Why I can't binge Black Mirror

With the Season 4 of Black Mirror telling new tales of intrigue, technology and the omens of a dystopian future, I thought it would be an appropriate time to talk about Black Mirror and how it has changed the television viewing experience.

With an endless collection of streaming platforms (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO, Starz, Vudu, Crunchyroll, YouTube, Sling, and many more) television viewing methods have changed. Bingeing and consecutive viewing is now the standard for younger generations. Appointment viewing is now reserved for important shows that don’t immediately show up on the major platforms (just ask my fiancé about The Bachelor).

This has limited television’s ability to tackle complex and controversial topics in a single 40-minute episode. Complicated stories are usually told over a 10 – 20-episode season or on film. This allows television to keep viewers on the edge of their seats and wanting to dive right into the next episode.

However, one show has risen to popularity by defying the traditional format of storytelling. By recalling the enigmatic storytelling method of The Twilight Zone (TZ), Black Mirror (BM) has told stories of dystopian futures torn apart by our dependence on technology. These episodes cover a wide range of topics with the overarching theme of digital dependence.

However, there is a major difference between TZ and BM. I, and many others cannot binge watch Black Mirror like we can with The Twilight Zone.

TZ was a show that I watched for hours on end when I was young. I would compile a fat stack of TZ reruns, filling up our DVR in the process to watch after school. Now that I have a wealth of television at my fingertips, without even having a TV, the concept remains true today. But the fact is, I have never watched more than two episodes of BM back-to-back.

BM has done what TZ chose not to attempt. BM made itself relatable by setting itself in the very near future. TZ was always set in another universe where magic and paranormal activity were a common occurrence. After watching TZ, I never really had to worry about pig-faced monsters taking over the Earth.

But BM has taken nuggets of our reality and spun them into suspense/thriller stories. Stories about hackers and trolls blackmailing people into committing heinous crimes is not a far-fetched idea. People would pay exorbitant amounts of money for a software that let them speak with a simulation of their deceased love one.

After watching each episode, I sit and think. If I have watched it with others, I will discuss the episode with them and break down everything that happened. My train of thought always reaches the question of “How many steps is our society away from this episode?” Almost every time, the answer is “Not many.”

After watching BM, I am in awe of how the show runners crafted a story that tackles such disturbing topics that reflect our own society. BM has become one of my favorite shows of all time for showing its viewers how careful we must be with the responsibilities that come with digital technology. If we aren’t careful, we may all end up having to rate every single social interaction.