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| Early hit Dead Set explores the relationships between audiences and reality shows, asking the question: what if the audience were literally zombies? |
Understanding Black Mirror in general and San Junipero in particular is not something that exists in isolation. Instead our understanding is based on a range of cultural and referential circumstances. Perhaps the most important frame of reference to understanding the TV show is an awareness of Charlie Brooker, the man who created the show, and who wrote the episode we studied.
Charlie Brooker is a TV presenter, writer, media personality and social commentator (!) who gained notoriety through initially writing reviews and comic strips for videogame magazines. His big break was writing the TV column in the Guardian newspaper, which presented an often hateful and irreverent (as well as extremely funny) look at the media. Brooker's popularity extended beyond the remit of the column, and ultimately he was able to present a show, Screenwipe, on BBC4, and eventually make TV shows such as Nathan Barley and Dead Set for Channel 4
Broker's early output has much in common with Black Mirror. It presents a savage, edgy attack on modern technology and the issues that it throws up. It's also very funny. Knowledge of Brooker's output helps us to understand his remit: a criticism of increasingly digitally convergent media platforms, combined with a genuine love and affection for trash culture, and the hypocrisy that this brings up.
Please note that these case studies are filled with strong language and adult situations, and present a significantly more savage and misanthropic worldview than that seen in San Junipero. Perhaps Brooker has mellowed with age?
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe - how editing constructs reality
Just a little point here: Screenwipe is basically 'media studies: the show". If you want to explore this subject further, it comes so highly recommended that I literally cannot think of anything more useful to do for revision than watching it. So please, watch as much of it as possible!
Charlie Brooker's Newswipe - on the David Cameron pig allegations
Please note that the above clip is VERY explicit in its discussion of a recent media panic and rumour gone totally out of control, though frankly it's one of the best possible examples of how media can be used to effectively manipulate an audience
Charlie Brooker's Screenburn - reality TV
The column that started it all! Some strong language here
Nathan Barley - episode one
The cult classic satire of influencers and vlogging and Vice magazine so on, before any of these things actually existed. Note that some later episodes are EXTREMELY adult, for want of a better term
Dead Set - episode one
What would happen to the contestants of Big Brother in the middle of a zombie apocalypse? This clever, tense horror narrative juggles being utterly ridiculous and shocking, and is a clear predecessor to many of the themes and concepts later bought up in Black Mirror
'Next On Black Mirror'
This satirical article playfully criticises Black Mirror and it's relentless yet also hypocritical criticism of technology, which is frankly something that can be leveled at all Brooker's content, but it's very funny nonetheless