Charlie Brooker

Review: Channel 4's Black Mirror: White Christmas

The performances were all very good, although I was surprised Jon Hamm almost reprised his Don Draper role from Mad Men. It felt like Charlie Brooker either needed a Draper-type for this suave role, and luckily managed to get the real deal, or Hamm was drawn to a part that wouldn't be much of a stretch but allow him to appear in a show he loves.

Radio Times review

Charlie Brooker's digital dystopia delivers a festive mystery in anthology form, with three connected stories about dark things in a twisted near-future. Jon Hamm and Rafe Spall lead the cast as two men sharing a Christmas meal somewhere remote and snowy. Where are they? And who are they, really? As the companions exchange stories, we see Oona Chaplin as a woman bedevilled by "smart" gadgets, and Hamm himself offering unconventional romantic advice.

Plus, in the sort of flip between virtual and tangible worlds that's the trademark of the series, the question is asked: what would happen if you could "block" people and never see or hear from them again in real life, as you can on Twitter and Facebook?

Black Mirror Christmas special review

This Christmas special of Charlie Brooker's techno-horror show manages to compact the show's usual three-part run into one, feature-length, portmanteau episode.

Black Mirror: We wish you a very bleak Christmas

"There's nothing in this that's as bleak as whatever the fuck EastEnders is going to do" claims Charlie Brooker in the casually scornful manner in which only he can. Speaking at the preview screening of White Christmas, last night's 'festive special' of his dystopian Channel 4 anthology Black Mirror, I have to disagree with Brooker. The ninety minute feature length special of his disconcerting dystopian drama was markedly more gloomy and disturbing than your average shouty, death-strewn festive soap instalment. But an incomparably more insightful, entertaining piece of television.

Black Mirror: White Christmas, review

Charlie Brooker's festive special shows a dark side to our digital obsession.

Black Mirror interview

Black Mirror - Channel 4's mind-bending series of cautionary tales about our addiction to digital technology - is returning for a big-name Christmas special starring Rafe Spall, Oona Chaplin and Mad Men's Jon Hamm. Bryony Gordon asks them and the programme's creator Charlie Brooker what's in store.

Black Mirror: White Christmas review

Sentimentality offset with wicked wit. Charlie Brooker repeats Black Mirror trick, with feature-length festive special starring Rafe Spall and Mad Men's Jon Hamm.

The penultimate episode of Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong's slightly strange drama/comedy proposition, and the show remains perched on the edge of a Charlie Brooker-style dark drama, without quite breaking through. Still, there is some strong satire, great acting and excellent jokes. As ever, the armed response guys get the best lines, even in the middle of a cover-up ("I've shot him in the back. You can't make it out on these cameras"), while Liz attempts to turn a missing child into a career opportunity.

Black Mirror Xmas Special: new plot details & pictures

The new episode of Charlie Brooker's satire stars Jon Hamm, Rafe Spall and Oona Chaplin and tells a chilling story about "blocking" people in real life - just as we do on Facebook and Twitter.