Doctor Who takes inspiration from Black Mirror

The main character of “Nosedive,” Lacie (Bryce Dallas Howard), is a sympathetic character. Although she starts out as just another social media-obsessed fake drone, she is quickly confronted with the miserable reality of her situation. The series of bad interactions she goes through makes her more and more sympathetic, and as oppressive as this world is, it’s exciting to see Lacie become bolder and more independent. It’s cathartic to watch her ruin her shallow friend’s wedding, consequences be damned. She may end up in prison in the end, but as she engages in a insulting contest with her new cellmate, it’s clear she’s the happiest she’s ever been.

The main character of “Dot and Bubble,” Lindy (Callie Cooke), does not benefit from such an arc. Her dependence on her “Bubble,” the social media app that covers her view of everything around her and tells her what to do every second of the day, is so strong that she can’t even can’t walk without it. Lindy is completely useless for the entire first half of the episode, and when she finally figures out how to function in the real world, she goes about it in a cold and selfish way. Her survival is ensured by betraying Ricky (Tom Rhys Harries), the only resident of Finetime whose brain hasn’t been rotted to the core, and she expresses no guilt at having him killed. Even in the end, she participates in the other Finetime residents’ suicidal mission to “The Great Beyond”, unconsciously rejecting the Doctor’s urgent offer to save her life.

Unlike “Nosedive,” this is not a story about rejecting the lies of one’s world and accepting the truth. It’s a story about how social media can warp people’s brains to the point of no return.