Horror Spotlight: 15 Million Merits (Black Mirror Episode)

 

PLOT SUMMARY: Bing lives a monotonous life riding a stationary bike to generate electricity until he meets Abi who brings a change into his life.

Let's face it, we are highly dependent on our gadgets, our phones especially. It has practically taken over our lives because it is this one device which tells us the time,  connects us to other people through apps, acts as a learning tool, makes calculations, tells us the weather...and oh yes, it also functions as a calling device.

But phones are not all that we are addicted to. We like entertaining reality shows on TV, we use our laptops to work, we have the Internet to help keep us abreast of world events and do research.

All of this works because of electricity. Can we even imagine a world without electricity? Probably not.

What if, in the future, we are told that the only way we can have electricity is if we pedal on stationary bikes, kind of like hamsters on a wheel.

Don't worry though, you will be paid for it...in credits. These credits can be used to buy fruit from vending machines and toothpaste and a whole range of items for your avatar. No, you cannot buy clothing items for yourself.

The future is dull, bleak and grey and that is what you must wear too.

This is pretty much the premise of the second episode in Black Mirror, but it comes with an interesting twist.

15 MILLION MERITS PLOT

We meet Bing, a man who is dressed in gray clothes and keeps to himself. Then again so does everybody in what looks like a facility.

The only activity the majority of people engage in is riding stationary bikes to generate electricity. 

One day when he tries to get something from the vending machine and it doesn't come out, he gets help from a woman who seems interested in him. She teaches him how reaching into the slot can help snag the stuck item.

Bing barely acknowledges her but does thank her before seating himself for his boring lunch. In the future one only eats fruit and rides exercise bikes to remain fit. Those who are unable to control their weight are dressed in bright yellow and made to clean up the mess the people in gray leave behind. There is another option for them; they may participate in humiliating shows where they are sprayed with water and have food thrown at them.

Bing seems to sympathise with them as his neighbor keeps insulting the cleaners but he keeps to himself. He doesn't want to interact with anyone and is perfectly content with his regular, monotonous life.

However, the one thing constant is change and Bing's unexceptional routine is broken with the arrival of Abi.

Abi is pretty and innocent but what makes Bing aware of her is her singing voice. The day he hears it, he becomes enamored and suddenly finds the spark to speak the truth about his life and the facility with her.

Abi is coy and doesn't like to take risks but she finds Bing charming too.

Bing decides that Abi is too good for a life of drudgery and wants more for her. She does possess talent after all, in his opinion.

He tries to convince her to partake in a reality competition show that is somewhat along the lines of American Idol.

Abi is a bit reluctant at first and insists she doesn't have enough credits to participate anyway. Bing immediately offers his saying that after his brother passed away, he inherited 15 million merits.

Abi is still hesitant to take it. Later, in his small pod like room that has screens for walls, Bing decides to gift his credits to Abi through the avatar app.

Abi is surprised to receive it and sends her avatar to Bing to say thank you.

Bing is happy for Abi but realizes he doesn't have enough credits to skip ads for adult programmes. He still uses the remaining to skip through them unable to look at the women who act promiscuous.

On the day of the audition, Abi is chosen first because she is pretty, earning the rage of a white haired contestant who has been waiting in line for her chance for a long time.

Abi is given a Compliance juice to drink so that she doesn't throw up. Since Bing is her friend he is allowed to enter and is given a stamp that will last for two months.

Abi sings beautifully and the judges seem impressed. The audience members comprise of avatars as real people are not allowed to attend, and their reactions are of pleasant surprise as well.

However as soon as the audition ends, one of the judges, who runs the Wraithbabes Site tells Abi that she would do better being a Wraithbabe than a singer.

The other judges say she is an above average singer and agree with the first judge.

Abi is given a choice. To either become an adult movie star or go back to cycling. If she works in adult movies she will not have to spend a single day cycling. Bing makes a fuss and is taken away from the stage.

Abi concedes and takes up the offer.

Some time later, Bing is broke and can't skip the adult movie ads anymore. It is torture for him to watch Abi being used by other men.

He goes on a rampage and smashes the screens and then picks up one of the shards and hides it under his pillow.

He then comes up with a devious plan. He begins working out really early in the day and starts collecting points. He saves up his credits by stealing food and eating leftovers at the table left by other people.

He also practices a dance routine and is really bad at it.

As his stamp begins to fade we learn that at least two months have passed. Eventually he manages to collect 15 million merits and purchases an audition ticket.

On the day of the audition, Bing brings the used compliance juice and lies that he drank it already.

He goes on stage, dances well and then suddenly presses the glass shard against his throat and goes on a tirade about how everything is ridiculously unfair over here.

Anytime a security guard comes to stop him, he presses the glass shard closer to his neck and they back off.

His rant against the rules of the place are well-received by the judges who offer him a 30 minute show.

Bing is shocked. Clearly this was not what he was expecting. But this opportunity sure beats having to cycle everyday for the rest of his life.

He gives in.

Later we see Bing streaming his show with the glass shard pressed to his neck. He ends the show with threatening to kill himself but then changes his tone and asks viewers to turn back for his next show later in the week.

He puts his glass shard carefully in a box and locks it. He has a bigger room now overlooking a forest that may be real.

Episode ends.

15 million merits possesses an interesting look at the hypocrisy of society who think they are fighting for a change.

Bing starts off as a sympathetic character. He was complacent and keeping his head down and doing what was expected out of him.

Abi's arrival made him feel and made him want to give her a nicer place to live in. He knows a life of generating electricity by riding stationary bikes is hardly satisfying. For the first time, he wants something else but not for him, for Abi who he feels protective towards.

She sure does look like a babe in the woods.

Abi is pushed into a corner and maybe part of her agreeing to be an adult movie star was because she knew Bing had given up his savings for her just so she could have a decent life as a singer.

When she doesn't get to be a singer, she takes up the next opportunity. Perhaps it wasn't because she wanted am out from a life of drudgery but because Bing had ambitions for her.

Bing thinks it is time to stand up for himself and what he thinks the others want to. He gives a whole speech and shocks everyone but then when he too is given an opportunity to do something different, he takes it up.

It doesn't matter that he isn't making a change anymore. He practically killed himself to earn 15 million merits for the audition, he's not about to do it all over again just so he can eat vending machine food and buy toothpaste.

Bing taking up the offer showed he was willing to give up his ideals rather quickly just so he can have a comfortable life.

The question is, is it really that bad to be selfish and want good things for yourself?

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