Black Mirror: Be Right Back Review

"Be Right Back" is the series two pilot of Black Mirror and what a great start it is! This is honestly one of my favourite episodes out of many, before I even begin to dissect this masterpiece, the excellent cast is worth mentioning. Hayley Atwell and Domhnall Gleeson both star in this episode and what a wonderful couple do they make. Hayley is most known for playing Agent Peggy Carter in many Marvel films and TV shows. Domhnall's most iconic role is in the Star Wars sequel trilogy as General Hux. The episode aired in 2013, long before they were the huge movie stars they are now, yet even back then the both of them showed great range and acting ability within this creepy short. I also love the scenery within this episode, it isn't overly futuristic or goes too far into realms of science fiction. It feels like a real time and place only 10 years (presumably) into the future. The vast majority of the story takes place at an isolated house, in the middle of the British countryside. Not only is this a realistic and picturesque setting, but it's a little bit creepy too, like the location of a horror movie which is what the best episodes of Black Mirror are, miniature horror films about technology gone wrong. You're probably wondering what this story is even about, so without a further do...

The plot:

Martha (Hayley) and Ash (Domhnall) are a very happy couple, both living in Ash's family home. The first act establishes who they are and why they love each other. Most importantly however, is that it introduces us to Ash's addiction to social media, how he posts every little thing about himself online, essentially creating a database all about himself for others to see. The first act ends with Martha waiting for Ash to return home, calling him but he never picks up. Instead a police car shows up late at night. The implication is obvious, Ash has died. She attends his funeral and meets an old friend there, one that introduces her to this AI chatbot software that can replicate his personality and voice by consuming his online social media data. At first, Martha is appalled by the idea, thinking of it as an insult to his life and memory. However she soon finds herself deep in grief and pregnant, she creates the AI companion of her dead boyfriend and tells him about her pregnancy. To her shock, the AI Replica of Ash sounds and speaks exactly like him. However the data isn't as complex as the real Ash, so there are moments where this AI acts completely out of character, more like that of an emotionless robot. At first this version of Ash only exists on a mobile phone app, that she talks to constantly. However one day, an extension of this software is released, where she can order a life-like android of Ash, with his new AI implanted into it's programming. We get a really eerie scene where this android comes in separate pieces, those being plastic human limbs she had to put together and leave overnight in a filled bath. The cinematography and soundtrack is dark and spooky during this scene, setting things up like the start to a monster movie. The tension before we see this android of Ash is immense and is most definitely thrilling. When we see this android, he is an exact duplicate of the real Ash and (at first) Martha is confused yet happy to have this copy of him in her life. Yet as the weeks pass by, this new Ash begins to feel less and less human, ultimately ending with the horrifying realisation that "he" can never truly replace the real Ash, this android is nothing but a cheap imitation of the man she once loved. In the end she can't even bring herself to kill "him" leaving this android in her attic to be almost forgotten. Years later we see Martha's 10 year old daughter playing simple kids game with this android of Ash. The implication being that it is a mere toy, but could not possibly be a decent replacement for her real father.

Review: Although this episode can feel a little boring at times (and it is certainly depressing), I still find it to be one of the best examples of a Black Mirror episode. It tackles the tragedy of losing someone you love, then turns that grief into something corrupted and truly dystopian, by having some soulless machine attempt to replicate the personality and emotions of a real dead man. It is even more relevant now more than ever, as the rise of life-like AI is becoming closer and closer by the day. Be Right Back isn't perfect, but it's a damn good episode that has aged like fine wine!

I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.