Black Mirror - S7 • E4 - Plaything
Black Mirror
TV-MAS7 • E4Apr 9, 202547m
7.1
Set in the near-future, the police arrest an aged man, Cameron Walker, for murder after his DNA matches that on a long-cold case. In custody he tells them his story: his background as a video game reviewer and in particular how he was introduced to the world of Thronglets.
Scott Phelps reviewedApril 14, 2025
A welcomed redemption episode following a less than impressive feeling of "fall-flat" twists from the beginning episodes of Season 7, this episode definitely captured the Black Mirror quintessence.
Although shorter in both duration and character/world presence, this episode (with direct links to Bandersnatch - a fantastic interactive film) truly feels "Black Mirror" in it's use of technology as it's own character within the story.
Capaldi delivers on a top tier acting front - as always, complemented by his character's younger self, played by Lewis Gribben; fantastic.
***Spoiler***
The conceptual use of software to bring about sentiment artificial life, growing and expanding until it intertwines with reality in a "hive-mind" like state is fantasticly told in this episode. It engages the audience to fully believe that evolution of software is a marvel to enjoy, bonding us with the "Thronglets" to such levels that Cameron's violent outburst over their digital massacre felt almost justifiable.
There were few "gimmicks" here of absurdity and "techno jargon" vocabulary and a brilliant (albeit short and obvious in the moment) end twist - though it's linear narrative throughout thankfully doesn't make it feel as if they've created something farfetched for this twist just to create shock value - which is very appreciated.
Leaving the episode perfectly in a null state of emotion about what's happened outside of just our known cast delivers that classic "Black Mirror" feeling we've grown to love.