The Black Mirror Scene That People Think Went Too Far
Charlie Brooker's "Black Mirror" is infamous for it's darkly satirical (but occasionally confusing) vision of how we as a species have become so reliant on technology that it seems destined to become our own downfall. The anthology series works in a similar fashion to "The Twilight Zone," with each episode throwing the audience into a standalone story featuring some sort of parable or twist about the overuse of technology. The majority of the episodes usually aren't for the faint of heart, with many storylines involving a gruesome end for one or more of its unfortunate characters.
Although in keeping with its constantly surprising nature, "Black Mirror" has delivered a couple of comedic moments and happy endings since it first started airing in the UK in 2011. Audiences fell head over heels for its virtual love story in "San Junipero" as well as the dating-app romance in "Hang the DJ." But most of the time, "Black Mirror" episodes end on a horrific twist that forces the viewer to take stock of their lives — and their viewing choices. "Black Mirror" pushes boundaries, and though it has a committed following, there are a handful of scenes that even fans think go too far.
With that in mind, here's the one "Black Mirror" scene that really pushed people out of their comfort zone.
The first episode took things too far
"Black Mirror" certainly made an interesting first impression back in 2011, when it kicked off with "The National Anthem."
Here's the setup: When an unknown individual kidnaps Princess Susannah of the Royal Family, he makes an obscene demand to guarantee her safe return — Prime Minister Michael Callow (Rory Kinnear) must have sex with a pig in a live broadcast to the entire country.
After various plans to get Callow out of his impossible decision go awry, the Prime Minister actually has to have sex with a pig on live TV. The episode shows him preparing to engage in the horrific moment, and a few clips of his disgusted face as he forces himself through the task. Mostly, however, the climactic sex scene cuts away to the millions of people watching across the country in horror, shock, and amusement. It's later revealed that the kidnapper was actually a famous artist, and had let the Princess walk free ahead of the broadcast, before hanging himself.
It's a disturbing commentary about politics, audience engagement, and performance art — but many viewers weren't impressed. As Buzzfeed put it, "There's a lot of disturbing sh*t in that show, but I still always tell people to skip Episode 1 because of this moment. It makes me sick just thinking about it."
"Black Mirror" certainly knew how to make an entrance.