Black Mirror: Series 2 - Episode 2

This was an initially creepy and unusual story with a very surprising twist.

The episode opened with an intriguing mystery of Victoria Skillane who wakes up in a bedroom, not being able to remember who she is. It was interesting and creepy as she adventured outside to find everyone filming her every move. This was an weird and good idea explore and reflect as this does seem to be a thing nowadays that whenever something happens people start filming it. The apocalyptic situation is well thought through and was a scary concept.

The tension is built up again with the introduction of Jem, Damian and Baxter, especially as Baxter, who had initially saved Victoria and Jem from the voyageurs: the people constantly filming, then turned on them and was about to torture Victoria before being shot dead by Jem. The constant use of flashbacks also helps to create more mystery and intrigue around the truth identity of Victoria and why this world exists.

The revelation of the truth was in itself twisted and such a shock. Victoria was revealed to be an accomplice to the kidnap and murder of a toddler by her fiance. She had filmed the whole thing and was found guilty and sentenced in a kind of eye for an eye situation where she has to suffer this strange world everyday and then be made to remember in front of a baiting group as part of a reality tv show. This is a very twisted concept of punishment and it was kind of strange to feel sympathy for Victoria especially when her mind is being wiped by some electrodes while having to watch the footage she filmed.

Lenora Crichlow gave a fantastic performance as Victoria, really allowing for me to connect with the character and maintain that even when the character's true identity was revealed. The rest of the main cast, including Michael Smiley, Tuppence Middleton, Ian Bonar, Nick Ofield, Russell Barnett and Imani Jackman, all gave great portrayals of their characters enabling me to believe in the fake world that they aimed to create.