Disclaimer: The opinions listed below are merely my own and it is what I MYSELF have taken out of the episode. By no means am I saying that my views are 100% accurate or that anyone who opposes of them are wrong. A discussion is just that...a discussion, and I love that this show is open to such interpretations. :)
- Summary:
Waldo, a popular cartoon bear created and voiced by Jamie Salter, interviews famous authority figures on his show. Waldo is loud, obnoxious, a little bit racy which makes his character and the show in general a hit with the general public. Everyone finds Waldo funny and everyone loves him, but despite his creation's fame, Jamie feels himself slipping behind the mask. When Jamie isn't Waldo, he doesn't get noticed by people and he feels as if he is a failure because everyone knows Waldo but no one knows him. It isn't until Waldo's interview with conservative candidate Liam Monroe goes a bit too far, does Jamie gets pulled into the spotlight and he realizes just how much of a dangerous impact his little blue bear actually has on the world.
- Discussion:
"The Waldo Moment" has one of the lowest (if not the lowest) ratings of any Black Mirror episode, and after watching it, I can kind of see why. It's not that this is a horrible episode (as if any Black Mirror episode can be considered "horrible"), but it doesn't have that certain "alternative reality" feel that the previous episodes had. I love the whole dystopian feel that previous episodes had, like all of this could happen in the future and it is scary but at the same time it is also thrilling to watch. Yet this episode felt like it could be something that could occur right now, in our actual reality, and where's the fun in that right? Fake politicians? They're a dime a dozen! Young people not voting? Like that's anything new! Candidates running for office just for fame and recognition? It's been going on for years!
This is not to say that all of these matters aren't important and shouldn't be talked about, but I think it's because all of this is happening right now (or has been happening) it's nothing exciting. The plot for this episode was also really slow, and all of the characters are a bore. They're all annoying and unlikable, and there isn't that sympathy or connection that I normally feel when I watch the show.
Even Jamie was unlikable the majority of the time despite the fact that I did feel sorry for him. His dream is to be a comedian, but instead his creation is more famous than him. People know Waldo and they love him, but they don't care to know about Jamie. This fact is shown when Monroe tells his team to find out who is behind Waldo when he starts to get annoyed with him. The fact that these people have to research and find out about Jamie already shows that before Waldo/Jamie became a thorn on their side, they didn't care to know who was behind it all.
Similar to how true Ellen DeGeneres fans knows that she voices Dori in the popular Pixar film Finding Nemo and Finding Dori, but the people who don't care for Dori would not bother to look up who voiced her. Unlike Jamie however, Ellen is already very well known and people know her for her successful talkshow and not because she voices a little blue fish in an animated film. Jamie wants this kind of distinction -he isn't ashamed of Waldo at all, but he just wants people to know Jamie for Jamie. He wants people to want to get to know him, and he is tired of being in the shadows.
Jamie's lost of identity is not something that the show tried to keep secret. The first time we see Jamie is when he is on the phone with his presumably ex-girlfriend or lover, and she tells him he should be happy because of his success but he quickly corrects her and tells her that he isn't the one that is famous. She once again tells him not to worry and be happy which is basically the worst advice you can give someone who is trying to tell you that they are unhappy. Jamie's unhappiness is very evident throughout the episode, with the only time where he seemed somewhat happy is when he is spending time with Gwendolyn Harris. Gwendolyn is the only person in this episode who cares less about Waldo than Jamie, and it was devastating that their connection was cut short.
In the beginning of the episode, Gwendolyn basically says that she is only running because she wants to further her career. I know it can be argued that she never cared for Jamie and that they were both just two lonely people who happened to stumble upon each other; yet for me, I never saw it as just a casual fling because they both confided in each other.
When she confides in Jamie, it shows that she trusts him. He also trusts her when he talks to her about his role as Waldo; yet, in the end they both hurt each other in the worst of ways.
Gwendolyn is told that her relations with Jamie links her to Waldo and if she wants to be taken seriously she must stop talking to Jamie. Since she wants her career to be a successful one, Gwendolyn reluctantly agrees and starts to blow Jamie off. Later on she reveals that she was going to talk to him after the campaign was over, but who knows if this is true or not. The fact that she couldn't spare a few minutes of her day to tell Jamie this shows what a coward she is, and also how she would do anything to move forward. Being ambitious is a great trait to have, but Gwendolyn's "better you than me" attitude really taints her character and this is a characteristic that is also seen in many political candidates. Granted you need to have thick skin to survive these campaigns, but how far is too far? How many people would you step on to get what you want?
Jamie isn't any better-when Gwendolyn tells her they are done he lashes in out in the most school boy way possible. He goes and blabs her most personal secret to a live audience and humiliates her. He not only soiled her name, but he did it in the most cowardly way, using Waldo. He couldn't even go up to her and tell her himself, but instead he made fun of her and treated her as awfully as he did with Monroe, someone he couldn't stand. This cut throat betrayal is also another characteristics that many political candidates have which makes them hard to trust because everyone seems to have a knife behind their back.
Speaking of typical stereotypes, Monroe is painted as "that guy you don't want to vote for" since day 1. He is the one that Jamie doesn't mind tearing down and making fun of because he is everything that Jamie hates in a person. He is pretentious, rude, and as fake as a candidate can get. He's one of those "make you a million promises and then drops them all once he is elected" kind of guy.
Sound familiar?
Jamie doesn't mind breaking him down and calling him fake because he truly believes it, but the story takes a turn when Gwendolyn flips the question onto him. She asks him what he stands for and what he believes in, and although she is asking him this because she is angry at him both Jamie and the audience know that she has hit a sore spot.
What does Jamie believe in? What does Jamie stand for?
He knows that Waldo isn't anything more than a cartoon bear. He is something that is entertaining to watch, something for people to laugh at while they are eating their evening meals. He isn't something that is suppose to have this much influence in the world; yet, he does! People pay attention to him because he is entertaining and while I'll admit elections are not the most fascinating event to watch, it isn't something to be taken lightly either.
Even Jamie was unlikable the majority of the time despite the fact that I did feel sorry for him. His dream is to be a comedian, but instead his creation is more famous than him. People know Waldo and they love him, but they don't care to know about Jamie. This fact is shown when Monroe tells his team to find out who is behind Waldo when he starts to get annoyed with him. The fact that these people have to research and find out about Jamie already shows that before Waldo/Jamie became a thorn on their side, they didn't care to know who was behind it all.
Similar to how true Ellen DeGeneres fans knows that she voices Dori in the popular Pixar film Finding Nemo and Finding Dori, but the people who don't care for Dori would not bother to look up who voiced her. Unlike Jamie however, Ellen is already very well known and people know her for her successful talkshow and not because she voices a little blue fish in an animated film. Jamie wants this kind of distinction -he isn't ashamed of Waldo at all, but he just wants people to know Jamie for Jamie. He wants people to want to get to know him, and he is tired of being in the shadows.
Jamie's lost of identity is not something that the show tried to keep secret. The first time we see Jamie is when he is on the phone with his presumably ex-girlfriend or lover, and she tells him he should be happy because of his success but he quickly corrects her and tells her that he isn't the one that is famous. She once again tells him not to worry and be happy which is basically the worst advice you can give someone who is trying to tell you that they are unhappy. Jamie's unhappiness is very evident throughout the episode, with the only time where he seemed somewhat happy is when he is spending time with Gwendolyn Harris. Gwendolyn is the only person in this episode who cares less about Waldo than Jamie, and it was devastating that their connection was cut short.
In the beginning of the episode, Gwendolyn basically says that she is only running because she wants to further her career. I know it can be argued that she never cared for Jamie and that they were both just two lonely people who happened to stumble upon each other; yet for me, I never saw it as just a casual fling because they both confided in each other.
When she confides in Jamie, it shows that she trusts him. He also trusts her when he talks to her about his role as Waldo; yet, in the end they both hurt each other in the worst of ways.
Gwendolyn is told that her relations with Jamie links her to Waldo and if she wants to be taken seriously she must stop talking to Jamie. Since she wants her career to be a successful one, Gwendolyn reluctantly agrees and starts to blow Jamie off. Later on she reveals that she was going to talk to him after the campaign was over, but who knows if this is true or not. The fact that she couldn't spare a few minutes of her day to tell Jamie this shows what a coward she is, and also how she would do anything to move forward. Being ambitious is a great trait to have, but Gwendolyn's "better you than me" attitude really taints her character and this is a characteristic that is also seen in many political candidates. Granted you need to have thick skin to survive these campaigns, but how far is too far? How many people would you step on to get what you want?
Jamie isn't any better-when Gwendolyn tells her they are done he lashes in out in the most school boy way possible. He goes and blabs her most personal secret to a live audience and humiliates her. He not only soiled her name, but he did it in the most cowardly way, using Waldo. He couldn't even go up to her and tell her himself, but instead he made fun of her and treated her as awfully as he did with Monroe, someone he couldn't stand. This cut throat betrayal is also another characteristics that many political candidates have which makes them hard to trust because everyone seems to have a knife behind their back.
Speaking of typical stereotypes, Monroe is painted as "that guy you don't want to vote for" since day 1. He is the one that Jamie doesn't mind tearing down and making fun of because he is everything that Jamie hates in a person. He is pretentious, rude, and as fake as a candidate can get. He's one of those "make you a million promises and then drops them all once he is elected" kind of guy.
Sound familiar?
Jamie doesn't mind breaking him down and calling him fake because he truly believes it, but the story takes a turn when Gwendolyn flips the question onto him. She asks him what he stands for and what he believes in, and although she is asking him this because she is angry at him both Jamie and the audience know that she has hit a sore spot.
What does Jamie believe in? What does Jamie stand for?
He knows that Waldo isn't anything more than a cartoon bear. He is something that is entertaining to watch, something for people to laugh at while they are eating their evening meals. He isn't something that is suppose to have this much influence in the world; yet, he does! People pay attention to him because he is entertaining and while I'll admit elections are not the most fascinating event to watch, it isn't something to be taken lightly either.
It is not until Jamie meets Jeff Carter, an American agent, and he introduces the idea that Waldo can take the world in a global standpoint, does Jamie draw the line. Napier wants to continue to push Waldo as an unofficial candidate, despite the fact that Jamie refuses to participate. Time and time again, Jamie admits that he has limited knowledge of the field. He's afraid of being asked a question he doesn't know the answer to, and states that Waldo is nothing but a blue bear that cannot answer for himself. Jamie's ignorance to politics isn't something that makes him laughable because many Americans also do not follow political news closely. Unless some scandal breaks out and makes it way to entertainment television or social media, than most of the younger crowd will not care about it.
When Jamie tries to take a stand and tell the public to not vote for Waldo, Napier takes over Waldo and tells the public to attack Jamie and the crazy part is that someone actually does! These are grown men and women, taking commands from a cartoon bear. If they are willing to hurt people, who knows what else these people are willing to do under Waldo's control. This scene solidifies Carter's earlier words that Waldo has the power to influence people, and if they were to take him overseas, just how many more people could he control? This is really a dangerous territory because now that Napier is behind Waldo, he is the one that is manipulating them. They'll listen to what "Waldo" says, and what Waldo says depends on who is controlling him at the moment.
Jamie finally standing up to something was the turning point for him in the show. Despite the fact that he tried to do the right thing, this act didn't end up in his favor. Usually in movies or books when the main character takes a stand, this is where the everything starts to go in their favor. It's when the character realizes his or her wrongdoings and tries to make amends, and of course the character ends up finding forgiveness and all is well in the world again. Yet Black Mirror is anything but unrealistic, and to push that on its audience would have made the episode underwhelming. Unfortunately for Jamie, the crowd turns against him, and so does the company he works for.
In the end, the election votes are tallied and Monroe wins followed by Waldo, and Gwendolyn comes in third place. Now looking at these three candidates it's easy to see that there is no clear cut, "right" choice. It is just a bunch of wrong people competing for the job, and the one that wins is who the public think is "the best of the worst."
It's extremely sad that our government is run by someone who isn't the best for the job, but is good enough. Monroe is a liar and manipulator who will say whatever it will takes to gain more votes, and anyone with good insight would know that he is full of fluff.
Yet what is more sad, is the runner up of this election...
Waldo is an animated character with no political background nor experience, but he came up second which means people actually voted for him! I don't know what's worse that people actually voted for him thinking it was a splendid idea to have a cartoon bear discussing actual politics, or the people that voted for him as a joke because they view the whole voting system as a joke.
Lastly there's Gwendolyn who didn't even want the job in the first place, but is using the election for her fifteen minutes of fame.
None of these contestants have the best interest of the people in mind, but sometimes in life there is no clear cut right and wrong choices-sometimes you just have to pick the choice that seems the least wrong.
It's extremely sad that our government is run by someone who isn't the best for the job, but is good enough. Monroe is a liar and manipulator who will say whatever it will takes to gain more votes, and anyone with good insight would know that he is full of fluff.
Yet what is more sad, is the runner up of this election...
Lastly there's Gwendolyn who didn't even want the job in the first place, but is using the election for her fifteen minutes of fame.
None of these contestants have the best interest of the people in mind, but sometimes in life there is no clear cut right and wrong choices-sometimes you just have to pick the choice that seems the least wrong.
The episode closes out with Jamie presumably homeless, trying to destroy a television screen that displays a slideshow of Waldo. It seems as if Napier's vision came true and Waldo truly is a world wide figure, that is not only well known but is also well respected. When Jamie tries to hit the screen, two policemen come by and hits Jamie instead and take him down. This is a bit ironic in the sense that Jamie is trying to take down Waldo this whole time, but in the end it is Waldo who ultimately takes Jamie down.
Jamie's worst fear has come true in the end, his creation has everything and he, its creator, is left with nothing.
Jamie's worst fear has come true in the end, his creation has everything and he, its creator, is left with nothing.
I can't lie, I was pretty much bored by this whole episode and only certain parts were entertaining, if you can call it that. It's not that I don't think this episode was an important one because it is, but the way the message was executed could have been done in a more intriguing way. The main appeal of Black Mirror for me is this whole alternative reality aspect of it, the mere chance of this "could be, would be" universe. Yet in "The Waldo Moment" there is nothing surprising about this episode and that is probably because it hits so close to home. These events are happening right now which really takes away the surprise and shock factor of the show.
★ ★ /5
Comments
Post a Comment