Good point, in simpler terms which might amuse but this episode actually made me think of The Running Man as soon as the reveal happened. Arnie got set-up in that film quite easily due to corrupt manipulation, so as the audience we could easily assume that she could in fact have done nothing in the first place and was just a guinea pig.
That's what I thought. As the episode was questioning mob mentality and the way people can act in a negative way collectively, the fact that her boyfriend killed himself would quite possibly hint at the crowd wanting a scapegoat anyway.
It doesn't matter what she did or didn't do, they just wanted somebody to pay for his crimes.
This show may be prophetic considering that a comedian in Italy might decide the outcome of the government as he is getting a great deal of votes :eek:
That is quite an uncanny coincidence that an Italian ex-comedian is in the news today up for election.
You couldn't really plan for such perfect timing to air this particular episode.
I didn't really like the main story about politics etc, but I felt sorry for the main character throughout He was just lonely and wanted to be loved - playing Waldo was his chance to escape and be loved, even if the "love" wasn't really for him. He realised he'd taken Waldo too far and was ruining his chance for real-life happiness, but it was too late. It's like when people waste their votes by voting for silly "joke" parties, or parties that actively encourage hatred - this was a mixture of both by the end. The one thing he was passionate about turned out to be the thing that would ultimately destroy him and he was left with nothing, even though he'd tried to do the right thing and talk some sense into people. Nobody with any power could be trusted (politicians, the "new" Waldo, the police at the end) but they were in charge and the "little people" just had to put up and make do with being treated like rubbish... and he was still lonely, but with nothing to live for either. Sad
I love Black Mirror - but that was a real chore to watch.
I think it would have been better if Waldo was actually funny - then it would have at least been fun to watch.
It still would have been just as silly to see him running for Parliament.
Also the guy who operated Waldo, wasn't remotely funny or likeable either.
Except young people - most of whom would not have voted for Waldo anyway - grow up. Get jobs. Mortgages/Rent. Cars. Children. So they vote - if the vote - for the party that best represents their needs and beliefs. Waldo represents nothing - a protest vote. Which would be limited. Even to use him as political engineering - just destroying opposition so the 'right' party wins - would only work so far before a party started fighting back and the voting public catch on. And more importantly, it would only be so long before Waldo falls victim to the voter apathy that he uses.
Thank you!!! I like some deep analysis to engage my brain and spark a little debate for deeper thought, the episode for me just didn't do that for me this time.
I think that while young people grow up, there is a larger proportion who are not getting jobs or paying off mortages, they cant even get on the property ladder, struggle to get a worthwhile job and the country is in a debt crisis. As you said "Waldo represents nothing", that's all they have at the moment, in their eyes.
The younger generation are the ones who started the riots, the ones where communication is instant on twitbook and youtube, and deep down opinions are swayed by the media. It is not because they are young, but it is the way that this generation expresses themselves and form their opinions, which they are not nessisarily going to "grow out of".
So do I, this may have been a path that they thought "The Idiots" could go down, but rejected it because it wouldn't have worked. I'm not sure it did tonight.
Brooker the rich liberal establishment TV producer attacking the Tories again, what a rebel :rolleyes:
I don't agree in this case. He's made the Tory politician quite credible.
It could have been so tempting to make the Tory MP an easy target and write this in a very one-sided manner. But he made the Tory MP seem okay really and make strong points.
I don't agree in this case. He's made the Tory politician quite credible.
It could have been so tempting to make the Tory MP an easy target and write this in a very one-sided manner. But he made the Tory MP seem okay really and make strong points.
I agree.
I also agreed with the Tory candidate when he was talking about Waldo. And that's the first time I've even agreed with Tories (and that was fictional!)
I don't agree in this case. He's made the Tory politician quite credible.
It could have been so tempting to make the Tory MP an easy target and write this in a very one-sided manner. But he made the Tory MP seem okay really and make strong points.
He still made him an oily out of touch Old Etonian though.
Based on an idea by Chris Morris and Charlie Brooker.
Victor Lewis-Smith > Chris Morris > Charlie Brooker.
VLS? Is that immature public school rivalry still going?
I think their careers speak for themselves, the other two responsible for such great TV as Brass Eye, Dead Set, Black Mirror, Nathan Barley, Screenwipe etc vs the guy who brought us.....the gay daleks Hmmmmm.....
Enjoyed it tonight, perhaps more than anything a lesson on how your own creation can get away from you and end up almost controlling you instead of the other way around.
That was her, sacked by The Sun in 2003 but continued as Smash Hits editor until it closed in 2006, can't find out what she's doing now, working for Smash Hits radio maybe?
VLS? Is that immature public school rivalry still going?
I think their careers speak for themselves, the other two responsible for such great TV as Brass Eye, Dead Set, Black Mirror, Nathan Barley, Screenwipe etc vs the guy who brought us.....the gay daleks Hmmmmm.....
Also...all that political message too. Yes.
Sorry I cocked that up, I didn't mean > as superior to, I just meant Lewis-Smith influenced Morris who in turn influenced Brooker.
Liked the episode
Is it just me that got an Avid Merrion "The Bear" vibe from Waldo?
I saw him as a bit Ali G tbh, he could've done that way, especially with the politicians wanting to use him (or his fictional show) to speak to da youth in the early days.
I also agreed with the Tory candidate when he was talking about Waldo. And that's the first time I've even agreed with Tories (and that was fictional!)
So, no he didn't try to slam the tories
When I typed that he was slamming the Tories though, in fairness he did then move onto Labour (but in a half-hearted, contractual obligation, 10 O'Clock Live kind of a way), it wouldn't surprise me if Brooker were actually a Labour Party member, a lot of TV comedians are.
He still made his an oily out of touch Old Etonian though.
I didn't think it was just a swipe at the tories, I thought it was a general swipe at politicians. Him for his public school and inability to really know about people's lives, the Labour candidate, doing it as a career move. The Lib bloke, no stance at all.
I also do think it maybe have been trying to get the point across, that with politicians so out of touch, a blue animated bear that represents nothing can come second as the public in a sense, won't so much get off their backides and rebel, they will follow an animation and see that as rebelling. Yet in the long run, the bear was as bad as those they were rebelling about.
Or maybe I just saw this as I must admit, couldn't quite pinpoint the actual point being made
He still made his an oily out of touch Old Etonian though.
Yes but he also made the Labour politician into a career politician. I didn't get the sense that he was being one-sided here. I think it was a truthful and honest enough depiction of how politicians from all parties can be.
I though it was okay enough, but not the strongest episode of Black Mirror.
My main problem with it is that it felt as though he couldn't come up with a strong ending.
It just didn't seem to go anywhere and he didn't know how to wrap up the story with a satisfying conclusion.
The guy ended up as a drunken tramp in the alley looking at a screen with the earlier plan into making Waldo a worldwide political product.
I was left thinking "Is that it?".
...My main problem with it is that it felt as though he couldn't come up with a strong ending.
It just didn't seem to go anywhere and he didn't know how to wrap up the story with a satisfying conclusion.
The guy ended up as a drunken tramp in the alley looking at a screen with the earlier plan into making Waldo a worldwide political product.
I was left thinking "Is that it?".
Very weak conclusion I thought.
That nightmare future stuff felt like afterthought - just tacked onto the end.
A poor attempt at a interesting twist.
When I typed that he was slamming the Tories though, in fairness he did then move onto Labour (but in a half-hearted, contractual obligation, 10 O'Clock Live kind of a way), it wouldn't surprise me if Brooker were actually a Labour Party member, a lot of TV comedians are.
Although I'm pretty sure I read in one of his books of articles that he really hates the tories, it doesn't necessarily follow he's a Labour Party member. A number of TV comedians may well be left leaning, but I can't think of that many who announce their membership (of any party).
Comments
Was that Emma Jones? She was a hottie though.
That's what I thought. As the episode was questioning mob mentality and the way people can act in a negative way collectively, the fact that her boyfriend killed himself would quite possibly hint at the crowd wanting a scapegoat anyway.
It doesn't matter what she did or didn't do, they just wanted somebody to pay for his crimes.
Nope, I made that comparison early on
That is quite an uncanny coincidence that an Italian ex-comedian is in the news today up for election.
You couldn't really plan for such perfect timing to air this particular episode.
No - not just you. It was about the first thing I though of. But the Bear was actually funny:D
I love Black Mirror - but that was a real chore to watch.
I think it would have been better if Waldo was actually funny - then it would have at least been fun to watch.
It still would have been just as silly to see him running for Parliament.
Also the guy who operated Waldo, wasn't remotely funny or likeable either.
Thank you!!! I like some deep analysis to engage my brain and spark a little debate for deeper thought, the episode for me just didn't do that for me this time.
I think that while young people grow up, there is a larger proportion who are not getting jobs or paying off mortages, they cant even get on the property ladder, struggle to get a worthwhile job and the country is in a debt crisis. As you said "Waldo represents nothing", that's all they have at the moment, in their eyes.
The younger generation are the ones who started the riots, the ones where communication is instant on twitbook and youtube, and deep down opinions are swayed by the media. It is not because they are young, but it is the way that this generation expresses themselves and form their opinions, which they are not nessisarily going to "grow out of".
So do I, this may have been a path that they thought "The Idiots" could go down, but rejected it because it wouldn't have worked. I'm not sure it did tonight.
I don't agree in this case. He's made the Tory politician quite credible.
It could have been so tempting to make the Tory MP an easy target and write this in a very one-sided manner. But he made the Tory MP seem okay really and make strong points.
I agree.
I also agreed with the Tory candidate when he was talking about Waldo. And that's the first time I've even agreed with Tories (and that was fictional!)
So, no he didn't try to slam the tories
He still made him an oily out of touch Old Etonian though.
He is far too good an actor to be playing a bellend student in those ads.
VLS? Is that immature public school rivalry still going?
I think their careers speak for themselves, the other two responsible for such great TV as Brass Eye, Dead Set, Black Mirror, Nathan Barley, Screenwipe etc vs the guy who brought us.....the gay daleks Hmmmmm.....
Enjoyed it tonight, perhaps more than anything a lesson on how your own creation can get away from you and end up almost controlling you instead of the other way around.
Also...all that political message too. Yes.
That was her, sacked by The Sun in 2003 but continued as Smash Hits editor until it closed in 2006, can't find out what she's doing now, working for Smash Hits radio maybe?
Sorry I cocked that up, I didn't mean > as superior to, I just meant Lewis-Smith influenced Morris who in turn influenced Brooker.
I saw him as a bit Ali G tbh, he could've done that way, especially with the politicians wanting to use him (or his fictional show) to speak to da youth in the early days.
When I typed that he was slamming the Tories though, in fairness he did then move onto Labour (but in a half-hearted, contractual obligation, 10 O'Clock Live kind of a way), it wouldn't surprise me if Brooker were actually a Labour Party member, a lot of TV comedians are.
I didn't think it was just a swipe at the tories, I thought it was a general swipe at politicians. Him for his public school and inability to really know about people's lives, the Labour candidate, doing it as a career move. The Lib bloke, no stance at all.
I also do think it maybe have been trying to get the point across, that with politicians so out of touch, a blue animated bear that represents nothing can come second as the public in a sense, won't so much get off their backides and rebel, they will follow an animation and see that as rebelling. Yet in the long run, the bear was as bad as those they were rebelling about.
Or maybe I just saw this as I must admit, couldn't quite pinpoint the actual point being made
Yes but he also made the Labour politician into a career politician. I didn't get the sense that he was being one-sided here. I think it was a truthful and honest enough depiction of how politicians from all parties can be.
I though it was okay enough, but not the strongest episode of Black Mirror.
My main problem with it is that it felt as though he couldn't come up with a strong ending.
It just didn't seem to go anywhere and he didn't know how to wrap up the story with a satisfying conclusion.
The guy ended up as a drunken tramp in the alley looking at a screen with the earlier plan into making Waldo a worldwide political product.
I was left thinking "Is that it?".
Very weak conclusion I thought.
What a gross distortion of reality, eh?
That nightmare future stuff felt like afterthought - just tacked onto the end.
A poor attempt at a interesting twist.
Although I'm pretty sure I read in one of his books of articles that he really hates the tories, it doesn't necessarily follow he's a Labour Party member. A number of TV comedians may well be left leaning, but I can't think of that many who announce their membership (of any party).