"Hated in the Nation" | |
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Black Mirror episode | |
Episode no. | Series 3 Episode 6 |
Directed by | James Hawes |
Written by | Charlie Brooker |
Original release date | 21 October 2016 |
Running time | 89 minutes |
Guest appearances | |
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"Hated in the Nation" is the sixth and final episode in the third series of the British science fiction anthology series Black Mirror. Written by series creator and showrunner Charlie Brooker and directed by James Hawes, it premiered on Netflix on 21 October 2016, along with the rest of series three. It is the longest episode of Black Mirror, at 89 minutes.
A Nordic noir-inspired episode, "Hated in the Nation" follows Detectives Karin Parke (Kelly Macdonald) and Blue Coulson (Faye Marsay) as they investigate a spate of deaths targeting the subjects of social media hatred, at the hands of Autonomous Drone Insects (ADIs) that have been deployed to combat environmental catastrophe as bees near extinction. It was filmed largely in London.
Informed by Brooker's experience of receiving hate mail after writing a 2004 Guardian column that disparaged George W. Bush, the episode drew comparison to The X-Files and explored themes including government surveillance and environmentalism. Across mostly positive reviews, critics praised the acting but gave mixed comments on the story and episode's length. It received middling rankings on Black Mirror instalments by quality.