San Junipero Puns

no explicit spoilers, i don't mention any plot point about any episode, just talks about the mood & vibe is all

i saw san junipero after playtest and shut up and dance

i saw hang the dj after arkangel and croc (*shudders*) which was today, okay yes, i saw like 3 eps of black mirror today and usually when i binge this show i go to bed very disturbed and then i take a few hours and need to watch a couple eps of some sitcom to sleep it off, but the days when i saw these episodes were truly the best. i am smiling ear from ear now, usually i'm just very vexed (yeah, just saw crocodile before this 'un so being vexed makes sense).

i appreciate the show for sprinkling (albeit scarcely) these few episodes which balance out all the dark dystopia.

san junipero was still kind of sad, but anything was good after the previous two episodes. sj had more romantic angst, i felt like and more emotions, whereas hang the dj was more fluffy, made-for-each-other, same-place-same-time which made the episode more light hearted after croc (croc was heavy guys, for me, god help me shaziaaaaaaaa)

i think hang the dj has been a bit better at balancing out its two predecessors.

just wanna say, sure there're people who don't really care for the optimistic, romance-y episodes, but i personally am living for these ones, even though i love the disturbing mindfuckers equally as much.

this was pretty much nothing of a post, just exhausted rambling. sorry if it wasted your time.

My wife had been bugging me for years to watch BM and I’ve been resistant because of the use of technology to create a dystopian future in the show. To me, we are already on our way to that future and I don’t want to be depressed in seeing it reinforced to my face.

However I was interested in the above episode because it had won awards so I gave in and watched it.

My thoughts on the episode are that it was good but a little slow to start (my wife informed me that most episodes take 1/3 of the episode to get going) and once the surprise was revealed, the episode slowly ran out of steam and at least some of it was filler. It could have been a good 10 minutes shorter. Very interesting concept (although the reveal was not totally a surprise) and the actresses do a great job together. And the world building is beautiful.

I won’t say I’m hooked but I may watch other BM episodes but only the happy endings to start.

However I am not watching a guy fuck a pig.

I did a quick search, but I didn’t see that this has been done before.

The question is simple. Knowing with 100% certainty that the upload would be “you” and not some mere upload of your brain (a la “cookies” in White Christmas) would you upload your consciousness into San Junipero when you die?

I honestly think I would but I’m curious as to everyone’s thoughts.

There's simply so much to like about it. Watching the first half of it for the first time, you ask yourself so many questions. The town seems normal enough, but the way that the characters talk about it, you know something's gotta be up. Also, it's Black Mirror, so you know something's gotta be up. So you keep watching, looking out for what the twist might be, and along the way you let yourself get attached to the excellent characterization and great acting.

spoiler

[spoiler](#s "There are so many great moments, its impossible to list them all. One of my favorites is when one of the leads expresses that she doesn't want to live in San Junipero forever, because her husband and soulmate already died without having the chance to pass over. "what if you're right and there really is nothing after?" Just fucking golden. And of course, the ending. It may be a bit too on the nose for some people, but I just adored having them drive into the sunset, playing Heaven is a place on Earth. "We made heaven a place on Earth..."")

As a final side-note, I loved the portrayal of the lesbian relationship, and the way that it normalizes same-sex relationships on TV. If every TV episode about gay people is about the people being gay, then that still treats gay relationships as something out of the ordinary. No characters ever acknowledge the fact that the mains are lesbian; the story would have been exactly the same if they were a straight couple. And I think that's a good thing, at least here.

I got a really good batch of ranarr weed off the ge

Edit: I thought I'd corrected that typo in the title. I meant to say and.

"It's all code. If you listen carefully you can hear the numbers."

Says Colin, as he tries to explain to Stefan that his life is all a lie, that he's being watched, monitored and his life is being controlled.

Just like how Sylvia tries to explain to Truman that he's in a similar situation in The Truman Show.

The biggest difference, of course, is that The Truman Show all exists physically (albeit inside a gigantic dome,) not virtually like Stefan's world.

I believe Stefan is a cookie, and that he lives in a future video game. I believe the film is about the game, and the audience views it from the point of view of the players, to the point where we're actually playing.

He lives in a future version of the game he's creating, where the characters are sentient because cookies and mind uploading technology have been invented.

After all, the rest of Black Mirror is set in a more technologically advanced near future, instead of a less technologically advanced near past.

Just like how San Junipero is a future simulation of 1987, I believe Bandersnatch is a future simulation of 1984.

Hmm, I wonder why they picked that year of all years for a game where every aspect of a real person's life is monitored... Big Brother is watching you, Stefan. (Or shall I say big father?)

I believe the video game he's trapped in is like a virtual Truman Show, and all the people he knows are actors who've had their consciousnesses uploaded into the simulation.

Colin plays the role Sylvia did in The Truman Show, by trying to explain to the unknowing star (Truman Stefan) what his situation is.

Stefan is Truman.

When Stefan leaps through the window, he accidentally somehow switches places with his real self that he, a cookie, was extracted from, and wakes up in his body, due to some kind of technical glitch, while his real self is rehearsing for a film based on the game (could that film be called Black Mirror: Bandersnatch? But it hasn't happened yet has it? Maybe it's the sequel,) but the glitch is fixed and the simulation is reset to the "WHO'S THERE?" scene.

Because it's a simulation, the coders have more power than the directors of The Truman Show. It's more like The Truman Show and The Matrix combined. If something goes wrong, they can reset a branch of a timeline and make him wake up in his bed believing it was just a dream, or not remembering it at all. They can also send the bandersnatc

Hi all, so I like the themes with this episode (death/dying, loss, disease, hedonism w the usual common themes in BM—tech & consciousness). Do you recommend any other shows or BOOKS with similar themes?

I'm not saying that is the most violent or has the plot twist that surprised me more than other episodes of the show, is just that, I find it so intense emotionally, is like a charlie Kaufmann movie without being too pretentious (nothing against, I love his work). Does anyone feel this way? Really, I couldn't watch another show in a week because of the emotions that I had so deep. I know that the episode is a big me for a lot of people, and I know why, that's the reason that I'm asking if that happened to anyone else. Sorry for my broken English, peace.

From the synth and neon-soaked 80's nostalgia to the strangely warm and comforting themes of death and purgatory, I honestly can't get San Junipero out of my head every time I listen to the album. I'm actually surprised I haven't seen this correlation brought up by anyone else yet. Maybe it's just me?

I'm making my way through Black Mirror with my gf and we just watched San Junipero. I thought it was pretty "meh" and went online to see what others had to say about it. Apparently many people have it as their favourite BM ep? I'm quite confused. I've watched 2 youtube videos on it and they still haven't "sold" me on the ep.

Please share your thoughts, I'd be really interested to hear them!

EDIT: Just read through all the replies after 12 hours of the post being made. Really cool to read people's opinions! Thanks for the responses and I look forward to more discussion on this sub now that I've migrated into it, hahahaha (also, using the word 'sold' was a bad idea. I didn't necessarily want people to convince me it was good, just why they thought it was good!)

Anyone going to to this?

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/san-junipero-a-retrowave-party-bklyn-tickets-234269685937

I'd be down to go with a small group!

26M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mvZ-FjdgLw I'm interested in both synths, the one that is the lead throughout, and also the one that starts at around 0:37 (That one i am especially interested in)

Thanks in advance

Books, movies, TV, etc.; curious about all! Basically anything that will be heartbreaking yet hopeful and creative and intriguing.

What would you think of a San Junipero video game?

I’m imagining gameplay combing something like The Sims, Animal Crossing, and Second Life, set on a vibrant island world with arcades, a casino, a carnival, nightclubs, restaurants, beaches, and a tropical forest.

The focus of the game would be centered on mini-games, especially retro arcade games, casino games, carnival games, and sports (like tennis and beach volleyball).

Your score in the mini-games would translate into in-game currency to spend on clothing, food, furniture, houses, and vehicles for your avatar.

This game could be both offline single-player or MMO depending on preference. When playing offline you could also spend your in-game money on improving the town by funding upgrades like new shops or landmarks (a lighthouse, a fountain, a clocktower, etc).

What other ideas would you like to see in a San Junipero video game?

>!Spoiler!<

As far as the episode, so you love or hate it (or in the middle) let's not get into that again, but suppose the concept for San Junipero became a reality in the future. Would you go permanently? Why or Why not?

I was thinking at what point would you go crazy from the repetitiveness of it. And if you didn't, what does that say about you? Would this "reality" even work at all?

I know this episode is decisive, but I think the "happy ending" is a ruse. Most episodes fairly beat you over the head with a dark revelation, this one is just as dark but hidden on the edges.

Most obviously is "the quagmire", people for whom the simulation has lost its appeal and are "desperately trying to feel anything". How many are in that situation? How long before they got there? It's said one can end their time whenever they want, but would they? Those who choose to transfer probably correlate with those who don't believe in a "natural" afterlife, and with those who fear death at some level. Many in the quagmire are probably terrified of loosing even that last bit of existence. They're not enjoying "life", but afraid to "die", stuck in a quagmire.

More sinister is the company running the servers, TCKR. What's their goal, who's paying the bills? (I know there's some references in other episodes). Yorkie almost certainly isn't paying, she's had no income and he family is against the whole thing so likely wouldn't pay. The ability to transfer a consciousness into a computer raises some very dark possibilities. Who's to say there's only one copy made? Even standard backup protocols would suggest multiple copies, but even multiple running copies...

Maybe the happy people we see are just the public facing version. Other copies of people's consciousness put to work doing who knows what. Running factories making iPhones. Flying military drones. High tech sex trafficking. Digital slaves.

Some people say this episode "isn't Black Mirror" because it's happy. I say the happiness is the twist, subverting the viewers expectations of a dark reveal and hinting at the true darkness but leaving it to our imagination.

This episode is my favourite of the series, I cannot stop thinking about it.

I wonder how time flows in San Junipero in comparison to the real world. In White Christmas, we see that a cookie can have its perception of time sped up, so that thousands of years pass for it, while only a few minutes actually pass in the real world.

What if this is the case for San Junipero? It would definitely make financial sense for TCKR Systems. For example, if the server time was sped up so that 1 real world month = 1 SJ century, many locals would be deleting themselves in a very short amount of time, after having lived long enough to grow bored. This would free up slots for more 'customers' to be inserted into the server.

I know that Yorkie and Kelly spent 5 hours per week in the simulation while they were still alive, and time seemed to pass at the same speed as the real world. But what if that's just for tourists? They were connected via those little forehead beads, which could be calibrated to perceive the whole thing at the correct speed. Whereas when you make the full transition, it's light speed away? A month in the real world later, you've lived for what is perceived as centuries, and grown tired of it?

Anyway, I don't mean to spoil the terrific ending. I really like that these two got their happily ever after. But I guess it's food for thought. When you are uploaded onto a server that is controlled by a company, you are at the mercy of that company.

I don’t believe in an afterlife or any kind of greater meaning of life. I’ve spent my entire adult life trying to come to terms with death. I tell myself a lot of things to make it palatable, but nothing quells it permanently. So watching San Junipero filled with me such a persistent and upsetting sense of hope. That by the time I have to die, there’ll be a way for me to live on forever (or as long as I want) in perfect health and with anyone I want. It would be the answer to all my dread about death. But I know there’s a 99.99% chance science will never get that far in my lifetime. And I’ll spend the rest of my life hoping endlessly for a reprieve from death that’ll never arrive, and by the time I have to die, I would’ve spent so much time hoping for it that I’d never have learnt to accept death. And probably my greatest nightmare is dying while panicked and not at peace. The thing is that I just can’t write off the possibility fully. Even if I consciously know it’s next to impossible, there’s nothing I can do to stop myself from hoping it’ll come one day. I don’t know how long it’s going to be before I give this dream up and move on with my life and it’s impending finiteness.

I'm sorry ... I love Black Mirror. I've watched every episode multiple times, but I just do not like SJ.

I am fully prepared for the bashings and downvotes that will be coming my way.

There, I said it!!

Edit: Wow this post got a lot of action. That wasn't expected!

Thank you for the rewards!!

My reasons for not liking this episode have absolutely nothing to do with the lesbian thing.

Someone in the comments hit the nail on the head when they said "it started out in this crazy world where people do whatever they want...but then it turned into this cliche, feel-good love story"

It started out with a good premise, but then took a turn for the worse when it turned into this cheesy love story (my opinion).

I like dark episodes that make me feel weird for days after. SJ was not that.

I’ve seen this episode so many times and always come back to it. It’s one of my all time faves. It leaves me so emotional every single time.. I guess it’s the twist that really got to me the most.

I would, without a doubt. From the episode, I got this vibe where everyone there could really do whatever they like from jumping to different eras, to teleporting (Yorkie teleported when Kelly crashed) to just having endless fun. I mean why wouldn't anyone pass over.

Would you pass over?

View Poll

Soooo I just started watching Black Mirror a few weeks ago, started from the first season and watched the episodes chronologically even though people said you can watch them in any order (so no spoilers for future episodes please!) and man this show is stressful to watch (and I love it). So basically, I just finished watching San Junipero and just wanna share with you guys how I was left in awe when I saw the end like what the fuck? This show conditioned me to expect some depressing endings, like, this episode comes after Shut Up and Dance ffs! The whole episode I was waiting for a dark turn where some fucked up shit is revealed about Yorkie or something but it never came. I was watching until the ending scene still not convinced that it is a happy one but it is. It is a much needed eye bleach episode and I am extremely happy/relieved/giddy? at they gave Yorkie and Kelly the ending they deserve. So yeah, just wanted to type this out as I still feel like a little girl who received a birthday present from watching this episode.

I think that if San Junipero was closer to the show’s themes, it would probably be a lot different than it was, in the following ways:

1. Dead residents who want to stay there permanently would need to be gainfully employed to pay for it once their estate runs out. Like an afterlife “work from home”, where they’d do the work they did in their lifetime. Don’t know how retail or blue collar workers would factor in though. Wouldn’t necessarily be dystopic on its own. Imagine having Einstein’s cloud-uploaded brain helping advance scientific achievements now.

2. If it would have a functioning economy, there’d definitely be companies in the real world competing to provide services in it and it would probably be really cartelized. Say, Netflix and Disney+ both wanting to sell subscriptions to SJ residents but TCKR would only sell rights to the higher bidder.

3. Politicians likely wouldn’t be content with having an idyllic afterlife and would want political power. There would probably still be digital separatism demanding different servers based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, etc.

4. Speaking of religions, there would probably be a huge issue with proselytisation. Lot of missionaries would invade it and badger SJ residents to give it up and die permanently so they can go to “actual” Heaven. Fanatics might even try to bomb their servers so I’d bet they’d have to spend a bunch of security.

5. There would be a lot of political discourse about the rights of SJ residents to interface with earth. Should they be able to vote in earthly elections, (by casting their votes through the cloud) since human politics would affect them too?

6. There would probably be a huge issue about whether children or the mentally disabled could a) consent to being uploaded there in the first place b) consent to ending their afterlife and “pass on”.

7. I can’t imagine there not being some kind of policing in a place where a lot of people are staying. That would be a whole new complex facet so let’s not get into it.

8. There would probably be a lot of discord on earth. Living people would claim that their employment prospects are bleak because of highly experienced SJ residents taking up their jobs and would want to curtail their economic participation. Young people would try to commit suicide to get there ASAP and there would have to be some kind of legislation discouraging it.

9. Since the elderly are the most reliable voters, they’d exhaust a lot of political capital

I mean…I guess I considered myself someone who held at least a bit of traditional masculinity, a degree of manly dignity

Cried…like a little freaking bitch

Literally had to go drive around to cool off and then just cried more in the car

I’m an aspiring writer and although this sounds like a uncomfortable experience, I was still in such a positive mood just from the fact that there exists a piece of tv that came about from the brilliance writing can be (and of course from filming, acting, music as well) that was actually able to generate the emotions I had

Really an art form I can only dream of being able to contribute to one day

While its sunny and the two ride off together there is a very dark sad side. Kelly's body is laid to rest with her husband and daughter but will never be with them again. Whatever someone's beliefs or thoughts about the afterlife and the great unknown for Kelly to never be reunited with her husband to me is tragic. Her husband stood by his beliefs in order to see his daughter again, something Kelly definitely struggled with. I also really like the character arch for both Kelly and Yorkie. At first I saw Kelly as this heart breaker ghosting that guy and then Yorkie but then when we learn about her and why it makes more sense. So I went front her been the mean one to the likeable one. Where as Yorkie this quiet sweet innocent girl by the end is telling Kelly her husband was selfish for not choose San Junipero, she definitely deserved that whack from Kelly! For me going from the likeable character to root for to the thoughtless selfish one. (I am not meaning to be harsh I understand she is in a coma 90% of her life) Anyways I still love the episode but it has a dark sad ending in some ways. Also on second watch caught the song Girlfriend in a Coma by The Smiths great touch.

I never watched this episode as it kind of scared me because I didn’t know how it would make me feel.

I love Hang the DJ, with it being another love story and I always connected to it. I loved how beautiful that story was.

Tonight I finally let myself watch this episode and I think I can finally say I finally have a new favorite episode of Black Mirror.

I want to thank this episode for being so empowering and making me feel validated with who I am as a human.

Heaven is a Place on Earth

-Initial drafts were based on nostalgia therapy and designed as a 1980s period piece, featuring a heterosexual couple and an unhappy ending.

-One draft of the episode contained a scene where Kelly visits a kindergarten in San Junipero, full of children who had died, but it was removed because "it was too sad and too poignant of a note to hit in that story"

-Originally, the ending to this episode would be when Kelly and Yorkie met in the hospital but Brooker wanted a more happy ending because he liked the characters.

-Brooker believes the ending is the happiest ending ever, though some disagree and think it is a sad ending.

-Brooker heard "Heaven is a Place on Earth" while he was on a run, and that's when he knew he needed this song for the episode. "Girlfriend in a Coma" is used briefly in the beginning as foreshadowing, but it cost a ton of money to use it.

Hi everyone. Throwing this idea out here with starry-eyed hope that a video game creator or someone from Black Mirror might spot it and be inspired.

What would you think of a San Junipero video game?

I’m imagining gameplay combing something like The Sims, Animal Crossing, and Second Life, set on a vibrant island world with arcades, casinos, boardwalks, nightclubs, beaches, and a tropical forest.

The focus of the game would be centered on mini-games, especially retro arcade games, casino games, carnival games, and sports (like beach volleyball and tennis).

Your score in the mini-games would translate into in-game currency to spend on clothing, food, furniture, housing, and vehicles for your avatar.

This game could be both offline single-player or MMO depending on the player’s preference. When playing offline you could also spend your in-game money on improving the town by funding upgrades like new shops or landmarks (a lighthouse, a fountain, a clocktower, etc).