Published by Mason Oldridge, 21 June 2023
CONTAINS SPOILERS!
After a four year break due to real life becoming too much like an episode thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, Charlie Brooker brings us 5 new instalments of the chilling anthology series.
The new season kicks off with Joan Is Awful, which feels like a typical episode. The titular character finds her life has been adapted into a series on a streaming service in almost real-time and is an intense warning over the way AI such as ChatGPT (which was actually released after production) is going and what it could grow to become, as well as a stark message to read the terms and conditions.
Loch Henry incorporates horror with a twist that doesn’t disappoint. The episode, set in Scotland, is tense throughout as viewers can nervously await the response to the revelation. Beyond the Sea is set in space and, while the premise and featured tech offers an interesting concept, the slow pace across the lengthy runtime ultimately isn’t justified. Mazey Day challenges the morality of paparazzi as a group descend on a reclusive and troubled celebrity in the Czech Republic. The supernatural twist is an unforeseen one and makes for a dramatic yet tragic ending.
However, the standout episode is Demon 79. Released under the Red Mirror label due to its non-technological focus, this instalment still inhabits the characteristics of a typical episode: an unnatural situation featuring unnerving characters with a continuously unpredictable conclusion. The chosen form of the demon is hilarious and makes the bizarre scenario all the more gripping. The apocalyptic ending is cinematic though it is the chemistry between the two characters that earns the praise the most.
With more atmospheric scenes, shocking twists and disturbing acts, Brooker has successfully added some strong episodes to an already impressive collection.
7/10