiesi]

@@char124eve True. This was not a Black Mirror season. No deep criticism of society and its norms, no deus ex machina, no questioning of what technology might lead us to become. Whenever there was a glimpse of any of the aforementioned, they killed it right afterwards - with Mark Zuckerberg in Smithereens wholeheartedly agreeing to Moriarty that things got out of hand with Facebook and Miley Ashley surviving after the mini robot pulled the plug. Especially the ending of the Ashley episode is pure Americanized Hollywood TV. By far the weakest season of Black Mirror yet.

[@thewastemanagementcompany]

I definitely agree with you on the ending. If the episode ended with Danny opening his mouth to explain everything but then cuts to black is _way_ better then the actual ending.

[@pauliusgaivenis2665]

Loved your analysis of this episode. I myself watched it twice in a row to understand all the symbolism portrayed. You did a very good job at it yourseld, but I just wanted to add one minor detail. It might look like a strech, but when for example Theo puts the knife into the dishwasher, the computer says it needs to be put in the other way aound before continuing, later on when Danny puts a plate into same dishwasher it exlaims that the plate must be washed before continuing, dishwasher signaling what you must do with no other choice, but when theyre in the VR, you can always clearly see the sign FIGHT! but the characters choose not to, instead kissing and having love. This shows how they dont have to listen to what theyre being told in their virtual reality, unlike real world, where theyre also pressured by everyone else to do what theyre expected to. anyway, this is way too long for someone to read, but for some stranger that read this whole weird comment, i wanted to say that i think the message here is Do What You Want To Do, and have a nice day

[@josephrobinson6171]

Didn't like the season. Liked the cinematography and symbolism in Striking Vipers. Loved Smithereen, but hated the last one (don't even remember what it was called)

[@pappadarappa]

Rachel, Jack and Ashley too but I thought it was ok, not bad but kinda meh really

[@PurushNahiMahaPurush]

I think Smithereens would have been a boring episode if not for the phenomenal acting by the main character.

[@Xoxoxoxoxc]

Striking vipers was the only episode which felt like black mirror.

[@angelcarlos8041]

The third one was eeeeeeee

[@ohnonotanothergachatuber1129]

I think Smithereens was Black Mirror-ish too, just w an underwhelming ending. Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too just felt like a Disney movie.

[@loveskz6749]

There was a parallel between Danny and Karl fighting. Their fight irl is very similar to the one that they had in the VR where they ended up kissing for the first time.

[@janetsparklepanda]

*gamers look at eachother* pls bro no homO

[@eyronahron]

janetsparklepanda 😂😂

[@kiri7678]

I got what this episode was doing, and it wasn’t AWFUL, it just didn’t give the same powerful kick as most black mirror episodes. Take ‘white Christmas’ which stuck in my head for weeks after, being ruthlessly dark and all round fucking amazing, whereas this episode had no crazy, sick spiral or dark ending. Not every episode HAS to have one, but it just lacked that certain tense edge that most episodes build.

[@goatman1660]

3:10 Dennis Rodman was a basketball player

[@DDazzle1]

Rebound GOAT

[@greatpower6063]

I was more confused by this episode's ending than anything even though i saw the initial dilemma coming a mile away (no pun intended). This really threw me for a loop at the end, because it seems like they just enjoy having sex together when they are roleplaying as these characters but then they also can't get the same thrill with anyone else. At one point in the story, the married man's friend admits he tried to roleplay with other male characters and it didn't help him "get you out of my head" which seems like a lot more like actual lust for his married friend and not just gaming or lusting after the fantasy character of "Roxette" (if he really just liked the role-play, couldn't he find someone else to do it with?). This ending begs the question if they are really gay and too afraid to admit it despite the signs being there, hence they keep their relationship restricted to the game or whether one of them has a desire to be a woman in real life or perhaps both of them are so engrossed in the VR role-play as a more sensual analogue to pornography? I was personally rooting for them to get together but the build-up didn't really lead to the outcome I was expecting.

[@The482075]

It's pretty much the adultery storyline from every soap opera ever. That said, the use of futuristic technology does spice things up a lot.

[@calebjackson3895]

I felt hoodwinked by the kitten at the end. I thought it was implying that Karl was finding healthy ways to find compassion and vulnerability in the real world that he'd grown addicted to emulating in VR. So when he and Danny hooked up again at the end, it didn't strike me so much as a healthy poly-amorous relationship as it did a relapse.

[@maximthefox]

Episode 1: pretty good Episode 2: decent Episode 3: mmeh Definitely not the best black mirror season

[@bennygaray46]

Episode 2 sucked.

[@maximthefox]

@@bennygaray46 they all sucked on reflection in my opinion. At least compared to the first few seasons

[@seby826]

@@bennygaray46 Episode 2 was the best, episode 1 was good, it got people arguing about it i love 3 but it didn't feel like a black mirror episode the previous seasons were better

[@monmonstartv5159]

I miss the low-mid budget nueance of the first season tbh

[@ozzymandias8137]

Eh, I don’t think having a bigger budget means you have to lose nuance.

[@ChurlzVA]

Nah

[@gmanthegrey]

Striking vipers? Should've been called super smash bros.

[@crapid5252]

bangbros

[@TunTheOfficial]

Yeah. Basically ending explained: For his birthday July/june 14. She's give him his Sensor-to-his-head thing.. & He'd give her their wedding ring box. To hold their rings.. They'd return their items in the morning.. Basically free consensual open relationship hook ups on his bday. Karl got a Cat xD

[@Scuba-Steven]

I laughed a lot during this episode. Especially when Theo invited Karl over, he was THIRSTY lol.

[@ashleywilmore6038]

(spoiler) Can't help but feel that there was a missed opportunity here to address the ending. The couple ultimately seem to have at least one time a year (or possibly month) that they get to indulge in there lustful desires. The husband is allowed to digitally * cough * meet up with his best friend and the wife is allowed to take off her wedding ring and find a gentleman caller in real life... It felt like the focus of the episode was more on infidelity and how technology introduces a new gray area to it - how will couples respond when met with these new temptations? .... 🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️

[@cookie9655]

Wait this is the entire season??😭 I thought they would update the rest of this seasons episodes in like a week or something oh my gosh, I NEED MORE OF THIS SEASON 5 VIBE 😭 Some good endings and less dread is a good time every now and then! Of course we will get back to our regularly scheduled program, but i was having fun with this one!

[@yung_tulip5701]

im pretty sure TCKR Tech is also a reference to TuckerSoft from bandersnatch

[@tasosplat3589]

Bro saved his load for his homie. Most homie thing ever.

[@caussthefish4452]

Smithereens was my favorite of the season, and overall it felt a lot stronger than season 4. Season 4 suffered from underdeveloped plot lines and characters imo. Also acting in this season was amazing.

[@trentlane2029]

Welcome back, we missed your videos and the series itself.

[@Mal_3D]

Bro...I dont even watch sports and I know Dennis Rodman is a basketball player. This man called him a baseball player and that killed me. LOL

[@phillyg187]

Rachel, Jack and Ashley too was the worst Black Mirror episode yet. Smithereens was pretty good.

[@gimzod76]

This whole season feels rather un black mirrory. It's like someone miked it up with a CBC lifetime movie.

[@matasuki]

Striking Vipers was the more complex and captivating story of this season...prove me wrong! The other was a PSA for texting while driving, and the last was a dark twist on the Hannah Montana TV Show

[@janetsparklepanda]

I actually loved this episode compared to a lot of people thinking it wasn't enough. It's no San Junipero, but I really just love this one and Ashley O.

[@piratetv1]

Man-junipero. Not my joke but a good one

[@janetsparklepanda]

@@piratetv1 hehehe you got me there

[@rogda123]

san junipero was so overrated and ashley episode was by far the worst ever in black mirror. you have terrible taste it's cringe...

[@Murhuedur]

I liked how when they met in the rain it became like a real life version of Striking Vipers

[@krekklesedits]

Classic, uploading at 4am Harry

[@jennkins94]

I think you’re right about Danny feeling the fireworks - when they hugged after I could see the look on Danny’s face, I think he felt the fireworks :( and didn’t say because Karl didn’t

[@jeffjones3145]

Every episode of Black Mirror leaves me speechless at the end. This one did not leave me speechless in a good way.

[@parmavioIets]

agreed

[@AkinlabiStClair]

Hey brother

[@jeffjones3145]

@@AkinlabiStClair greetings sibling

[@NIL0S]

This was probably one of the better episodes out of the season 5 bunch. I am a gamer and have known my now wife under pretty much similar circumstances; by playing a game and having the relationship grow far beyond play. In our case the consequences played out in real life, as we met and fell for each others also in reality. The interesting twist to this was obviously the bromance and homoerotic tension bordering into homosexuality between two best friends. It was very valid as an exploration of sexuality and how it can be a natural extension of friendship, if you decouple it from gender and reproduction, sex is just another way of sharing and being together, of expressing yourself, or even a form of play. But as an episode it had very little bite or poignancy in the end, the only thing I could conclude for myself was that "Black Mirror thinks virtual is equivalent to real when it comes to being (or in this case not being) faithful to your partner". Only a touch slightly more sophisticated than Smithereens' "Yo, texting during driving is bad." I have no idea what the Miley Cyrus episode was even supposed to say. "Pop-Stars are people too"? .... As I said, very poor season in my humble opinion.

[@LegoCookieDoggie]

I was waiting for this analysis but Harry what do think of all the hate this season is getting? The movie structure and happier endings were a breath of fresh air in my opinion

[@lexbogie1]

The thing is they’re both gay but it’s been suppressed. When they fight it’s symbolic of there fights within themselves more so for Danny than Karl because Danny has a wife and kids and doesn’t wanna hurt either of them. In the last scene: when they’re fighting in the rain. If the cops didn’t show up when they did they would have got intimidate I reality just like In the game. It’s a pattern: fight, deny, intimacy.

[@milkcatdog394]

Wow this is super interesting.. Just finished watching this episode with my brother and he was freaking the f out. I thought the ending was nice, though I felt sad for the wife. :-(

[@kingti85]

Your brother may possibly be gay

[@atomnous]

Why? The wife was get to have sex with real people in real life, while the husband just got stuck in a fantasy sex

[@miurtouissi1093]

Why was he freaking out

[@cookie9655]

Most people hate this season because its not as grim, dark, or emotionally heavy as the rest of the series. Some people like it because it's exactly that. All three episodes were filmed well and had interesting stories, Striking Vipers (like most) was my favorite out of the 3, but I like Jack Rachel and Ashley too because it had a lot of comedy to it. It was a different flavor for BM, so it was surprising, not the BEST EVER, but still good and probably more digestable for broader audiences. Nothing wrong with that! And it's only three episodes you guys! Not like they made you sit through 10 episodes of semi happy endings and miley cyrus robots! 🤣 You'll get your classic BM back don't worry, especially after the response lol I wouldn't mind if they threw in episodes like this every now and then tho!

[@UnencumberedWords]

This was a poor analysis. I know you already admitted to the Dennis Rodman mistake, but honestly that was carelessness. Also, no mention of the polar bear??

[@arm003]

UnencumberedWords polar bear Easter egg was not needed for the explanation

[@thehappychatter]

I do think the episode is bigger then homosexuality, and more about how love and attraction depend on two things: The body and mind. You can be a straight man, married to a beautiful wife. But what happens if you put your wife's mind into a handsome man? Are you still attracted to her? You might still love her because it's still her inside, but she's no longer something you're attracted to. Say you're a gay man, and your best friend is a woman. You're not attracted to her. Now she's in the body of a handsome man. Would you not be into her because it's the mind of a woman in a man's body? The physical body always plays a part one way or the other. However, love comes from the mind. You love something for who they are on the inside. You love them for their personality, and history. And you can love someone, and not be attracted to them. But what if they "became" something you could be attracted to? That's what I think the episode is really exploring. It's about transcending.

[@Katielovegood44]

This episode left me feeling odd... What is the line when 'cheating' ?? Virutal? Flirting? Porn? VR porn? Got my thinking and was interesting.

[@chandrawagner4061]

I thought he was lying about not being attracted to karl too. I actually liked the ending showing us that they've remained a strong couple while allowing each other to indulge in what they need. Being able to be partners and have a good family unit, and it looked like some spark is back for them as well. Not all technological advances have to end in horror and I think this episode evaluates our understanding of relationships.

[@tnbocon]

I didn't care for the season staying contemporary throughout the episodes. Dystopian futures is kinda Black Mirror's thing, and it was abandoned for contemporary critiques...

[@TheNwr1]

One of the best black mirror episodes was entirely contemporary though

[@miurtouissi1093]

@@TheNwr1 shut up and dance ?

[@seby826]

Right!!! and we only got 3 episodes Wtf, did they spend all of their budget hiring miley cyrus it Americanized now they want a bigger audience but they lost their soul

[@annaf3915]

I loved this episode for how slow and almost laid back it seemed compared to previous seasons. Very interesting idea that of course a VR app that mimicks all physical sensations can be used for virtual sex (even though it's questionable why it should be programmed to do so well in this respect). It kind of reminded me of "Being John Malkovich" - I don't remember the names but woman A says to woman B that she's in love with her, but only when she's inside Malkovich's body, because female desire inside a male body is something so unique and intriguing. Plus haven't we all at some point wondered why our best friend can't be our partner and why our sexuality can't be wired to desire our soul mate? I think in the case of Dennis and Karl they are very alike in a way but their lifestyles are opposites and a part of them wants to lead the life of the other one... but let's not get too psychoanalytical here.

[@Jeicto24]

This isn't an "analysis", is just a mere recaps. 🙄😒

[@rxch8534]

I just went to youtube after watching all three episodes. I agree that their short season is good, I liked watching it all in one sitting. I was surprised you've already made one video! I found myself checking when the episode was over, mainly in striking vipers but also once or twice in the latter two. I really liked the concepts given and I agree that it's a much more fun season. But maybe I miss the dark, sullen, oh my god the world is fucked feeling? I think I like the 'black mirror' that is presented in the older episodes, specifically in mind I'd say white bear, the christmas one, the one with the boy with the cake, and the video game one. and fifteen million merits. and the one they basically stole from community about rating eachother. and the one where you can go back in time through your memories and the guys sees he's getting cheated on. Basically all of them except maybe crocodile, waldo, and the prime minister fucking a pig. I personally found the newer episodes, except maybe the first one, to be asking questions or making statements I've already thought about. Texting and driving is bad, and the music industry is bad too. And I really enjoyed all three episodes don't get me wrong. and call me a masochist but I really miss the inward reflecting, everyone needs to sort their shit out feeling. Its like dread, but more productive.

[@samg4337]

Smithereens wasn't just about texting and driving, it was about how a huge terrible experience can be completely meaningless to other people and desensitization. Everyone glances at their phone in the end but moves on immediately.

[@rxch8534]

@@samg4337 maybe I should rewatch that one and bear that in mind. Thank you!

[@uglyfry7680]

thought the whole series was kinda lacking in black for a black mirror series but still good uno

[@Torthrodhel]

I liked the ending, but aside from that I agree with pretty much everything you said here. Good catch on the possibility of exploring the relief from disability angle further, interesting point there.