In this bonus episode, Matt reviews episode 2 from Black Mirror’s 4th season: Arkangel.

Tweet your thoughts on the podcast and the topics covered in the show to @OVAnthologyPod. You can also reach the show on Anthology’s Facebook Page, or email Matt(at)ObsessiveViewer(dot)com.

Runtime: 1:13:09

Timestamps

Intro - 00:18

  • Singular Timeline “Confirmed” - 01:56
  • USS Callister Feedback - 08:38
  • Arkangel - 12:39

Outro - 1:11:34

Show Notes

Where to Find Anthology

Episode Homepage: http://www.anthologypod.com/bonus21

My Rant from the Anthology Facebook Page:

1/13/2018

So this is definitely interesting and something I'll be bringing up in my next Bonus Ep (which, if all goes as planned, will be posted late tonight). Ignore the click bait headline, because Brooker simply points out that Black Museum explicitly references other episodes.

But what I want to focus on (and I'm sure I'll get on my soapbox in my Arkangel review) is how the conversation around this somewhat bothers me. It seems like these days we, as a culture of TV/movie viewers, get so focused on connections, speculations, and franchising that the conversation doesn't touch on the art in the moment and what the artists are trying to say.

Instead of analyzing the finer points of episodes of Black Mirror, we're debating whether it's a singular timeline or if it's a shared universe. When the conceit of the series from its inception is that it's an anthology show.

I don't know, it just kind of gets under my skin. And it's not like it's confined strictly to Black Mirror. It's kind of a widespread thing. I couldn't get much enjoyment out of Westworld because the vast majority of conversation surrounding the show while it aired was purely speculative and that had a direct impact on my enjoyment of the show.

Probably the biggest and worst offense of this type of analysis was Star Wars: The Last Jedi. I listened to several hours' worth of podcasts discussing the movie spread across many many different shows and it felt like the majority of the conversation was devoted to nitpicking perceived plot holes and lamenting that the movie didn't deliver on the viewer's expectations that they created themselves in the two years they spent speculating after The Force Awakens.

Anyway, I just wanted to get that off my chest. Check out this behind the scenes video though! And let me know what you think.