The following bullet points were made in a brief discussion about the episode immediately after it being screened. No frame question was asked, yet many of the principal thematic elements of the episode were raised, and shall be explored in greater detail as the unit progresses
- A highly polysemic mode of address is constructed through the establishment of two separator eras, which is made explicit through a satisfying plot twist approximately halfway through the episode.
- The MES of the lighting is highly distinctive, with highly saturated reds and blues. Often referred to as ‘bisexual lighting’, the colour scheme evokes the LGBTQ= flag, in particular the bisexual colours, yet also is highly fashionable and evokes the time in which it was made (2016) AND makes nostalgic reference to an idealised, hyperreal 1980s setting
- However, the colour scheme and the soundtrack combine to construct a highly nostalgic mode of address. While many audiences will not have first hand knowledge of the 1980s, they will have complex reactions and negotiations of a glorified and idealised version of the 1980s
- A glorified and idealised version of the 1980s, that presents a powerful escapist fantasy to the target audience
- Pastel pink clothing of the main character has queer connotations, yet is also traditionally feminine, and conversely rejects hegemonic attitudes towards female attractiveness
- The episode makes extensive use of character archetypes predominantly from 80s teen films, including The Breakfast Club, Grease, The Goonies, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty In Pink…
- Is this a dystopia or a utopia? The episode encourages audiences to negotiate this thorny issue
- San Junipero is a simulation, and everyone has a different perspective on this hypothesis
- Combination of science fiction and romance constructs an interesting mode of address and allows the episode to target a wider audience
- Black Mirror is an anthology show with a series of self-contained narratives
- A highly emotional mode of address is constructed through themes of love, and the struggle between reality and a simulation
- San Junipero is a construction based on nostalgic images from films set in and filmed in the 1980s
- Lacks many of the conventions of the sci-fi genre, including special effects, aliens, spaceships…
- Simulation - a reconstruction of reality that has been created from scratch.
- Examples of video games that feature detailed simulation include Assassin’s Creed, The Sims, Grand Theft Auto, Watchdogs and Cyberpunk
- Within the context of the diegesis of this episode, the consciousness of individuals can be uploaded to the cloud, digitised, and then allowed to ‘live’ in perpetuity
- Beyond the initial concept, the episode is surprisingly light on science fiction details