Both of
these television shows are developed for Channel 4, they both are Sci-Fi
thrillers. They show are both gritty, showing a dystopian look at much used
Sci-Fi tropes. All though Black Mirror is about technology and Misfits is about
super powers they are both presented in a similar fashion, having a grim
outlook on life in a world where our lives are ruled by either technology or
the supernatural. In Black mirror each
story is self-contained but have one similar theme in the narrative is how the
advent of advanced technology can be a danger to us instead of the usually
accepted idea that it would do nothing but improve our quality of life.
In
Misfits it has a similar portrayal of something that is usually has a
favourable depiction in modern media, in a time where Marvel and DC
blockbusters show how superpowers are fantastic and helpful to mankind, Misfits
shows a group of young offenders with these powers and how they are not only a
detriment to themselves but also to those they interact with, they’re not out
fighting crime. If anything they are doing crime, even if non-intentionally.
The way the story
is presented is another similarity between them, unlike a modern blockbuster in
both the Sci-Fi and superhero Genre; these two films are very much grounded in
reality, and show the human aspect of what these abilities might do to the
people who have them, it is a bleak look into what these things might bring; it’s
a far cry to the overly popularised blockbuster interpretations of them.
They both
share a similar target audience in young adults, the subject matter is usually
quite adult and can deal with a range of issues. At its root however they both
primarily explore the effect that these things have on people in a gritty and
realistic way.
In
conclusion both shows share similarities In the way they present themselves,
they both take heavily used Sci-Fi trope and present them in a grounded and
realistic fashion
