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Season 2

Be Right Back

After learning about a new service that lets people stay in touch with the deceased, a lonely, grieving Martha reconnects with her late lover.

Air date:
February 11, 2013
Writer:
Charlie Brooker
Director:
Owen Harris
Air date:
Writer:
Director:
February 11, 2013
Charlie Brooker
Owen Harris

Storyline

Martha is devastated when her partner Ash is killed in a road accident on the day they planned to move to a country cottage. At Ash's funeral, Martha's friend Sarah tells her of a new service which allows people to communicate with their deceased loved ones by using all their online communications and contributions. Martha is appalled, and decides to stay in the cottage despite her sister's view she is isolating herself. One day Martha gets a message from Ash, and she realises Sarah has signed her up for the service. Initially, Martha's displeased but, on finding she's pregnant, relents and relishes their conversations. With her comfort-level growing talking with the synthetic Ash, it isn't long before 'he' tells Martha about a 'next level' of communicating - one which is...experimental.

Trivia

  • ‍A service called "That can be my next tweet!" has existed since 2013 that will analyze your twitter stream and attempt to create a tweet that you could have written.
  • When Martha clicks the "touch to talk" button, the clocking symbol on the computer is the same one as starts off the Black Mirror series.
  • Journalist Adam Ostrow gave a TED talk on this very subject in July of 2011 - "Adam Ostrow: After your final status update."
  • The first Black Mirror episode with a female protagonist.
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