The first episode of Black Mirror’s seventh season, titled “Common People,” harks back to the show’s classic style. It delves into the realm of bleak sci-fi, presenting a married couple (portrayed by Rashida Jones and Chris O’Dowd) whose world is dramatically altered due to an astonishing advancement in medical technology.
Just like most Black Mirror tales, this narrative follows a bleak trajectory – here, it serves as a biting critique of the intense preoccupation within Silicon Valley regarding subscription-based services.
Following an unforeseen encounter with death, the character Amanda Jones is saved by a groundbreaking medical tech firm. To ensure her continued livable standard, she and her spouse must consistently pay a subscription fee to the company that delivered her life-saving care. When they fall behind on payments, Amanda begins mechanically reciting advertisements, while her husband takes on degrading jobs to cover expenses.
During a recent conversation, Charlie Brooker – the mastermind behind Black Mirror – shared insights about their creative process. They often explore various concepts to ensure the technology depicted in each episode is as dark and unsettling as it can be.
He explained to The Hollywood Reporter that we eliminated additional distressing elements, but unfortunately, it remains quite appalling.
One idea from his team’s proposals was to impose a punitive measure on non-paying subscribers: “If you don’t pay an additional $70, all tastes will be reminiscent of boiled potatoes. This is unfortunate as our focus seems to be on maximizing shareholder profits rather than employee or customer satisfaction.
Previously, the script depicted Rivermind infringing on the privacy of the main characters – a reflection of real life, similar to applications that customize ads based on monitoring users’ online activities.
Initially, there was a line [in the script] that questioned whether the commercials were appropriate for their current situation, and they began to understand that it was surveilling all their conversations and actions. It was observing her during class hours, spying on them while they were together in bed.
Here’s one way to rephrase the given text in a more conversational and easy-to-understand style:
“They no longer have privacy, but you can choose to opt out of it. However, this option comes at a monthly cost of around $2,000 (or roughly that amount). Unfortunately, Charlie Brooker chose not to include this plot in Black Mirror because it was too much like another episode they’d already done.
In light of the unique blend of dark humor and grim world-creating presented in this episode, Brooker hinted at the potential for a follow-up story or a new series.
Although the main characters from Common People are unlikely to reappear in future tales, the technology of Rivermind presents ample opportunities for deeper examination. Following the revival of the Star Trek-esque universe aboard the USS Callister this season, Black Mirror has established a pattern for sequel episodes.
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2025-08-15 13:08