"Black Mirror" is one of those shows that just needs to be cherished. A daring and intelligent commentary on technology and its impact on society, never using technology itself as the villain but how it directly affects those who use it. It wears its influences on its sleeve, (as the video mentions above) taking great precedence in taking shows like the legendary "Twilight Zone" and its misunderstood cousin "Night Gallery" and bringing them into the modern world.
This is no different in the again Charlie Brooker-penned special "White Christmas", which yes, it is good enough to warrant thoughts about in the August 2 years after its airing, the nihilism felt after watching was just too much. A feeling only rivalled by the closest David Fincher film, it beats you down with an all too frightening and all too potentially real triplet of tales. An overarching story serves the basis for three short stories which each tie into a final conclusion.
The frankly peerless writing by Charlie Brooker is backed up by strength after strength, Jon Hamm and Rafe Spall play off each other perfectly with the formers charm coming through from the first shot he appears in. Now, its not a matter of playful banter but cold-hearted deception as the story unravels (to which there will be no spoilers) and if one thing is to be remembered from this it is to be careful who and what you trust.
It's a great shame that saying practically anything about this episode correlates to a spoiler, minor or not, as it is ultimately best to go in blank as to what it actually is. That's coming from a sheltered spoiler-free person whose only just seen it years after its broadcast. Seriously, stop reading now and just go watch it. Don't put it off like I did and become frustrated as to why you did so. That way if you stop reading I can divulge some lovely spoilers for those who have. That's a final warning.
It starts simple with the two characters in a secluded outpost separate from their past events, as if they've been there for a whole 5 years. As the three tales (in the most discomforting way possible) gloss over you and become progressively sinister, the world around said characters begins to dissolve as the truth comes out: a mere trick, a mere trick that is so intricately tied with the short stories that it doesn't require its own set-up. They were the set-up. A fantastic stroke of writing as the characters get their (arguably) not so just deserves and you're completely in the loop, only leaving you with that feeling of dread dissipated and restored with new-found... hopelessness.
As Brooker himself said, you're only just left with a black screen of whatever device you're watching it on, gawping in shock at your own reflection as the credits roll. Every. Time. If a show can never cease to surprise and intrigue in new and darkly comic ways like "Black Mirror" can, you know its special.
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