Exploring Black Mirror Season 6: A Mixed Bag of Innovation
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Chapter 1: A New Season of Black Mirror
Having binged the latest season of my beloved series, I was filled with anticipation for the new environments and unexpected twists crafted by its writers. Unfortunately, my excitement was met with disappointment. While not everything was subpar—episode five stands out as one of my all-time favorite entries—the overall quality was rather lackluster.
In a recent discussion, creator Charlie Brooker expressed his dissatisfaction with ChatGPT’s attempt to generate episode ideas. Let's turn the tables and let the renowned AI take a shot at critiquing Black Mirror.
Section 1.1: ChatGPT's Take on Black Mirror
In his interview, Brooker mentioned experimenting with ChatGPT to write an episode, but he found the outcome lacking. He remarked:
“The first thing I did was type ‘generate Black Mirror episode’ and it comes up with something that, at first glance, reads plausibly, but on second glance, is rubbish. Because all it’s done is look up all the synopses of Black Mirror episodes, and sort of mush them together.”
This misrepresentation of ChatGPT’s capabilities deserves clarification. The prompt “generate a Black Mirror episode” is quite possibly the least effective way to inspire new concepts for the series.
Having explored how AI can assist in story development, I’ve written numerous articles discussing how industry professionals utilize ChatGPT to innovate and create fresh narratives. Here’s a starting point:
Section 1.2: Revisiting the Latest Season
Now, let’s give ChatGPT a fair opportunity to assess the new season of Black Mirror. Utilizing a prompt, I’ll present it with episode summaries from the latest season:
Evaluate each story idea on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 represents the most original and unpredictable.
The feedback is as follows:
"Joan Is Awful"
Original Rating: 7/10 - The notion of one’s life being adapted into a show through CGI is intriguing, yet the theme of data exploitation is familiar.
"Loch Henry"
Original Rating: 6/10 - The concept of a hidden secret in a small community is somewhat typical, but the twist involving a main character and the inclusion of old VCR tapes adds an element of surprise.
"Beyond the Sea"
Original Rating: 8/10 - The alternate 1969 setting with astronauts using mechanical replicas is distinctive. The twist of one astronaut committing crimes through his replica is both dark and unexpected.
"Mazey Day"
Original Rating: 5/10 - The storyline of seeking redemption while uncovering a supernatural mystery feels worn out. The paparazzi element introduces a twist, but it lacks sufficient novelty.
"Demon 79"
Original Rating: 7.5/10 - Fusing social themes with supernatural elements in a 1970s backdrop presents a relatively unique idea. The coercion by a demon using a talisman is somewhat classic, but the incorporation of social issues enhances its originality.
In my opinion, ChatGPT’s assessments are quite fair, although it could have been more discerning. Aside from the standout episode five, many of the others seemed cobbled together, which is precisely what Brooker aimed to avoid.
Chapter 2: Insights into AI and Creativity
For further exploration of AI's role in creative processes, follow my insights on Twitter or Medium.
The first video, "Can ChatGPT Write A Black Mirror Episode? (Eye-Opening)," delves into the potential of AI in generating narrative content.
The second video, "Black Mirror Season 6 Episode 1 Reaction & Review: Joan is Awful," offers a detailed analysis and personal reactions to the first episode of the season.
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