This was an amazing bonus episode. Like normal in "Black Mirror" it started mostly normal. Just a couple people in a cabin out in the woods. I have seen many horror movies, this is a recipe for disaster. That is what I was expecting, a horror episode, but that is not what I got. Both Matt's and Joe's stories of what they used to do were very disturbing, for different reasons. It was Joe's story that got my attention.
Joe trained 'cookies'. Cookies are next-gen digital assistants. It is what the 'cookies' are that is most disturbing. It is the consciousness of the person they are assisting, that makes sense. Who better to assist you, than you, but in order for a 'cookie' to be effective, they must first be broken. Let's not forget that a 'cookie' thinks that it is a person and not a digital copy and Joe has the most effective and quickest way to break them, solitude. By altering the cookie's perception of time through the program, he can make it so that any amount of time passes for the cookie in a moment in real time. This may seem harsh, but it is very effective.
In the end, the punishment that Joe gets for his crime is kind of harsh. Every person that he encounters he sees as a blur, and hears distortion. I couldn't even imagine what this would do to someone's psyche.
Now, on to the questions!
What did you think about Matt's story?
What did you think about Joe's story?
How did you feel about what they did to Matt's 'cookie'?
Do you think Joe's punishment was extreme?
Please include the Why!
All comments welcome!
White Christmas