That's, I think, where they were going with it, right?

I can see that premise being turned into a good episode, I just don't think White Bear was the best way to bring that concept up because there's so much else going on.

I think narrowing the focus might have made the episode a bit stronger. I dunno. There's obviously plot holes and implausible parts in all of these, but White Bear was the only episode where I was like "hang on a minute" after the credits rolled.

Let me put that in a different way: White Bear was the only episode that felt like the events were in service of the plot of the TV show, rather than reasonable things that characters would do. Like the whole episode was a setup for the twist. A horrifying look at what the justice system might look like under PM Shyamalan's administration, but just a little bit too cute for my tastes.

That's what I took away from it. Wasn't there a case just like that in the news? I'm sure the episode was for anyone calling for the woman's torture.

I really liked White Bear, what I posted above after watching it was:

(spoilers)



So for whatever reason it really clicked with me.

Watched White Bear. Have absolutely no idea where I rank it.



I'm going with:

National Anthem (clearly the best imo) > White Bear > Entire History > BRB

Another thing about White Bear:

I think the public were initially backing the PM not doing it but then it leaked that they were doing polling etc and acting cynically with the life of a royal on the line and that turned the tide of public opinion.

The thing that flipped public opinion was the finger

Yeah,a big part of White Bear is:

Re: Phill



Just finished 15 million merits:



My final ranking (I'm just assuming Waldo will be last).... The top two are definitely two of the greatest episodes of anything I've ever seen.

National Anthem
15 million merits
-Big gap-
White Bear
Entire History
BRB

Even though I disagree with your rankings, I am always pleased to see 15 Million Merits get some love.

It's definitely an underdog because of it's poorly realized sci-fi sets, but it should for sure be in everyone's top three at the very least. Baby Jesus cries when people drop it next to Waldo.

I don't see how 15 Million Merits could be anything less than half way up the list. It's the one that effected me the most in terms have having me question the assumptions that it was intended to address.

I don't think it's insulting to finish in the bottom three here. I mean the quality of the series is incredible; I have Entire History in 4th and apart from the ending that episode blew my mind at how awesome it was.

Just finished Waldo. It was definitely decent enough and very thought provoking, but I can understand why it generally finishes 6th. The main character being totally unlikeable and the bear itself being really annoying killed a lot of the enjoyment of the episode but the actual political statement I found really interesting.

It reminded me a lot of the movie Game Change (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Change_(film)), which I believe makes a similar point in a totally different way.

In a lot of ways I feel like it's a rehash of 15 Million Merits.

And yeah, the bear just wasn't done all that well. The episode is far more enjoyable if you just pretend that the bear is Cartman and pretend he's making funny jokes. But then, maybe that was intentional-- he's supposed to be a crass shock jock who the fictional public love, but we, the audience, are supposed to see him simply as a crass shock jock.

Hmm one was an attack on media and consumer oriented-culture, well the world in general really, the other was a really focussed attack on politics but I can definitely see the similarities in the '**** you' aspect =P. Both were built around a very similar speech for sure.

I would say the overall message was:

Waldo: When we live in a world that has people totally sick of the status quo and all politics, the most successful politicians of the future will be those who can effectively market themselves as anti-politics and pushing for positive change, regardless of their actual policies. The "Hope" next to Waldo at the end and the inclusion of the American I thought was a direct attack on the first Obama campaign.

15: Well, basically the speech that the protagonist made word for word regarding the direction we are headed as a society, with the addition that we are all contributing to the problem because even those that bitch aren't actually willing to do much, if anything, to change it.

Maybe I'm way off base. Fwiw I'm anti-political and really liked 15 Waldo for the marketing aspects rather than anything else, but I liked the way the messages were delivered.

Okay, I've seen all of the episodes now. This is a great show, and I enjoyed all of the them - not a stinker in the bunch.

I'd rank them thus:

The Entire History of You
Be Right Back
The Waldo Moment
The National Anthem
15 Million Merits
White Bear

I think The Entire History of You and Be Right Back were both incredible stories, expertly told, and completely chilling. Great, great TV. They succeed so well because they take fascinating and quite real concepts but told intimate, personal stories, as well.

The Entire History of You is not just about the concept of recording your memories, but about how awful it would truly be. The love-making scene between the couple where they are using their memory chip as an enhancement to sex was quite disturbing. And both Liam and Fi use the recordings as gotcha moments with one another when they do not remember details of what happened in the past. And then, Liam is so consumed with replaying his memories of his marriage that he cannot do anything else. Until he destroys the mechanism that allows him to do so.

And in Be Right Back, the same question is brought up about having access to the past: it would stop you from moving on. Both Martha in BRB and Liam in TEHOY are stuck - they cannot move on with their lives because they are trapped in the past - and the technology that allows them to recover cherished memories.

Memories are made to fade. They have to fade in order for humans to move forward with their lives.

These two shows blew me away. Incredibly moving, brilliant filmmaking.

I liked The Waldo Moment a bit more than the majority of you, I think. It not only said the obvious about politics, but about media and entertainment in general.

I've already said what I think about The National Anthem.

15 Million Merits was interesting and they did a great job of world building - but I wanted more. I wanted to know what's going on outside this building they're in. Is the rest of the world like this? Have they chosen to be here, peddling their bikes? Are they forced to do it? Its lesson about the evils of mass entertainment and consumption - while true - are not exactly surprising or new.

White Bear was fun - but more of a gimmick than a real, fleshed-out concept. Although, it was chilling that they kept punishing a woman who could not remember what she did wrong. That is evil.

Am downloading right now. Excited to watch!

What an awesome show. The non-Waldo episodes are all so strong. It's telling that so many people ITT have them ranked completely differently.

Here's my personal ranking:

1. Entire History of You
2. National Anthem
3. Be Right Back
4. 15 Million Merits
5. White Bear
6. Waldo

And for ****s and giggles, here are average ranks based on rankings in the thread so far (n=8):

Entire History of You: 2.75
15 Million Merits: 3
National Anthem: 3
Be Right Back: 3
White Bear: 3.75
Waldo: 5.5

Oh man oh man did not expect the demand from National Anthem.

Not sure I like the wife having her panties in a bunch over it.

I kind of wanted to backhand her.

They should have given him a choice -- you can also let a pig with your wife.

See how fast she helps him drop his pants.

Damn... the wife was one of the best parts I thought.

Also love the fact that this show basically has 4 episodes totally even on aggregate.

I really want to see this show.

Such a brilliant show. My rankings:

1. Be Right Back
2. Entire History of You
3. 15 Million Merits
4. The National Anthem
5. White Bear
6. The Waldo Moment

Be Right Back was easily my favorite, but 2-5 were all pretty close. The Waldo Moment was pretty meh relative to the other episodes but still worth watching.