Black Mirror Concepts/Ideas.

Being a HUGE fan of Black Mirror, and a writer who dreams of writing for the show, I thought I would share some of my ideas for potential episodes.

'Repo':  'Never has the cost of having a child been so high'.

An advanced IVF treatment allows couples to splice together their DNA in order for a child to be grown from it. They can literally give birth to the couples dream child, as they can select and deselect specific genes in the pool which will develop particular characteristics. You want your child to have blonde hair and blue eyes, BANG! It will have blonde hair and blue eyes. You want a girl, BANG! You have a girl! It's as simple as that.....With only one downfall, it's EXTREMELY expensive, and for those who can't afford to buy their child out right, they have to pay for the child over a number of years/months.

A couple gets their dream child and raises it for a number of years, however suddenly on it's fifth/sixth birthday it's repossessed without warning, as the couple have fallen behind on their payments. The child is taken to a holding facility, where it will be kept for a number of weeks/months, if the couple are unable to pay off their debt the child will be decommissioned, put down like a dog. Not being able to pay off their debt, the couple only have one other option, risk their own lives in order to save their child's.

'The Caterpillar Effect':  'Now you can make the past, a thing of the past'.

What if you could get rid of all that baggage you've been carrying around for years? Remove that crusty chip from your shoulder? Well now you can! You can erase every negative memory from your past and replace it with a positive one, especially designed and implanted at your request. Unresolved issues with your father? Perhaps you never told him you loved him before he died? Now, the past, is a thing of the past! But what happens when you remove the life lessons we learnt from failing and adversity? How does that ultimately shape the person you are in the present, and the person you will be in the future.

Steven is a loving, loyal, devoted father and family man, until, he has the trauma of his past erased. He now remembers his father as the perfect role model (A far cry from the reality of his past), so no longer feels the pressure to improve upon the love and affection he was shown as a child. Therefore begins to grow distant from his own son. He tries less hard at work because that chip he used to have about coming from an underprivileged family is no longer there. He no longer cherishes his wife as much as before, as the many women he pursued in his youth didn't reject him, as he once remembered they did. He becomes a shell of the man he once was. Raising the question, is it truly the positive experiences which shape us, or do we evolve most from overcoming the negative?

'Lord of The Flies 2.0':  'Intellectually rich. Morally bankrupt'.

We've all heard of private education, but only a few of us are lucky enough to have experienced it. Now private education is an even more lucrative industry. You want to be a doctor? Work for NASA? Be a politician? No problem. If you've got the money, or should I say if mummy and daddy have the money. You can now achieve a degree/Masters in a matter of minutes. All relevant information is simply uploaded neuroly. Forget spending 7 or 8 years learning the old fashioned way like the lower/working class! You could have your dream job by the age of 13! But what happens when the elitist of the world are getting younger by the decade? When our Parliament is suddenly over run by children and teenagers? Who may have the correct education, but not the maturity and life experience which is earned from dedicating years to the pursuit of that knowledge and career. Intellectually clever, but ethically and morally dumb!

In this world the divide between rich and poor has never been so vast, and ever growing. In this world, you should really consider retirement at age 25, because there's already a million fresh young whipper snappers ready to Pogo stick into your position. This episode begs the question, is it dangerous to be too privileged? To have too much knowledge at ones disposal. Or is ignorance truly bliss at times?

FRANKLY MY DEAR, I DON'T GIVE A F**K!: In a world of the unknown and uncertain, often it can be difficult to decide what to do. Not knowing what could possibly happen in any given situation. Even more difficult if you are an extremely indecisive person or suffer from social anxiety. But what if you had something which would lay out every single possible outcome to any given situation? An app or device which would evidently predict the consequences to your actions/decisions, before you even made them.

Flash forward to a society which relies on 'People-Pilot', auto-pilot for those unable to make their own decisions without relying on the multiple options and factors laid out for them by an app. "Mmmmm. Not sure if I should ask that attractive co-worker out for a coffee or not..........People-Pilot, what's the probability of Susan going for a coffee with me on a one to one basis"............."People-Pilot, what's the probability of me getting into an unpleasant confrontation with Jonathan if I firmly, yet in a professional manner, ask him if he wouldn't mind not borrowing my stapler without my permission".

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..............The days of spontaneity, adventure and independent-free thinking are well and truly over. Where the biggest risk a person will take is leaving their tea bag in for 30 seconds more than what is usually recommended. That is, UNTIL........One sheer maverick decides that in order to raise money for charity, they will give up the use of 'People-Pilot' for a month, to everyone's shock, horror and amazement. "That's impossible! You'll never be able to survive that long without it!". Could the abandonment of 'People-Pilot' be the true beginning of this rebels life, OR, could it be the end of society as we know it? As the social equilibrium is thrown out of balance by someone who is living life according to his own predictions and estimated outcomes. How will the rest of society react to this? Will they be inspired to follow in suit and take control of their own destiny? Or be vindicated to residing in the safe comfort of 'People-Pilot' after seeing the potential mess and madness that this maverick will get themselves into, living according to their own will.........This could be the beginning of world war three........

DETOX: 'Eraddictate'. The new implant which will put a stop to all addictions. Smoking habit? Alcoholic? Not any more. 'Eraddictate' will cause your body to immediately reject that harmful substance in the most militant and rapid manner. Ingest even the smallest amount of nicotine or alcohol and 'Eraddictate' will cause you to vomit, until that substance has been eradicated from your body.........At least that's how it all begun, initially with addicts who so desperately longed to be sober, who agreed to trial the implant and forever give up their vice. Once 'Eraddictate' has been implanted, it's impossible to remove. But what happens when you no longer crave a beer or cigarette, but merely just want one, however can never have that satisfaction again?

What happens when the government decide to ban certain substances and food products as they are no longer deemed healthy? When things that were once safe and healthy to consume are believed not to be anymore?

Each year/month 'Eraddictate' automatically gets an upgrade, according to new food and drink regulations, and those who have been implanted with it have no choice but to abide by what is deemed healthy, and unhealthy. "Wait, wait, hold up.....You mean to tell me I can NEVER eat Pizza again! WHAT THE F**K!".

As more and more of peoples every day vices are taken away, they look for more complex indulgences and pleasures to fill the increasing voids in their life and happiness. And although each year people are becoming more aesthetically attractive and healthy on the outside, on the in, they are beginning to morally and mentally corrode/decay, as their fantasies of fulfilment grow darker and more depraved than ever.

OPPOSITES BUT THE SAME: Ever wanted to be someone else for a day. Switch bodies with your best friend. Have them switch places with you, so they can see just how difficult your life is compared to theirs, You know the old fashioned saying, "Walk a mile in my shoes", well, now you can with 'Vice-Versa'! Thanks to ground breaking Neuro science you can actually take your consciousness and place it in someone else's body, all you need is the consent of that person.

Danny and James are best friends, one's black, one's white. Often over a pint they'll get into a little satirical social debate in regards to race, and racial ethics.

Sydney and Lewis are a married couple. Sydney thinks Lewis has it easy being the man in the relationship, Lewis thinks Sydney is speaking out of her a*s.

There's only one way to really solve these two couples conflict, 'Vice-Versa'. Danny, James, Sydney and Lewis agree to swap bodies with their opposite for one week. Determined to prove the other wrong, however, after the switch, there is a sudden drastic change in the world of politics and ethics in regards to the use of 'Vice-Versa', and a group of high powered activists get enough signatures and support to get the company shut down, meaning, neither four of our characters will be able to have their consciousness's returned to their original bodies.

It was a bit of a laugh at first, and the four were actually quite enjoying their out of body experience, but now that one week, has turned into what looks to be the rest of their lifes walking in the other persons shoes.......And what they quickly realise is, despite switching bodies, they still have the same mentality as before, but now, are trapped in the life of the person they once critiqued and mocked. Ultimately discovering, actually, I think I was better off before.......But whoops! Too late! Your old shoes no longer fit you.........

Reviews

[roarke]

yep, good concepts... chilling, and one of the many reasons I live on a remote mountain side. Got any more concepts?