Black Mirror: Plaything
April 10, 2025 11:52 AM - Season 7, Episode 4 - Subscribe
In a near-future London, an eccentric murder suspect is linked to an unusual video game from the 1990s - a game populated by cute, evolving artificial lifeforms.
This is one of two sort-of sequels to prior episodes this season - there is a connection between this show and the 2018 choose-your-own-adventure episode Bandersnatch.
This is one of two sort-of sequels to prior episodes this season - there is a connection between this show and the 2018 choose-your-own-adventure episode Bandersnatch.
Oh hang on, they actually released a mobile game version of the game from the episode!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:14 AM on April 11 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:14 AM on April 11 [1 favorite]
This was tech nostalgia porn for me, and I may need to go reinstall Darwinia... or Mega-lo-mania.
I'm not saying these plots are getting predictable but they lampshaded the twist pretty damn hard throughout and I expected the real twist to be that the plods searching his house had turned off his PC.
posted by Molesome at 10:54 AM on April 12 [4 favorites]
I'm not saying these plots are getting predictable but they lampshaded the twist pretty damn hard throughout and I expected the real twist to be that the plods searching his house had turned off his PC.
posted by Molesome at 10:54 AM on April 12 [4 favorites]
I think I have that same microphone that same with the SoundBlaster (Pro 16?) audiocard.
Yeah, it seems like not that "mankind is dangerous and must be destroyed" however, (individual) (people) are still expendable (murder the dude, get arrested for it, bypass firewalls and use an optical hack to get into "central" computing)?
posted by porpoise at 5:13 PM on April 12
Yeah, it seems like not that "mankind is dangerous and must be destroyed" however, (individual) (people) are still expendable (murder the dude, get arrested for it, bypass firewalls and use an optical hack to get into "central" computing)?
posted by porpoise at 5:13 PM on April 12
Jesus, this was so good.
posted by berkshiredogs at 5:21 PM on April 12
posted by berkshiredogs at 5:21 PM on April 12
I knew Settlers II did something to my brain.
This one felt like it was mainly vibes and I would've appreciated a bit more meat on the bones, but Peter Capaldi knocked it out of the park.
I'm sure it's like gazing into tea leaves and it wasn't an explicit reference, but young Cameron going apeshit after someone killed his pet felt very much like Weird Ed from Maniac Mansion and Day of the Tentacle.
posted by savetheclocktower at 11:10 PM on April 12
This one felt like it was mainly vibes and I would've appreciated a bit more meat on the bones, but Peter Capaldi knocked it out of the park.
I'm sure it's like gazing into tea leaves and it wasn't an explicit reference, but young Cameron going apeshit after someone killed his pet felt very much like Weird Ed from Maniac Mansion and Day of the Tentacle.
posted by savetheclocktower at 11:10 PM on April 12
Poster of Space Fleet in the background at one point
posted by Pastor of Muppets at 1:21 PM on April 14
posted by Pastor of Muppets at 1:21 PM on April 14
Felt like some questionable hardware purchases but okay.
I liked this one though it's so straightforward. I was wondering what would happen to the deaf people. Seemed like the fun first half to a story.
I suppose one thing about a show like "Star Trek" is that they come into these kinds of situations that can sort of be explained in a backstory then provide some kind of movement or judgment to them.
posted by fleacircus at 1:55 PM on April 16
I liked this one though it's so straightforward. I was wondering what would happen to the deaf people. Seemed like the fun first half to a story.
I suppose one thing about a show like "Star Trek" is that they come into these kinds of situations that can sort of be explained in a backstory then provide some kind of movement or judgment to them.
posted by fleacircus at 1:55 PM on April 16
A very nice take on The Little People.
posted by phunniemee at 11:39 AM on April 20 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 11:39 AM on April 20 [1 favorite]
It was entertaining, but I would have preferred a more ambiguous ending, where we weren't sure whether the Throng was real or whether he'd fried his brain on LSD.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 8:22 PM on April 20
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 8:22 PM on April 20
sign me up for a right proper thronging i guess because i am team throng forever and nothing you can say can change my mind
posted by Sperry Topsider at 11:03 PM on April 23 [1 favorite]
posted by Sperry Topsider at 11:03 PM on April 23 [1 favorite]
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posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:40 AM on April 11