Season 2, Episode 2 of Black Mirror, titled “White Bear,” presents a dystopian world where people become addicted to recording their every moment on their mobile devices. The episode centers around a woman named Victoria Skillane, who wakes up in a strange room with no memory of who she is or how she got there. She ventures downstairs to find a TV screen projecting a strange symbol, and people outside recording her on their mobile phones without helping her.
The woman eventually encounters a man with a gun who chases her down, and she runs into a supermarket where she meets two other people seeking refuge. They discover that a strange signal caused people to go insane, with some turning into killers, others into observers, and others into prey. The three survivors find refuge with a man who later reveals himself to be one of the killers.
The killer takes them into the forest, where they see people dead and hanging from trees. He ties up Victoria, and the other woman escapes. The killer is about to kill Victoria when the other woman returns and shoots him, and they both escape in his van. They plan on destroying the facility responsible for the signal when they are ambushed by three armed killers.
Episode Theme
The episode explores themes of addiction to technology and surveillance, as people become addicted to recording their every moment, leading to the loss of privacy and individuality. It also touches on the idea of memory and its accuracy, as the protagonist struggles to recall her past, and the idea of punishment and retribution, as the episode reveals that the woman is being punished for her role in a heinous crime.
Overall, “White Bear” is a haunting and provocative episode that delves into the dark consequences of our reliance on technology and our society’s obsession with surveillance. It serves as a warning about the dangers of allowing technology to control our lives and emphasizes the importance of individuality and privacy.
The episode raises profound questions about the nature of justice and punishment, and whether or not our current systems are truly effective or just cruel. It also explores the ways in which technology and media can be used to manipulate and control our perceptions of reality, and how we as a society might be complicit in perpetuating injustice.
