Black Mirror Season 6 Episode 1: 'Joan is Awful'
Sitting through Black Mirror Season 6 Episode 1 is an unsettling experience. Everything from the 'in living color' visual aesthetic, the thought-provoking themes, and the chilling portrayal of a dystopian future immediately serves as a reminder that Black Mirror knows what it’s doing when it comes to crafting a signature style of storytelling that is both disturbing and captivating.
The episode centers on a woman named Joan (Yee-Chen Kueh), who lives in a society where nothing is kept private. People can discuss and share their thoughts using an AI device called 'Mimic', an always-on agent that can listen to private conversations and gather data to offer suggestions on what to wear and what to say. It’s essentially your Alexa or Google Assistant on steroids, acting as a personal stylist, party planner, and most importantly, a social crutch for Joan.
Joan becomes obsessed with the Mimic and its ability to manipulate people around her into saying whatever she wants. Instead of viewing Mimic as a tool to improve her relationships, she instead turns it into a weapon. She becomes fixated on hurting people she deems rude or disrespectful and even uses it to exploit people she doesn’t know.
'Joan is Awful' eventually takes a twist that won’t be spoiled here, as it truly is a must-watch moment for newcomers and fans of the series alike. Up until this point, viewers will feel as though they are simply watching someone unravel before their eyes — and that effect is powerful. Viewers become uncomfortable as Joan’s vindictive behavior becomes increasingly desperate and unpredictable, particularly with the use of the Mimic device.
Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker delves into familiar territory here, but the degree to which he takes Joan’s story is fascinating because it feels like a notch beyond what we already know about the ramifications of unchecked technological advancements.
'Joan is Awful' introduces the concept of Joan controlling strangers via the Mimic, but there’s so much more to this narrative that viewers will have to watch to realize. It’s hard to explain without highlighting exactly what the twist is, but let it be known that the episode also deals with themes of privacy invasion, the dangers of Technology, and sometimes the loss of human connection in a hyper-connected world.
It also leaves viewers wondering just where technology is going. Is privacy a right that we’re slowly becoming responsible for giving up because of what we gain? The limits of AI are undoubtedly going to be tested, and the question of how we draw the line between how much technology we should use to assist us versus how much we use it for us is going to be a challenging conversation to have. If this is the future through the lens of Black Mirror, consider me a little frightened.
We highly recommend watching Black Mirror Season 6 Episode 1, especially if the theme and style of the show speak to you the way that they do for us. Prepare to be both disturbed and fascinated.
