"Charlie Brooker's dystopian anthology series Black Mirror has been making us face the dark side of technology for 15 years now. In 2011, that meant live TV ransoms and capitalist reality shows. But last year, in Season 7, we saw memories brought to life, emotions run on subscription models, and the Hollywood remake machine going very literal. In the age of AI popping up everywhere, Black Mirror isn't going to stop reflecting real life any time soon - but what could possibly be next?"
"Back in 2020, Brooker explained the long wait for Season 6 by saying, "At the moment, I don't know what stomach there would be for stories about societies falling apart, so I'm not working away on one of those." Now, the rise of AI and other new technologies has become an asset for Brooker, as it means a wealth of potential ideas."
"We're increasingly surrounded by technology that feeds on our emotions and attempts to be our friend, and while this is nothing new for the show - the Season 2 opener, "Be Right Back," focused on a chatbot trained on messages from a deceased loved one - it seems like everything from our phones to our toasters are trying to chat us up these days."
Black Mirror has spent 15 years dramatizing technology's darker possibilities, initially depicting live TV ransoms and capitalist reality shows. Season 7 portrayed memory recreation, emotions monetized through subscription models, and the Hollywood remake machine literalized. The rapid proliferation of AI and devices embedding conversational interfaces creates abundant new story premises. Netflix announced an eighth season with creative development underway and the promise that the show will track emergent technological realities. Earlier episodes explored AI-based grief simulations, suggesting potential return visits to themes like chatbots trained on messages from deceased loved ones.
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