Black Mirror (2013) Season 2: Episode 2 "White Bear" Review & Analysis

Black Mirror (2013),
Season 2, Episode 02: "White Bear" 
Release Date: Feb 18, 2013
Director: Carl Tibbetts, Writer: Charlie Brooker
3/5

***SPOILERS***

(May include spoilers for Nineteen Eighty-four)

The second episode of season 2 isn't as strong as the previous episodes. While it started out well with a lot of tension and intrigue it quickly unraveled into predictability. This episode focuses on the unknown main character played by Lenora Crichlow (Being Human, 2012) who has lost her memory. Focalising the episode through her experience places her as not only the sympathetic character it also allows the audience to be put in the position of limited narrator. Therefore the audience experiences the same experience as who we later learn is Victoria Skillaine (Crichlow). Thus the audience feels a similar experience of disorientation  confusion and traumatisation. Unfortunately while this is effective at the beginning of the episode the intrigue begins to wane. 

The writing isn't as strong, as the previous episodes, despite being written by Charlie Brooker who wrote previous episodes of Black Mirror (The National Anthem, 2011, Fifteen Million Merits, 2011, Be Right Back, 2013, The Waldo Moment, 2013. Perhaps the lack of strength in the writing in this episode is down to concept rather than the screenwriting itself. The concept is somewhat flawed and has become quite gimmicky. It is a mixture between Nineteen Eighty-four the novel by George Orwell, Battle Royale (Botoru rowaiaru) (2000) and the more recent Hunger Games books (and films) by Suzanne Collins. 

Perhaps the most effective element of this episode is the eery and confronting way that all the people stand around watching videoing with their phones, completely silently. This is perhaps the most unsettling element of the episode. Whereas the violence and over the top animal masks and silly weapons lose their effect as they merge with video game and film content, so instead of adding horror and an air of the surreal, it instead comes off more absurd and predictable. In fact these elements revert the plot to a less realistic place, and the audience can settle more comfortably into the story within the framing of the horror genre. This misses the point entirely of the aim of the episode. The reveal is somewhat obvious and it was surprising to find that some people missed the whole point of the episode when reading comments on social media. 

From very close to the beginning there were clear clues that it was all some sort of game or virtual reality or something. The element of it as a type of punishment may seem original or innovative, but in fact this is merely a mingling of past elements from other media and literature. This punishment element particularly evokes, (at least for me) the controversial 1970s political film Punishment Park (1971). It is somewhat interesting to place the punishment of criminals within an arena of reality tv (interactive tv perhaps?) and social media. While it attempts to make a comment on how we have become observers rather than participators due to our usage of technology, that devolves once it's revealed that these people are there specifically to document the punishment of Victoria. That message would have been more effective if it had actually been explored. Instead this episode shifts focus onto the mob mentality and vigilantism rather than focusing on technology and voyeurism. The notion of the the mob mentality and people enjoying the punishment of criminals (or perceived criminals) is an age old one. 

Unfortunately the episode squanders the sympathy developed towards Victoria once it's revealed that she helped her boyfriend kidnap a little girl and watched and did nothing to stop him. This element is perhaps most effective, as her excuse is that she just watched, but that she watched and took photos/ video is disgusting, but the other characters in the episode did exactly the same thing while she was being tortured (psychologically, as everything was faked). These layers are fine, but the episode pulls the last punch, as it fails to really show that we as the audience are the real disgusting voyeurs  us as the viewers of not only this episode, but of violence on television, in films, on the news, on youtube and the internet. While some viewers may have found this episode quite confronting, I found it merely unsettling and a failed opportunity. Because it allows the audience to revert to the same comfort as the audience characters in the episode, that we can feel ok about Victoria's torment, with a sense of relief that she deserves her punishment. However, hopefully audiences feel uneasy enough that the at least question whether she truly deserves the severity of her punishment. This frames the episode into a political/ social justice field rather than the ethics field unfortunately. 

Overall while the episode is exquisitely shot and performed and has some interesting elements, the thematic elements are muddled. Also many elements fall predictably within the horror film genre and are thus more fantastical, less realist and lose impact. For those interested in these themes, (but looking for better quality or more depth) you should try Punishment Park (1971) for the justice/ punishment and political aspects, Battle Royale (2000) for the reality tv, punishment and voyeurism aspects. As well as Cabin in the Woods (2011) for the punishment, reality tv, punishment and voyeurism aspects as well. The Hunger Games  books by Suzanne Collins is also a good example of the reality television and voyeurism in particular as well as a lot of emphasis on political fascism and suppression. The books are preferable to the films as the films lack the emotional impact due to the shaky camera work used to hide most of the violence (which isn't that graphic to begin with). In contrast Battle Royale (2000) is a lot more gory and violent while been more comedic and absurd. But really if you want something about the notion of political control, suppression and punishment, including the use of technology as a mean of control and monitoring, really Nineteen Eighty-four by George Orwell is the best bet. While it is a story about attempting to escape government control of the masses, rather than focusing on the masses being observers, it does excellently detail how censorship and media control does "brainwash" the masses very realistically into turning upon one another. 

Finally it was disappointing that "White Bear" ended with clips during the credits showing the re-set up of the game/ show/ punishment of Victoria detailing exactly to the very beginning of the episode. Intelligent viewers would have realised this much earlier on, that this was a) a set up, and b) from clues already in the episode, that this has been repeated numerous times and thus this added clips were unnecessary and negated the audience's intelligence. Having been so impressed by the impact and strength of writing and production value of the previous episodes of Black Mirror this episode while still good, falls short of the others, but hopefully the next episode The Waldo Moment is a return to the excellent quality. 

References

Orwell, George (1949). Nineteen Eighty-four. Secker and Warburg (London). UK. 

Collins, Suzanne (2008). The Hunger Games Trilogy. Scholastic Press. US.  

Filmography

Battle Royale (2000), Kinki Fukasaku

Black Mirror (2011-2013), written by Charlie Brooker
Cabin in the Woods (2011), Drew Goddard, written by Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon 

Punishment Park (1971), written and directed by Peter Watkins