Does 'Black Mirror' work better as British show? Fans want Netflix series to go back to its non-American roots
Warning: Spoilers for 'Black Mirror' Season 6
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Cultural differences often become really significant in the way a film or TV show is received. From the very subtle differences in the way a story is written to major shifts in language in terms of slang and cultural 'inside jokes'. Even the type of English used can alter depending on the show's setting. This is especially true for shows and films made in America versus the UK, especially those with humor tucked into the script.
‘Black Mirror’ has undergone major changes because of its evolving target audience. The originally British show has over the years seen far more American influence on the stories it tells. The latest season came out with an episode set in a Scottish town and fans love how it resembles the older, more British episodes of 'Black Mirror'. The visible difference between the juxtaposition of American and non-American episodes in Season 6 of the anthology series has driven the point home even more strongly.
Americanization of ‘Black Mirror’
This is not the first time that the fans have noticed a major influence of the States on the dystopian anthology series. ‘Black Mirror’ made a move from the British Network Channel 4 after four years of airing due to lack of budget. Netflix took it up right after. This was when the show’s target audience majorly diversified to not just cater to a British audience but to prioritize the States, where Netflix is headquartered.
After that, there was a noticeable change in themes and casting of actors and directors — all to better appeal to American audiences. Given the show’s whopping popularity, the show also started casting big names, including Miley Cyrus. This inevitably also affected the themes of the show which used to be gravely unsettling and horrifying but over the years became milder and more palatable to a wider audience.
'American humor is a miss for me'
Fans have been vocal about wanting more non-American, especially British episodes, after watching the latest season of ‘Black Mirror’. The second episode ‘Loch Henry’ became an instant fan-favorite because of its humor and a generous amount of focus on a dark theme they followed.
In a Reddit discussion about the 'Loch Henry' episode of 'Black Mirror', one user wrote, “Black Mirror really worked as a British show. It had a very weird sarcastic twisted humor that frankly Americans don’t really get, and unfortunately since it’s been Netflix-ified, it feels like so many sh***y jokes are shoehorned in to appeal to an American audience, which can really break the immersion.”
“Some of the parts that are meant to be dark or sinister are quite over the top with the music and stuff and it takes me out of the uncomfortableness (that I enjoy) that I got from earlier seasons," another fan commented. “Definitely better when it’s got more of a British feel,” echoed another post on the same thread.
But a British fan also pointed out that while he loved the UK episodes, "there have been some great episodes set in America. My joint favourite with Shut Up and Dance is USS Callister, I also think Nosedive is a great episode and Black Museum. I think the episodes based outside the UK can be fantastic as well, although a lot of the greats are based in the UK.”
Many Americans also had the same opinion. “American here," wrote one fan, before adding, "Hated the humor in episode 1, it was cringe-worthy,” about the episode titled ‘Joan is Awful’. Another added, “...the episodes that are just normal black mirror storylines that could theoretically take place anywhere seem to always fall flat when done with American actors/settings, like joan is awful, idk why. the energy just isn’t there.”
Finally, there was one show viewer who posted, “They always feel a lot more grounded, probably helped by Charlie Brooker being, well from the UK. When they do the American ones they take on a lot of the Americanisms that ruin a lot of TV.”
‘Black Mirror’ is available for streaming on Netflix from June 15, 2023.