Crocodile is an episode sure to illicit a reaction of utter disgust - in the same vain as season 2's White Bear, and season 3's Shut Up and Dance. This is the kind of twist I expect from the mind of Charlie Brooker and here he does not fail in making me feel totally drained come the end of this episode. However, my issues with this episode are many unfortunately.
Crocodile follows Mia Nolan. A woman who, one night after leaving a club with her boyfriend, gets involved in a hit and run on a stretch of lonely highway. Terrified, the two decide to dispose of the body and forget the event ever happened. Fifteen years later, Mia is a successful architect with a husband and son. However, her past comes back to haunt her during a trip away when her ex-boyfriend, Rob meets her in at a hotel; consumed by guilt he's desperate to confess. After a violent encounter, Mia's life is further thrown into a tail-spin with the witnessing of a hit and run on the street, which leads investigator Shazia on her trail.
Where do I start with this one? It's definitely one of the most sickening episodes of Black Mirror. What contributes to this is the character of Mia; she's arguably one of the dislikable characters Black Mirror has had as its lead. We know that Mia is a heinous person, however we feel her anxiety as she scrambles to cover her tracks. For a moment, I asked the question: are we meant to hate her? She's a mother desperate to keep her family in-tact. However, any sympathy I had for Mia is disposed of during the final act of Crocodile, as the crime - or rather crimes - she commits are so monstrous - with that final revelation nothing short of depressing. However, what lessened the effect was the sheer implausibility of elements of the ending - you know what I'm talking about if you've watched the episode.
Despite a stellar performance from Andrea Riseborough and some excellent Icelandic cinematography, the episodes story is its detriment. There's nothing particularly special about it and, at this stage in Black Mirror's run, to me it felt dark for darkness sake - along with a number of inconsistencies and questionable character decisions. What started well in the opening flashback of this episode faltered and resulted in a mediocre effort from Charlie Brooker.
Crocodile follows Mia Nolan. A woman who, one night after leaving a club with her boyfriend, gets involved in a hit and run on a stretch of lonely highway. Terrified, the two decide to dispose of the body and forget the event ever happened. Fifteen years later, Mia is a successful architect with a husband and son. However, her past comes back to haunt her during a trip away when her ex-boyfriend, Rob meets her in at a hotel; consumed by guilt he's desperate to confess. After a violent encounter, Mia's life is further thrown into a tail-spin with the witnessing of a hit and run on the street, which leads investigator Shazia on her trail.
Where do I start with this one? It's definitely one of the most sickening episodes of Black Mirror. What contributes to this is the character of Mia; she's arguably one of the dislikable characters Black Mirror has had as its lead. We know that Mia is a heinous person, however we feel her anxiety as she scrambles to cover her tracks. For a moment, I asked the question: are we meant to hate her? She's a mother desperate to keep her family in-tact. However, any sympathy I had for Mia is disposed of during the final act of Crocodile, as the crime - or rather crimes - she commits are so monstrous - with that final revelation nothing short of depressing. However, what lessened the effect was the sheer implausibility of elements of the ending - you know what I'm talking about if you've watched the episode.
Despite a stellar performance from Andrea Riseborough and some excellent Icelandic cinematography, the episodes story is its detriment. There's nothing particularly special about it and, at this stage in Black Mirror's run, to me it felt dark for darkness sake - along with a number of inconsistencies and questionable character decisions. What started well in the opening flashback of this episode faltered and resulted in a mediocre effort from Charlie Brooker.