For a very basic overview, "Joan is Awful" tells the story of Joan (Annie Murphy)-a frazzled corporate executive who one night discovers that the "Streamberry" TV service has made a (nearly) shot-for-shot series based on her life, and starring Salma Hayek as her. As Joan struggles with the newfound notoriety, she also discovers that the rights to her own life may not actually be her own.
Kicking off Black Mirror's sixth slate of episodes, "Joan is Awful" has some really interesting ideas. It dabbles in the nature of TV series based on historical figures (how they purport to show the "real person" but subtlety tweak that persona) as well as examines the infamous "terms and conditions" of anything tech-based and how easier it may become to fall prey to malicious intent.
Unfortunately, much (dare I say most) of those interesting ideas are left by the wayside as the back half of the episode descends into slapstick comedy. I didn't need "super serious", but going so far in the comedic direction really stunted this episode's ceiling. As such, I landed on 6/10 stars-quite watchable but ultimately unfulfilling for what it had set up.
Kicking off Black Mirror's sixth slate of episodes, "Joan is Awful" has some really interesting ideas. It dabbles in the nature of TV series based on historical figures (how they purport to show the "real person" but subtlety tweak that persona) as well as examines the infamous "terms and conditions" of anything tech-based and how easier it may become to fall prey to malicious intent.
Unfortunately, much (dare I say most) of those interesting ideas are left by the wayside as the back half of the episode descends into slapstick comedy. I didn't need "super serious", but going so far in the comedic direction really stunted this episode's ceiling. As such, I landed on 6/10 stars-quite watchable but ultimately unfulfilling for what it had set up.