Updated Review - 10/4/2023
I mentioned Hayley Atwell's performance before but Domhnall Gleeson was the standout on this most recent viewing. In the first scene he's fully distracted and oblivious to his surroundings. After he's resurrected, the way he appears to be constantly processing his surroundings and his subtle movements in his performance show that he's a high-powered AI. We only get to see Atwell and Gleeson's human chemistry for roughly five minutes before the accident. Afterwards they're stuck in a completely different dynamic between themselves. Martha is feeling real emotion while AI Ash is just along for the ride.
Human-like AI are bound to merge into our everyday lives in the near future. This episode uses technology that in our reality would turn society upside down very quickly. Someone (you probably know who I'm thinking of) would end up replicating themselves into an army of doppelgängers to take over the world.
Be Right Back has aged interestingly with the rise of virtual AI. Her and Ex Machina are excellent companion pieces that I highly recommend if you're into the romance sci-fi drama genre. I believe this episode would've benefited with a longer runtime but it's still worth revisiting.
8/10
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Review from 4/19/2019
Martha and Ash are a happy couple living together. Ash is unexpectedly killed in a car accident. Martha's friend signs her up for a beta service that uses Ash's public information to create an AI. Martha finds out she's pregnant and begins texting the AI. She uploads videos of Ash, allowing the AI to speak to her. She then brings him back to life by ordering an artificial body.
At first Martha is skeptical of the service because it's impossible to bring the real Ash back. She finds comfort in hearing his voice and decides to take the next step. She's speechless when she sees how real the AI body looks and feels. The subtle differences the AI has compared to Ash make Martha consider abandoning the AI for good.
Hayley Atwell gives a great performance, showing the painful struggles of a grieving woman and the positive and negative impacts of artificial intelligence. She portrays a whirlwind of emotions that she eventually learns to live with.
The future of AI is upon us and this episode depicts a realistic view of the future, pushing the boundaries of AI one step at a time. Black Mirror has a fascinating way of making me believe this futuristic technology isn't that far away from becoming reality.
8/10.
I mentioned Hayley Atwell's performance before but Domhnall Gleeson was the standout on this most recent viewing. In the first scene he's fully distracted and oblivious to his surroundings. After he's resurrected, the way he appears to be constantly processing his surroundings and his subtle movements in his performance show that he's a high-powered AI. We only get to see Atwell and Gleeson's human chemistry for roughly five minutes before the accident. Afterwards they're stuck in a completely different dynamic between themselves. Martha is feeling real emotion while AI Ash is just along for the ride.
Human-like AI are bound to merge into our everyday lives in the near future. This episode uses technology that in our reality would turn society upside down very quickly. Someone (you probably know who I'm thinking of) would end up replicating themselves into an army of doppelgängers to take over the world.
Be Right Back has aged interestingly with the rise of virtual AI. Her and Ex Machina are excellent companion pieces that I highly recommend if you're into the romance sci-fi drama genre. I believe this episode would've benefited with a longer runtime but it's still worth revisiting.
8/10
.
.
.
Review from 4/19/2019
Martha and Ash are a happy couple living together. Ash is unexpectedly killed in a car accident. Martha's friend signs her up for a beta service that uses Ash's public information to create an AI. Martha finds out she's pregnant and begins texting the AI. She uploads videos of Ash, allowing the AI to speak to her. She then brings him back to life by ordering an artificial body.
At first Martha is skeptical of the service because it's impossible to bring the real Ash back. She finds comfort in hearing his voice and decides to take the next step. She's speechless when she sees how real the AI body looks and feels. The subtle differences the AI has compared to Ash make Martha consider abandoning the AI for good.
Hayley Atwell gives a great performance, showing the painful struggles of a grieving woman and the positive and negative impacts of artificial intelligence. She portrays a whirlwind of emotions that she eventually learns to live with.
The future of AI is upon us and this episode depicts a realistic view of the future, pushing the boundaries of AI one step at a time. Black Mirror has a fascinating way of making me believe this futuristic technology isn't that far away from becoming reality.
8/10.