This document provides discussion questions and analysis about the Black Mirror episode "15 Million Merits". It explores how the episode exhibits postmodern features through its use of intertextuality, dystopian narrative, and artificialness. It also discusses applying the theories of Baudrillard on hyperreality and Foucault on panopticism and voyeurism. The episode challenges other media by depicting a more advanced technological future and questioning attachment to simulations. It aims to impact its niche audience by showing the powerful effects of social media and technology. The episode explores themes of technology dependence, social media impact, and human cloning through its futuristic narrative.

1. Black Mirror Analysis
15 million merits
(due 27/04/16)

2. Questions
• How is this episode postmodern (pomo features)
Its not made in a postmodern way it’s the features with in it that make it postmodern.
• How can you apply/relate Baurillard theory
• How can you apply/relate Focault theory
• How does it differ or challenge other media (could compare to other current media
or traditional media)
• How is it similar to other media? (could be other platforms)
• What type of audience is this episode made for? What sort of impact does Charlie
Brooker want on this audience? Why?
• What types of technology and media are explored in black mirror?

3. How is this episode postmodern?
(pomo features)
• Intertextuality = Tablets, I phones, touchscreen, cyborgs (similar to the matrix,
Reborn from the nano-bots and synthetic clone)
• Dystopian narrative = the world is taken over by technology and there is a
replacement for everything (the island) – movie. People can be replaced
artificially, like the terminator effect, the uprising of technology. Adding a sense
of horror and expectancy of terminator.
• Hybridisation = futuristic, romantic, drama
• Flattening of Affect = the clone has no recollection of empathy or emotion, he
only knows the information that is fed to him. Like a computer removing the
humanistic nature of the character.
• Artificialness = When the clone resurrects it only brings back an artificial version
of her husband and it does not fil her expectancy and have the qualities that
she misses the most. Also it shows that the way we show are self's on social
media is artificial and not the real us and just a platform were we show are best
bits.

4. How can you apply Baurillard’s theory?
(hyperreality)
• Hyper reality of their artificial world -
• The robot of her husband is a Perfect version - it has
its best features of him.
• grieving has new advanced solutions
• Social networks can determine someone's
personality.
• robots become more of the person the more they
learn and information they are fed.
• Communicate on social media to the dead (simplified
version of complex human emotions)

5. How can you apply Foucault’s theory?
(panopticanisation & voyeurism)
Panopticms and voyerism:
Voyeurism – when martha sees ash’s colne she craves sexula pleasure and attention
espically at the start when she seems him naked .
Panopictism – The robot of ash does not fully act like ash. It only simulates the things
ash would say. It has discipline and acts in a different ways to ash would
Voyeuristic slaves – The experimetnal avatar system that martha signed up to was to
tempting for her when greaving, even though as one point it seemed like she wasn’t
going to participate in the system when he freidn signed her up.

6. How does it differ or challenge other
media? (could compare to other current media or traditional media)
• Modern technology advertising = such as Apple or Samsung……..they
advertise their new and innovative products which are always portrayed
to enhance our lives. In black mirror it shows new ways that are online
profile can be used to create a simulated version of us and also how it
only shows are positive emotions and feeling as this is what is mostly
posted on social media.
•
• current TV dramas = Much more advanced technology used in the drama
focusing how it can help people suffering from grief.
• It challenges traditional media (such as TV shows/films/advertising)
because it challenges the concept of getting attached to something that is
not real and is all based on ‘social media’. It shows how that social media
only portrays are ‘best bits’ and is not the real us. This is what Martha
discovers with the avatar of Ash.
• Most romantic films end with a happy ending but this one ends with a
dull ending were the daughter is left with a robotic dad who lives in the
cupboard, dehumanising it.

7. How is it similar to other media?
(similar to current media or traditional media)
The TV shows deals with grieving and the emotional hurt
of losing someone close
• Current TV drams = Similar TV dramas/documentries
/films based on the representation of society and
social media are – catfish, Live in public and
disconnect)
• Current films = Similar films / TV shows that involve
cloning are – Star Wars, Ex Machina and The Ssland.

8. What type of audience is this episode made for?
What sort of impact does Charlie Brooker want on this
audience? Why?
• For niche audience – it is on channel 4 but the series will only appeal to a small amount of
people, the episode isn't light hearted and it requires a strong knowledge about the uprising of
modern technology and how it can effect us in the future.
• Audience theory: Is it effects or reception?
– Effects theory = passive audiences who accept and take in messages in texts
because they are easily influenced OR
– Reception theory = active audiences who challenge/question messages in text
– Due to the way this black mirror episode has been create it would be for passive
audiences who accept and take in the messages in the texts about how social
media and technology is very powerful and has potential for something like
cloning in the future. This showing the effects theory.

9. What types of technology and media
are explored in black mirror?
• See intertextuality…..
• Media themes
– Dependence on technology
– Impact of social media
– Showing on the best you on social media
– Impact of modern technology
– Human cloning
– Greif.

10. Discuss the concept of narrative in black
mirror, does it challenge or reinforce?
Linear narrative mostly – reinforces the concept of narrative.
Non liner narrative –
• As the program advances to the future. This challenges the
concept.
• Martha has given birth to a daughter, it his her birthday
• Ash is kept in the attic and the daughter is only aloud to see
her at the weekends
• This is confirming to society of divorced parents and they
tend to have schedules of when they can see their children.