After watching all other seasons of Black Mirror, it seems apparent that sex isn't as pervasive in other episodes. Black Mirror seems to have focused more on Psychological Thriller, whereas this episode focuses almost exclusively on sex. This article could breakdown the questions asked by this episode: Are online matters considered cheating? When IS it considered cheating? Investigate how sexuality is questioned in this episode and comment on societal changes to our approaches of sex and sexuality.
I made a similar observation after watching this episode, and I think even though it's one of the weaker episodes of the show, it definitely plays with themes of sex and sexuality in interesting ways. I do think that some episodes address sexuality more clearly (the famous San Junipero episode comes to mind immediately), but Striking Vipers seems like a more modern take on same-sex relations because the climactic kiss in the rain was treated as a casual, logical next step, and they were not necessarily concerned about being gay; it was all about finding out if they were actually interested in one another. Closer to the observation you are making, I think the questions of sex, infidelity, and the digital spaces we inhabit is fascinating. This episode definitely raises more questions than it answers, but they are important questions as we move further into a 21st century relationship world. I hope this topic gets picked up. – Aaron5 years ago
I think it's fairly obvious that yes, it is cheating. The way the episode is framed makes it abundantly clear that the main character knows he's cheating. He feels constant guilt, and it causes a strain on his relationship with his wife. It only becomes not cheating when his wife gives him permission to hook up with his friend online on his birthday at the end of the episode (it's marked on the calendar and she's the one to give him the VR set, indicating her permission).
Regarding the themes of sexuality, I think many viewers are missing the mark. It's not truly about sexuality. This is made apparent when his best friend reveals that he's been having sex with several other characters, including a polar bear, but it isn't the same when it's not with the main character. This is because they're very close friends and understand each other on a deep level. It's about intimacy, not sex. Their irl kiss just proves this point further. I don't think either of them are gay. His best friend simply wants a partner who truly knows him on every level, which he's been unable to find in the real world. Striking Vipers makes the main character available to him in a way that he isn't- and never could be- outside of VR. – JPost5 years ago
Analyze the Netflix series Black Mirror by focusing in on the technological and communicative issues each episode reveals, with technology advancing so rapidly how could these events predict the future? Why do these things seem to make sense in the real world? How could it cause paranoia for the future of technology?
I think it might be productive to zone in on a few select episodes and show how they each deal with paranoia. Part of Black Mirror is having disconnected stories, which makes analysing it as a whole difficult. – LondonFog8 years ago
Defining what paranoia means is crucial in this case. Is it paranoia as in a mental disorder? Temporary issue due to stress factors? Maybe it's Dali's Paranoiac-critical method? Applying Dali's method might actually pair really well with the disjointed, surreal nature of Black Mirror. – mazzamura8 years ago
I recently got into Black Mirror and the symbolism of technology and humanity in this series is endless and beyond interesting! I would expand "paranoia" to multiple themes/symbols – SandraHov8 years ago
The new season of Black Mirror is in production. Netflix has now bought the rights and is changing the structure of the series, expanding to 12 episodes for this new season. They will no longer feature on TV but exclusively on Netflix and online. What can we expect from the new season? Will these changes impact the quality of the narrative? Will the themes be explored in a similar way and as thoroughly? Do you think they would benefit from linking episodes together since they now have more (although this might not be their ambition)?
Black Mirror is a good show to focus on, being that it is, in fact, Britain's response to our "Twilight Zone." – WebJJohnston9 years ago
