It’s hard to choose a “Black Mirror” Season 7 favorite. Just don’t skip this episode

Black Mirror Season 7 feels like a return to the unsettling roots of the show, each plot focuses on different aspects of how artificial intelligence destroys society – already IS. I’ve looked at every entry in the new issue and a specific plot has bothered me since the credits rolled up.

I’m talking about hotels, which are mostly bittersweet black and white romance, bringing nostalgia and sincere emotions. However, beneath all this, there is a clear warning about the future of entertainment and the industry. In short, this episode hints at the threat of AI to Hollywood. And, I dare say, the bleak creative scenes that the plot suggests are already here.

The episode comes after Hollywood A-Lister Brandy Friday (played by Issa Rae), who decided to take a lot of risks in her career and starred in a remake of the retro movie that appropriately shares the title with the episode itself.

She soon discovered that this was not an ordinary project. Instead of facing the reality, she faces the reality that instead of starting a brand new take on the classic movie from scratch, she dials it into the flick AI rendering with the help of an immersive technology company called Redream – run by reality reality designer Kimmy (awkwafina) – will perform live with the opposite of reality, the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors who are the actors.

Dorothy Chambers (Emma Corrin) is the star of the movie, hanging out in each scene with the mysterious Ingenue Clara. Brandy’s job is to compete with Clara’s love interest Dr. Palmer. The immersive project, if successful, will advance a new echelon of her career on Friday and introduce the world to a new approach to filmmaking that will change the entertainment industry forever.

Spoiler warning: Before I proceed, I must warn you that there are major stories The spoiler below. If you haven’t seen the Reverie Hotel, I suggest you look back now.

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The 76-minute plot is an emotional roller coaster that ultimately presents itself as a tragedy of romance and identity. Reverie explores how actors, also women of color, must browse through her professional and personal life to maintain a certain degree of success and status without causing too many waves.

Just like before her favorite season 3 San Junipero, Reverie Hotel Reverie planted seeds into an unlikely romance that could blossom between two places that were disconnected from the real world limitations of time and space. Brandy blends with Dorothy’s charm with the actor’s AI version, revealing a fulfilling relationship to Brandy when the system turns black, she may never give herself grace. The line between fantasy and reality quickly blurred.

The death of virtual reality is not a new science fiction concept. But Reverie not only adds life-threatening bets to the mix, it can also place themes such as body autonomy, agency and identity on the chopping block. Telling the story with classic movies as a stylistic shot and exploring these ideas creates a poignant and fun experience.

But what if you narrow your vision a little and see a bigger picture? You might think of this black mirror plot as a death knell for the filmmaking. Reverie lists a fictional reality that raises doubts about AI and that it could undermine (and potentially undermine) the concept of entertainment we know about.

OK, this sounds dramatic. I get it. As an actor participating in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, I watched these topics drive the most intense debates and dialogue that drives these negotiations.

Assuming software like Redream exists in the real world and mixing classic movies for modern audiences like Hotel Reverie becomes a hot new trend. In this case, there will be a huge impact. Economic impact will be a difficult range. There are no preparations for film reports to films such as crew, make-up and wardrobe artists, suit designers, catering providers and more people who make movie production machines run will not have jobs.

However, when the creative process is renamed as content creation, human influences can become blurred and push them toward the background. Netflix obviously knows this. After all, it yes A technology company. It can get itself involved in Black Mirror’s ongoing stream jokes, but when so many hours of movies and TV shows get lost in the agitation of streaming, the content and art debate begins to show some teeth.

Now, consider the similarity of using Dorothy here. Since she is a dead character, Redream will need to allow her property to continue with this immersive project. How much does that cost? What does creatives face if they are like Reverie, like a hotel?

Issa Rae during Netflix’s “Virtual News Day” Issa Rae told me that it was a violation of the original filmmakers, who spent a lot of time and meticulous details making the film. “So, to make any ordinary Joe or company OK, ‘we’re going to be contemporary stars and then hijinks come with it,’ for me it’s crazy. This will make me angry on many levels. ”

The hotel in the hotel has no happy ending. The episode ends with the movie rebooting becoming a huge hit, Brandy’s career hitting new heights. But success at this level can be isolated. Her lifelong love lives in a virtual field, and it turns out that human life is unsustainable. That definitely sucks.

Reverie makes viewers wonder if brandy can find happiness outside of the fantasy life that takes place on the other end of the screen. This makes me question whether our way of entertainment is the edge of evolution or collapse. I don’t have an answer; neither is the plot.

However, I kept replaying these thoughts in my head. So, yes, I was bothered by the hotel’s Reverie. It’s beautiful, miserable and disturbing, like any good episode in the Black Mirror. Wait, this means that the science fiction series understands the assignment again, right?

I think so. Mr Brooke, it was a great time. well played.