USS Callister is one of my favorite Black Mirror episodes (second only to San Junipero, probably). What's your favorite episode of Black Mirror?
@kalenzypie6 жыл бұрын
Hated In The Nation, Shut Up and Dance and Hang The DJ are tied for my fave!
@JorgeRodriguez-ih8ub6 жыл бұрын
White Christmas
@phamchunghieu45606 жыл бұрын
San Junipero ruined my gay ass heart
@GiantBrother6 жыл бұрын
Nosedive is my favorite
@themonkeyshead75206 жыл бұрын
Lessons from the Screenplay San Junipero is overrated. Sure it’s good but I feel Shut up and Dance and White Christmas are examples of better episodes
@allis_o26286 жыл бұрын
Black mirror's so fricking good at making you sympathize with the main character, and then turning you upside down when you realize they're actually a monster in disguise.
@tidenly6 жыл бұрын
Allis_O one of the shows strengths is showing how, given power, we all have the capacity to become monsters.
@Afineaddition6 жыл бұрын
Shut Up and Dance did that particularly well
@allis_o26286 жыл бұрын
oh yes, both that and White Bear really made my stomach turn at the plot twist
@cadinnelson51685 жыл бұрын
Allis_O Except that one with the chick and the dog robots, that shit game me nightmares
@jekbanzam13475 жыл бұрын
indeed. fucking scary
@motazart59616 жыл бұрын
I was hoping you would dissect the wonderful way they upgraded the game's 'graphics' as the episode progressed. The opening sequence had retro graphics and the costumes and camerawork mirrored the early stark trek era. They gradually built up the production value to the point where during the final sequence in the game it had modern animations and the signature JJ Abrams lens flares and costumes. It was a nice homage to the evolution of the Star Trek universe and would tie in nicely with your point about how the episode was doing multiple things at once. All said and done I still loved the video! :)
@warrenwb83496 жыл бұрын
No i really have to watch it again. I didn't notice the upgrades.
@aamarkhan74486 жыл бұрын
Excellent point- I didn't notice that
@motazart59616 жыл бұрын
MetraMan09 True.
@motazart59616 жыл бұрын
MetraMan09 The game update only hits towards the end of the episode whereas every time the protagonist enters the simulation the production is scaled up despite no indication of there being any update in the interim. It was probably also a way of showing how his program was improving, but the similarity of the very first exterior scene of the spaceship is too similar to classic sci fi that I feel it had to be intentional (like those lens flares).
@sam214626 жыл бұрын
MetraMan09 - I guess all those lens flares were just coincidental as well. (fuctard)
@xingcat6 жыл бұрын
I like the Black Mirror episodes like this, where the message is more than, "Technology is bad," which in the latter seasons seems to be a bit more heavy-handed than earlier.
@MadameTamma6 жыл бұрын
xingcat In the best sci fi, the technology or what not, is just the set up. The people are really what make or break it. Frankenstien: the process to bring live to dead tissue worked like a charm, it was the doctor who screwed up by not knowing what to do after. Irobot: Robots are doing exactly what they were programed to do, the people misused it. Technology is doing precisly what we made it do, we're the one's who need fixing
@inkasaraswati76256 жыл бұрын
xingcat That's why I didn't finish season 3 (and haven't bothered with season 4). I love scifi in general and loved the previous seasons of Black Mirror, but I just felt like they're doing the same things over and over again now. Although San Junipero is supposed to be amazing and I haven't got to that. Can you recommend me the standout episodes from season 3 and 4?
@MariaRodriguez-dx6sm6 жыл бұрын
I think you will like San Junipero (technology at it best) and SS Callister. The others went from "everybody decided to overlook the ridiculously obvious bad out comes of say technology implementation... 'cus plot" to "are you making me belive that this tiny woman is phisicaly strong and lucky enogh to do all that AND this plot twist??? REALLY???"
@chloemarie51736 жыл бұрын
you'll like san junipero. the idea in that episode is more about "If we handle technology right, than it can do wonderful things and help people." It adds balance to the episodes about the dangers of technology imo.
@Torthrodhel6 жыл бұрын
I don't mind it being just that, so long as it's done well. "This technology is dangerous" can be expressed with a good ending, or a bad ending. I don't see why people see the bad ending instances as necessarily worse. They're just different, and they can be worse, and they can be better. Depends on the overall rest of the episode really. To give a personal favourite example of each, I'd say Playtest and Nosedive.
@redrabbitjohnson6 жыл бұрын
That episode of The Twilight Zone has to be one of the darkest the show ever did. The fact that the solution offered to the predicament of the episode is the murder of a small child, and that it's completely reasonable and even warranted, is crazy. It's also much harder to discern the lesson of the episode because the villain is a child. With USS Callister you can accept that the antagonist is an adult who consciously chose to become a monster with his godlike power, but Anthony is just a kid. You can't really blame him, any more than you can blame his parents for letting him do the things he does.
@GulfsideMinistries6 жыл бұрын
That goes to my only, and I do mean only, complaint about this episode. Granted that BM episodes are incredibly tightly written, I do wish there would have been a line or two to offer some context for why Daly was like was. I was a bit let down at my own emotional "high" at Daly's fate. Yes, he was a monster who deserved it, but that's just so . . . neat and tidy, right? Maybe his treatment in real life and the good will he engenders in the first ten minutes is supposed to leave us a bit conflicted about his "imprisonment," but, per the video, the fact that he chose to walk away from that rather than embrace a real human connection, for me, made that entirely impossible. For shame, I'd like to feel a bit more for him, but as written, I just don't. And I think that detracts just a little bit from the power of the whole episode.
@robgronotte16 жыл бұрын
He was clearly turned into a "monster" by the mistreatment he suffers at the hands of the others in his office. Honestly for the entire episode I felt more sympathy for him than I did for the other characters. Though he was cruel in the VR world, those weren't actually real people suffering, and I found it hard to believe the premise that there could be an actual consciousness created by DNA + computer power. But he had clearly suffered greatly from the mistreatment of many of his coworkers, and where there was finally going be a new employee who respected him, some of the coworkers poisoned the well by saying bad things about him. While this was a very well made episode, it honestly seems like it's almost pro-bullying. Anyone who has ever been bullied in school or at work should identify with the anti-hero here, and I wonder if the author(s) are former (or current) bullies themselves, looking for some way to justify their behavior.
@JH-ji6cj5 жыл бұрын
@@robgronotte1 ...I think you are missing the central theme as to what causes bullying to begin with. The problem is kids who bully usually either have experiences or in some cases, a lack of positive ones, that can foster the behavior in the first place. Yes, Daly certainly is shown to have plenty of experiences that show HOW he could make the un-ethical choices he does, but his level of lashing out and the ways in which he carries them out shows clearly how much he knows that his actions are wrong (or even what is labeled evil). Justification is a real issue (and you show it in your comment), namely, that because one person is wronged, should he/she then be socially ALLOWED to transgress ethical social boundries? We see this all the time now in terms of protest rallies where people who feel hurt emotionally, socially, etc, fell a real allowable expression of their anger and pain through carrying out real acts of physical pain upon others through rioting etc that transcends the original purpose of protest. This is the Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right addage and it's only really valuable in that history bears out that it doesn't 'work' to solve an actual issue...why we feel war is bad for example- the death and pain on both sides that can manifest revenge,etc. Taking the High Road isn't just a divergent road, it's a road on another level, another plane, which isn't an equal measure...elevated, similar to Christ having justification for revenge, but instead chooses forgiveness for humanity.
@JellybellyWaffles5 жыл бұрын
Paragraphs... Formats... Come on people, these are giant bricks.
@JH-ji6cj5 жыл бұрын
@@JellybellyWaffles ...hey, I've got a few commas and periods in there! 😉 Noted
@Michael-sq3nf6 жыл бұрын
matt damon was great in this
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
I can only ever think of Jesse Plemons as Todd.
@ed_savant6 жыл бұрын
it's not him though ._.
@BorntozaurX6 жыл бұрын
MAAATT-DAAAMON!
@GulfsideMinistries6 жыл бұрын
+Lessons from the Screenplay - appropriate he killed a kid in this episode, eh? (b****! ;))
@musicalisten16 жыл бұрын
it's Meth Damon
@Emmylatif6 жыл бұрын
Ok but have you noticed that by the end of the episode the antagonist is stuck forever in the game and no one will find him until he dies because he kept the do not disturb sign on the door and it's Christmas break!
@daniel_netzel6 жыл бұрын
Black Mirror is one of my favorite shows, I had been hearing good things for the longest time but was skeptical that it would deliver the goods. While not every episode is a banger, there are so many that completely blew me away. My favorite episodes are White Christmas, Playtest, San Junipero, and Hang the DJ.
@nataliegiles25544 жыл бұрын
Same, same, same and same
@opedromagico3 жыл бұрын
7:50 - "If there is a sequence, scene, or even line in a script that doesn't move the plot forward, it should be probably be cut." - say that to Tarantino
@sws2123 жыл бұрын
Boom Boom skrrt skrrt is also dialogue - Michael Bay, probably.
@TimEllis6 жыл бұрын
One of my favorite little nuggets is how at the end the bridge turns from classic Star Trek style into the new Star Trek style (lens flare and all). Have to love the attention to little details.
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
"JJ land"!
@gabyr.8836 жыл бұрын
Tim Ellis true!
@jonathanmulondo92066 жыл бұрын
You should do more videos on Black Mirror
@THE_DEMONLO_RD6 жыл бұрын
He should do one on "Shut up and dance." It has a similar protagonist to antagonist twist. The greatest thing about that episode is the way it drip feeds information without actually giving away the twist.
@Nash9r6 жыл бұрын
Really? I am normally not good in predicting twists. But this one I did. It made no sense at all that he did all these things because of a little pornography and jerking off. Also there was this scene with the little girl in the beginning.
@AndresGarciaMovies5 жыл бұрын
He can't as he doesn't have the script to each one of those. USS Callister script was released for the Emmys nominations, making him able to read it, analyze it, and make a video out of it. There are only two scripts that are released to the public which is "A National Anthem" and, like I said, "USS Callister." If other scripts are released I bet that he will do a video out of those.
@devinholmgren79866 жыл бұрын
"It's a Good Life" is one of my favorite episodes of television ever, I can't believe I never made the connection between it and "U.S.S. Callister"
@filmontheeyes6 жыл бұрын
That episode was redone in the 1983 Twilight Zone the Movie.
@yasminmero24376 жыл бұрын
PLEASE DO MORE BLACK MIRROR VIDEOS
@AndresGarciaMovies5 жыл бұрын
He can't as he doesn't have the script to each one of those. USS Callister script was released for the Emmys nominations, making him able to read it, analyze it, and make a video out of it. There are only two scripts that are released to the public which is "A National Anthem" and, like I said, "USS Callister." If other scripts are released I bet that he will do a video out of those.
@hafeeludeenasraf52226 жыл бұрын
The scenes where they're singing he's a jolly good fellow and the dude goes oh my fuck is probably the funniest shit I've ever seen on black mirror
@Harlequin3141596 жыл бұрын
Your intro got me to pause your video, and watch S04E01 without ever having seen another one. That was spectacular. Ok, resuming your video now :D
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed!
@CobraMster276 жыл бұрын
I did the same thing haha
@leomoe4336 жыл бұрын
Lol same
@Mira-mb6lt6 жыл бұрын
Same! (not my first one, tho)
@indowithbadenglish56775 жыл бұрын
You mean after 1:07 when he said USS callister? I'm straight to indoxxi.cx, my favourite pirate movie sites to watch the episode right away too. Lol
@dontlook19276 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this. It made me realize what was making the first draft of my book so god damn boring. I thought that I had already cut all unneeded scenes and dialogue, but this video made me realize that I could make it even more efficient by cutting and recombining scenes to both make them more efficient and serve multiple purposes at once! Thank you for your amazing video essays!
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Awesome!!
@galaga2x8085 жыл бұрын
Hey ik this is random but if you ever want a opinion i love seeing peoples works and giving my opinion
@ThePadwan4 жыл бұрын
Did you finish your book?
@scnext6 жыл бұрын
Awesome you could do a whole subseries on looking at Black Mirror episodes!
@Plamen20076 жыл бұрын
This, and Hang the DJ are the strongest episodes of the season in my opinion
@BadGrief6 жыл бұрын
Really? Hang the DJ was pretty boring and USS Callister was far too non-sensical and convenient for me to enjoy it properly. But I suppose that just goes to show how poor this season was if those 2 episodes were the "strongest".
@matt21246 жыл бұрын
Dannis The Mannis You must be fun at parties
@Plamen20076 жыл бұрын
Goes to show that this season wasn't to your taste. There's a difference.
@tskwared6676 жыл бұрын
Dennis the Mannis - what was non-sensical at all about the Callister episode? It all took place inside a virtual reality game, anything is possible without being nonsense.
@BadGrief6 жыл бұрын
+Plamen2007 Obviously. There's not really a difference at all. Some episodes were really stupid or just boring among other things. If you love it then I have no problem with that.
@vicenteortegarubilar94186 жыл бұрын
Welcome to a dimention of lessons, when reality and fiction are analyze as one, when the senses of structure and subvercion become material, screenplays become abstract and meanings are more than ideas. You now are entering the Twili.....ups, Lessons of the screenplay.
@andy4an6 жыл бұрын
classy!
@ricardomiranda77376 жыл бұрын
My favorite Black Mirror episode. Very good synopsis and explains why USS Calister resonates so deeply with audiences. It does several things simultaneously in one episode. Introduces antagonist as the hero at the beginning and shows the difference between a false victory contrived by a tyrant and a victory as experienced by a real hero that loves his crew.
@dabzdavid23786 жыл бұрын
Glad I watched this, I had not realized the episode's whole brilliance until I watched your video. USS Callister is truly well-made.
@CGagnon56 жыл бұрын
it truly isn't
@professoroftrash5626 жыл бұрын
But if you didn't realize it from watching it, then it wasn't.
@dabzdavid23786 жыл бұрын
I'm referring to the screenplay and how they re-contextualized a previous premise. Because I was not that familiar with the Twilight Zone. So I did not know. Only when I watched this LFTS episode, I realized the technique and method that the writers used. So sorry if I did not state it straight.
@erickamakeeaina1649 Жыл бұрын
100th like
@cgbodytube5 жыл бұрын
Excellent stuff. I love when the antagonist receives a patronising tap on the head from his coworker and later does exactly the same thing to the new girl when he's showing her he's in charge. Brilliant vid mate
@michaelolson76266 жыл бұрын
Inspirational work as always. While I loved this episode and you showed me just how masterfully crafted it is as a written work, nearly nothing can compare to the execution of White Christmas. Watching it felt like I was unfolding a never-ending road map like that horror segment in Nightmare on Elm St. Your view of the world and understanding of your characters just kept zooming out until you finally had a glimpse of the full picture. It set up so many complex and nuanced ideas so organically. Can we also talk about the visual homage they pay The Thing when Michaela Coel's character is transformed into the monster? The way the tendrils explode upwards is nearly identical to when it happens in the Dog Kennel scene in The Thing.
@celinak50626 жыл бұрын
Michael Olson that's the migtow one, right?
@michaelolson76266 жыл бұрын
Sorry, I'm not sure I know what you're referring to when you say 'migtow'.. But when I google it I found a community called Men Going Their Own Way which is sort of fascinating, but I don't think that's what you're referring to. Sorry I didn't really answer your question!
@DreamDis5 жыл бұрын
I actually guessed that the person was trying to get a confession from him 😂 Way before he even said anything
@hitmanwolf6 жыл бұрын
Damn... Black Mirror doesn't fuck around. i got the chills...
@briangonigal39746 жыл бұрын
Besides the Twilight Zone ep, the story also echos a specific episode of Original Star Trek with a somewhat similar premise, "Charlie X", in which the Enterprise brings onboard a human adolescent (looks about 18-20, acts about 10) who was the sole survivor of some space disaster and who turned out survived thanks to Godlike powers granted him by some alien race. His powers & emotional immaturity send him clearly down the path toward Billy Mumy's character from the Twilight Zone ep, disappearing people and even pulling the exact same "removing a woman's face" gag as in the Dark Mirror ep, just to make the connection crystal clear. He tries to take over the ship but before he can succeed the Godlike aliens that gave him his powers show up & take him away. This Dark Mirror ep. reads very much like what would have happened if the aliens had never turned up and Charlie had taken over the ship and wished KIrk, Spock & any other major threats into the cornfield.
@BackInBlack56 жыл бұрын
Really enjoyed this analysis. Definitely going to look out for these things next time I watch it.
@gemlikestardust6 жыл бұрын
Excellent video, as always! This is also one of my favorite episodes, mainly because Black Mirror is so bleak that a happy ending feels like a breath of fresh air. But maybe that's just me.
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
For sure! And because happy endings aren't guaranteed, it was even more exciting to get one.
@RADLadio6 жыл бұрын
It's because american spectators can't enjoy non-happy endings
@rotsu21086 жыл бұрын
ok but i screamed when i got the notification that you tackled black mirror!!
@jwnj97166 жыл бұрын
If only we had Rod Serling back. I would pick him to narrate my whole life.
@WitandFolly6 жыл бұрын
I remember that episode of The Twilight Zone because of that jack-in-the-box scene. Much scarier than most things in Black Mirror lol
@julianflores87396 жыл бұрын
Oh damn, Kirsten Dunst cameo at 8:47.
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Ya!
@andrewhuynh65566 жыл бұрын
That's Jesse plemons', the antagost's, fiancé
@recommendedforyou79576 жыл бұрын
jesse* plemons
@andrewhuynh65566 жыл бұрын
That's weird I thought I put Jesse, my bad
@ActiumFilms6 жыл бұрын
*fiance
@gameboyman26 жыл бұрын
No other channel makes me drop what I'm doing to watch more than yours. Great content, thank you
@williammarkove55476 жыл бұрын
It's great to see you analyzing Black Mirror and show a throwback to Twilight Zone. San Junipero is my favorite TV episode ever, of any series. But I really like that you chose USS Callister for your analysis because script-wise it has more to show in aspects of structure and writing.
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
San Junipero is my favorite Black Mirror episode, and really hit me hard. Love that one.
@susanmurphy9586 жыл бұрын
Awesome Michael Tucker! That is one of my favorite episodes of "The Twilight Zone." I wish you well in your filmmaking ventures.
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Thanks Susan!
@CryptoNWO5 жыл бұрын
and that kids, is how I met your mother
@joshl14746 жыл бұрын
It is so weird. I just decided only a couple of weeks ago to watch black mirror and now you, one of my favorite youtubers, just happens to make a video on it. What an awesome coincidence. Love your channel by the way. Keep it up
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Awesome timing, then! Thank you :)
@kidvolcanodotcom6 жыл бұрын
Brilliant episode. Both, Black Mirror and Lessons from the Screenplay.
@Segkee6 жыл бұрын
Addendum to editing scripts: scene has to do one of two things. 1. move plot and/or 2. reveal character. I think this comes from Mamet by way of Aristotle.
@roselovesu26 жыл бұрын
Yay! I've been waiting for you to post this!!! I love Black Mirror.
@Bcamargo276 жыл бұрын
Another great video! I love this channel! and BTW “USS Callister” and “Black Museum” are my favorite episodes of the entire show.
@whomustnotbenamed56 жыл бұрын
More reasons to love my favorite episode! Sweet! Also, I'm very excited to see what projects you'll be working on!! Wish you all the best Michael! Thank you for the consistently amazing content ❤
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Thank you!!
@axenledgie14235 жыл бұрын
Love the changes in aesthetic from the old, TOS-like style, to the new reboot-like style at the end of the episode. USS Callister is an all-around genius episode.
@tuskinradar86886 жыл бұрын
And I just finished black mirror last night, impeccable timing as always LFTS
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
;)
@sumit26586 жыл бұрын
You have no Idea how much I love You and your content ^^. Thank You so much for your work! You taught me a lot! My personal favourite is one of the most hated episodes, "Hated in the Nation". I guess I have to make a Video Essay about the Episode, to justify my opinion...
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Thank you :)
@peterleonard496 жыл бұрын
Thats erie. Yesterday I started the show yesterday and was thinking "oh wow this is like the twilight zone"
@c0ttage6 жыл бұрын
Peter Leonard i started watching the twilight zone and was like, this is the original black mirror
@shikshaupadhyay20046 жыл бұрын
This is the best collab ever! My favorite channel on KZbin doing a video on my favorite TV show! Loved it!!
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
:)
@Sok6126 жыл бұрын
Imo that was one of the most underrated episode of Black mirror
@raimo19856 жыл бұрын
Man your video are awesome. Your videos are the first i click on as soon as i open my subscription feed. Keep up the good work. Also i know you must be extremely busy, but i'd love your take on the script of Interstellar. Thanks and best regards from Italy.
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@aazimahmed49326 жыл бұрын
Plz do Mr. Robot...... It is a really good tv show and very philosophical. And I really like your videos, learned a hell lot of things from you
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
I still need to see that show!
@aazimahmed49326 жыл бұрын
Lessons from the Screenplay K.... I'll Wait
@SDCISHERE5 жыл бұрын
Mr Robot 👍
@CourtneyCoulson6 жыл бұрын
I am the creator of the podcast Prometheus-by-Minute and I think you solved something I have been uncertain about for a while. In Prometheus we are introduced to David as if he is our protagonist, while Elizabeth Shaw, the supposed hero, has a relatively minor role until well into the movie. On a technical level I wasn't sure why it was done, but it certainly does make for a far more compelling antagonist. Although David remains a much more ambiguous figure than Daly by the end of the story, I think the same technique is used for different effects.
@chalonhutson6 жыл бұрын
Awesome job! That episode was my second of Black Mirror too. (White Christmas being my favorite.) Best of luck with your film projects. Don't have an Insta, but hopefully some of your creations will make it on YT.
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Thank you! San Junipero is probably my favorite, but White Christmas is right up there! And thanks for supporting the channel :)
@stevestrand44775 жыл бұрын
Very interesting connection to The Twilight Zone that I had not made when watching this episode. I saw a lot of inspiration from Harlan Ellison's "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream", but "It's a Good Life" seems much more thematically relevant. All in all another excellent breakdown!
@peterraber5198 Жыл бұрын
I was going to make a statement similar to this!
@Rossmanproductions6 жыл бұрын
Another great episode! Thanks for consistently thorough and thoughtful analysis of scripts.
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Thanks Ross!
@robchuk41365 жыл бұрын
Never warched Black Mirror until now, just for this LFTS vid. Thank you for pointing me towards this show!
@GeoffreyHammy166 жыл бұрын
One thing I think is worth mentioning about this episode is that is also has something to say about the sort of toxic masculinity that causes men (like Robert Daly) to feel a sense of entitlement towards people, specifically women, and specifically Nanette.
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Yes! Working on multiple levels. And I think showing Robert as protagonist does allow us to empathize with how toxic masculinity can be born out of bullying and an inability to express or connect emotionally...but then also shows how messed up and dangerous it is.
@SomeBF6 жыл бұрын
Sincerely, do you think this is an intentional factor of the episode or is this you fitting your own ideas and views onto the preexisting media à la queer theory?
@GeoffreyHammy166 жыл бұрын
SomeBF Umm it's definitely intended by the writers? Weird that you don't see that
@SomeBF6 жыл бұрын
Beth Anthony I think you’re definitely viewing it through your own personal lense. If you’re talking about Roberts desire to kiss every female member of the crew, he is a straight person, it’s not unfair to infer he’s a virgin, he’s clearly desiring some level of physicality. It’s pretty apparent that the USS Callister is his personal fantasy, so is it Toxic Masculinity to desire people, more specifically, women?
@EZ-IZZY19956 жыл бұрын
So to counter balance, is there such thing as "toxic femininity?" I dont sympathize with Daly's character, he was a piece of shit. But the point of BM is to make you see things from multiple angles. He was a creep and a loner. But he also never got respect, despite doing all of the work in the company and clearly being a depressed loser his whole life. Like I said, I dont sympathize, but having layers and perspectives is important. If this was an episode with a girl in Dalys position, would you say the same? (Look to White Bear for my example.) No, you'd justify it. Point is there are toxic PEOPLE. If there is toxic masculinity, there is toxic femininity. Equality. Try it sometime.
@rebeccafriedman3502 Жыл бұрын
Omg can’t believe I haven’t seen this before - this is by far my favorite black mirror episode
@BruhWhy55 жыл бұрын
I loved this analysis! I saw that episode about a week ago! It's my second favorite to Nosedive. 😄😄😄
@josawesome16 жыл бұрын
I’d also like to argue that it borrows from Harlan Ellison’s short story “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream,” even being a more optimistic take on the story. It essentially has the same idea, that death is freedom, but the short story does it in a much more bleak way, as opposed to USS Callister showing it much more optimistically
@TimeandMonotony6 жыл бұрын
The Twilight Zone is my favorite show of all time and Black Mirror is my favorite currently airing show (I have tattoos of both; yes I'm a nerd), so needless to say, I *loved* this video! USS Callister was my second favorite episode of season four, after Hang the DJ. Fantastic season opener.
@Em-ic3vm5 жыл бұрын
I've never seen this episode but i noticed that when the man was captain, the ship had a very 60's style star trek feel and color pallet whereas when the woman was captain, the chip changed to a more J J Abrams cinematic feel, what with the light flares and stuff. others probably noticed that as well but i think it's really cool because it shows the different kinds of approaches the captains have to leadership and the progression of the story.
@michaeltalley515 жыл бұрын
I think Black Mirror is more like The Outer Limits than The Twilight Zone.
@1958Shemp5 жыл бұрын
Essentially correct...BUT TZ did several stories about how technology could impact people's lives (for better and for worse, directly and indirectly).
@kingdomseeker884 жыл бұрын
Maybe. But who watched it?
@baekbeaut5 жыл бұрын
another underlying theme of the episode appears to be the fact that the viewer must debate internally over the issue of the character's consciousness. "should we feel bad for these characters? if it's on a video game, or on the cloud, do the feelings count? do they count as conscious beings?" same underlying theme as the striking vipers episode. "does it actually count as cheating if it's on a video game?"
@jasonr42296 жыл бұрын
Great video! From the Netflix description and thumbnail image I avoided this episode of Black Mirror like the plague. I like Black Mirror when it’s dark and bleak and this looked anything but. When I had watched every other episode (I started watching after season 3 had already aired) I finally broke down and watched this and it was excellent! Was a little preoccupied with Matt Damon’s excessive makeup (lol) but thankfully realized before the end of the ep that it wasn’t him at all! Keep up the high quality videos!
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
lol, thanks!
@adamj26836 жыл бұрын
They don't call him "Meth Damon" for nothing. Google it
@vinaykumarsahu1166 жыл бұрын
This and screen prism channel never disappoints me with their analysis
@saigonvideos98026 жыл бұрын
I need spanish subtitles, I wait for this video for a long time.
@phamchunghieu45606 жыл бұрын
Swear to God I've never click on a thumbnail this fast before
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Sweet!
@phamchunghieu45606 жыл бұрын
Lessons from the Screenplay hope you will do more episodes about this show
@chaisepomme40706 жыл бұрын
It was also a very good paraody of Star Trek, the original series --- that stealing of her face was a direct homage to Charlie X, an immature teenaged boy imbued with great power by some aliens who adopted him. He gets onboard the Enterprise, gets a crush on Yeoman Janice Rand.... basically goes out of control by wreaking havoc on the crew when he doesn't get his way.
@VibeMusicAI6 жыл бұрын
I just recently saw this episode and was so fascinated by the concept. One of the few BM episodes I want a sequel to. Great video as always! What do you have planned next?
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Thanks! Not sure yet actually...
@DiagonelleDAvignon5 жыл бұрын
The storyline also is very similar to The Mad Hatter's introduction in Batman the Animated Series. Jervis Tech is a skilled technician who has a dream world that he is a fan of. He is stepped on at work. He starts obsessing over the first girl who is nice to him and uses his technology to make his dream world his reality but it is only by having absolute control over people.
@Nikkiflausch6 жыл бұрын
Oh god, an episode about Black Mirror. Oh god yes.
@thedigitaldystopia99094 жыл бұрын
Fun Fact: in the breaking bad movie El Camino there's a scene where Todd (same actor who plays Daly) shows his collection of snow globes and in one of them is a little snow globe figurine dressed in the Daly outfit in the desert with the big 10 legged monster from U.S.S Callister!
@RodrigoBrandaoBR6 жыл бұрын
Both episodes are great! This Rod Sterling opening narration ("Tonight story on the Twilight Zone is somewhat unique...") was used in Michael Jackson's song "Threatened" (Invincible, 2001). I'm a big fan of both and I love it! By the way, another great video! ^^
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Interesting! I didn't know that!
@RodrigoBrandaoBR6 жыл бұрын
Lessons from the Screenplay Threatened is a 21 century Thriller. It is a allegorical good song that uses many Sterling words to make a Vincent Price-like rap.
@kylefoutz49206 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this. I've never seen an episode of Black Mirror. I started your video, paused it, watched USS Callister, then resumed LFtS. Wow.
@AliceQuinnRose6 жыл бұрын
Note to wannabe screenwriters out there. Although everything in this video is correct and you can definitely learn some stuff from this. It's important to remember that when Brooker was writing the episode he most likely wasn't trying to intellectualise everything. He most likely trusted his gut and took notes from his valued proofreaders. I leave this comment not to crap on the video to warn people about a pitfall I've recently just come out of. Video essays can be watched and taken as gospel, which then leads people to worry about doing everything the easiest said while creating. This is a really bad habit that inhibits your work and makes you approach writing, directing, etc as a checklist. Which can only lead to you getting stressed out and focusing your efforts in the wrong places.
@dinadina20003 жыл бұрын
I feel like everyone's forgetting this episode's other ispirations was "I have no mouth and I must scream" which was written shortly after the writer put his heart and soul in what is now regarded one of the best star trek episodes of season one. He then felt as if the editors screwed him over and wrote in one night what would later become the first few pages of the (in)famous short story. Fallout 4 was the first combine the two and gave us a rather horrifying sequence of a sadistic old "dr.stangelove" man posing as a teenage girl in a virtual reality that incecentantly torments the vr suburban neighborhood with a dark secret. that is, I believe, penultimate in the quest to find your father.
@MrPkmngmr6 жыл бұрын
USS Callister was my best pick for Season 4. And after this video, it's now the greatest of the Season 4. Thank you very much for covering this. your analysis is always perfect 🙌
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
My pleasure, thanks! :)
@francescoramicani70376 жыл бұрын
thank for that video, I watched this using boxxy software app, I had not realized the episode's whole brilliance until I watched your video. USS Callister is truly well-made.
@CanadianBellator5 жыл бұрын
Can you please stop calling the main characters antagonists just because they're evil. That's not what antagonists, the antagonist is the one apposed to the protagonist. The protagonist, is the main character (good or bad)
@kyliehubbard50624 жыл бұрын
The protagonist is whoever the audience is meant to be rooting for. The antagonist is whoever the audience is meant to be rooting against. You're right that protagonist/antagonist and hero/villain do not mean the same things. There are countless examples of villain protagonists-Dr. Horrible from Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog, Zim from Invader Zim, & Walter White from Breaking Bad all come to mind. Each is opposed by their own hero antagonist in Cpt Hammer, Dib, or Hank Schrader. But in analyzing this episode specifically, LftS uses the terms correctly. Daley is both the villain, and the antagonist. Just because he's introduced first doesn't mean that he's the protagonist-that's why later, when his identity as the antagonist is revealed, it's a twist. Being the antagonist also doesn't necessarily disqualify you from being the main character, as with Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. Whether Daley or Cole is the main character is debatable. But even though I'll concede that, yes, Daley is the main character, that doesn't mean he's not the antagonist. If he truly were the protagonist, we would be rooting for him to succeed, to keep the other characters locked in the simulation forever, and become exalted in real life, the same way we hope that Walt will succeed in the meth business… but when you watch the episode, that's simply not the script's intent.
@diegom-a79706 жыл бұрын
For someone like me who wants to be filmaker your channel is gold. Thank you Michael!
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Awesome! :D
@antdude6 жыл бұрын
This was a great episode!
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@antdude6 жыл бұрын
You're welcome. :)
@davetuck51326 жыл бұрын
Great observations on a very effective episode - thanks for taking the time!
@yurix706 жыл бұрын
this ep underrated af
@jacobmorris36645 жыл бұрын
It won two Emmys.
@xyhanx5 жыл бұрын
USS Calister is my favorite Black Mirror episode .
@Hevvvyyy6 жыл бұрын
The chief looked like matt damons son.
@samseloo49624 жыл бұрын
Something I really Like about a lot of black mirror episodes is that while I’m watching the episode seems far darker and more twisted. But when I look back I can see how absurd it is. Like the first episode national anthem or striking vipers for example.
@teojnelson6 жыл бұрын
Another fantastic video! What do you think of doing an episode on a Hollywood classic? I recommend a video on 12 Angry Men. Personally, my favorite black and white film. My favorite episode of Black Mirror is Fifteen Million Merits.
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
I think that's a great suggestion!
@KwansimaJ5 жыл бұрын
this episode, the one with that dog that was killing everyone, and the museum scared me the most
@thegirllikesmovies73896 жыл бұрын
It’s my favorite episode
@writtingdream74814 жыл бұрын
I'm loving your channel, can't wait to see more!
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay4 жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoy it!
@bennyvee886 жыл бұрын
You are awesome, Michael! Thanks for these great lessons!
@jaysun40696 жыл бұрын
Great points. I hate how much hate the latest season got mostly because it basically wasn't like the previous seasons. These are the same people who would probably also complain if it was too much like the previous seasons and say it wasn't original and blah blah.
@taylorkonwinski69456 жыл бұрын
at 8:51 you managed to catch the Kirsten Dunst cameo! 👏
@yashraj12426 жыл бұрын
Great video. Can you please make a video on "Prisoners".
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
Thank you! I should rewatch that...
@zun155 жыл бұрын
i've been holding out on watching use callister and this video has made me watch this and i want to say thank you
@Vince0096 жыл бұрын
Do Toy Story! Also, nice sweater, isn't it like 70 degrees in LA?
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
I don't understand-70 degrees is clearly sweater weather!
@TC-tk6rc6 жыл бұрын
so happy you made this vid. I had recently watched that Twilight episode and hadn't made the correlation. Great insight!
@alfredwang76076 жыл бұрын
Also this video reminds me of the video of Blade Runner, both classic with a sci-fi spin-off
@LessonsfromtheScreenplay6 жыл бұрын
True!
@weightlessfilms56516 жыл бұрын
Very Nice! Can't believe you didn't mention Star Trek though! The visual homages in terms of how the various scenes are shot directly reflect the various series / recent films -- all the way to the lens flares of the new ones haha
@realpaatuhod6 жыл бұрын
Yes!!!!! 💕 hang on let me get a snack
@ja5866 жыл бұрын
Best comment ever.
@dre55406 жыл бұрын
I just watched Unbreakable, the 2000's M. Night Shyamalan film. You should do a video on foreshadowing, since this movie is a perfect example of such!