issue 8 // volume 43

‘Welcome to the darkness, we
hope you find it enlightening’

> ‘Black Mirror’ season 3 review

Aaron Guillen
Staff Reporter

kek

f you have ever wondered what

the future holds for you, look no
further—Black Mirror hits the nail
right on the head. The third season of
the British anthology series, now on
Netflix, contains six episodes, each
with its own cast, storyline, and reality.
The premise behind each episode
remains the same—to show the reality
that society could fall into within the
blink of an eye, if we're too careless.

Black Mirror aims to remind
viewers that humans will only begin to
understand themselves and others once
the technology they use from dawn to
dusk is turned off, as reflected in the
title. Having never heard of the series
before, I took a leap of faith as I pressed
the play button while browsing through
Netflix on a weekday night. From the
moment the first episode began until
the final one ended, I was hooked.

The first episode shows us a woman
in a social-media-driven world, desperate
to upgrade her status rankings. In this
reality where certain scores determine
privileges, the lines of equality become
blurred. The agony for acceptance
is executed to a tee. In addition, the
pastel-infused world and simplistic
soundtrack provide a subtle eeriness

 

>» THE FUTURE !5 BRIGHT. /

  

Image via Netflix

throughout the season premiere.

The second episode introduces a
reality where technology has advanced
beyond our wildest imagination,
especially when it comes to video
games. One test subject will convince
you that his fear has come to life in its
raw and uninhibited form. On top of
the many jump scares, the time and
space reality that is ultimately revealed

makes this episode a must-watch.

The third episode is set in a world
that is seemingly the same as today. Ina
game of cat and mouse, the frightening
reality of having someone blackmail
you with private information is brought
to life. The story that unfolds seems all
too real: This is also the episode most
likely to play out in real time, if it hasn't
happened already. The mystery of it all

Inside the lives of millennials

> ‘Second Jen’ review

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 

humorous points in the episode, there
were other parts where I did not
laugh. If you are not a fan of this
type of comedy, this show may not
appeal to you. Second fen airs on
City, which means that the quality
of it is not as great as shows on CBC,
which are usually of higher quality.
Most of the characters in Second
Jen are millennials, and this isa
big aspect of the show. In the
transitions, we see pictures
that both Jens took, which
shows that they use social
media a lot. We also see
hashtags that describe what
is going on in the episode.
The score contains electronic
music, which is a type of music
that a lot of millennials
like. Both Jens remind
me of Hannah and
Marnie from Girls.
The show also
portrays some
of the challenges
that millennials face
in the outside
world. A few
examples of
this are when
the Jens’ landlord
thinks that they do not know

Jerrison Oracion
Senior Columnist

kkk

n my earlier review of Kim’s

Convenience, I mentioned the show
Second Jen. The show, which began on
October 27, does not only highlight
cultural diversity by featuring Chinese
Canadians and Filipino Canadians,
it also talks about a generation of
people: millennials. Second Jen is
about two best friends living in
Toronto who are both named Jen.

The show begins with Jen
Monteloyola (Amanda Joy) asking her
friend Jen Wu (Samantha Wan) if she can
live with her because Jen M.’s parents
are moving back to the Philippines.
Next, they move into a townhousein
downtown Toronto, try to put Jen M.’s
couch in their room, and meet their
new neighbours: two roommates named
Nate (Munro Chambers) and Lewis (Al
Mukadam). In the first episode, we learn
a lot about Nate, who is a scout for a
hockey team. We do not learn a lot about
Lewis, and we will probably learn more
about him as the season progresses.

Compared to Kim’s Convenience,
there are not a lot of funny moments
in the show. While there were some

 

arts // no. 7

persists throughout the episode, and
keeps the watcher in satisfied suspense.

The fourth episode takes place
on the shores of a beach town as a
lonely girl searches for a companion.
The bond that she makes will warm
the hearts of viewers, while shocking
many with the twist of technology.

The fifth episode brings the
viewer to a reality where soldiers use
advanced technology in combat. When
things go awry ona mission, a soldier
begins to unveil the grim truth that
has overshadowed his entire time
of service. This episode tugs at the
heartstrings and reminds the audience
that we all deserve to be equals.

Finally, the sixth episode is,
unfortunately, the dullest of the season.
The goals of correcting our current
society’s propensity for hate speech
may interest viewers. But it feels too
similar to the plot of BrainDead, a
recent summer series, which leaves
some viewers unfulfilled. After watching
every moment of the lengthiest episode,
the series doesn’t end on a bang, in my
opinion. While the timing is off and the
characters are quite boring during that
episode, the series as a whole makes up
for the one episode that falls to the side.

All in all, Black Mirror has the
undeniable ability to remind you that
futuristic realities, such as the ones in
the series, aren’t so far away. Perhaps
that’s the most frightening thing of all.

how to accept responsibility, and when
Jen W.’s mom (who is not as funny as
Mrs. Kim from Kim’s Convenience)
tells her that she is not ready to
live by herself. There are other
TV shows about this generation,
including Survivor: Millennials vs.
Gen X and This is High School.
Second Jen has some
unusual elements. There
are “wall squirrels” in
the Jens’ room, there is
interesting camerawork,
and there is a scene where
Jen W. leaves the room
and Jen M. sits down
suddenly. While the
show is not very funny, it
provides a good picture
of how millennials
live their lives.
Second Jen airs
Thursdays at
8:30 p.m.
on City.

Image via City TV