‘Black Mirror’s’‘Striking Vipers’ And The Downlow Narrative

The trailer for “Striking Vipers,” one in every of three new episodes in Netflix’s creepy anthology collection “Black Mirror,” is simply obscure sufficient. We see a suburban, upper-middle class black couple with a toddler in scenes of domesticity, however there’s a tinge of unease. We see the couple driving dwelling in silence, the strain palpable between them.

We see the husband, Danny (performed by Anthony Mackie), flip down intercourse together with his spouse, Theo (Nichole Beharie), as a result of he’s “drained,” although it’s apparent he’s mendacity. We see his buddy, Karl (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), playfully bragging in regards to the horny lady he’s courting, sharing photos of her on his telephone, as Danny appears on longingly. We see Theo staring forlornly right into a mirror, appraising each perceived flaw. And we all know, as Theo says by the trailer’s finish, “There’s one thing occurring.” 

The suggestion and conclusion made by the tip of the trailer is that Danny is utilizing digital actuality expertise as an escape from his stale marriage. The fact of what’s truly occurring is way extra advanced. As a result of in watching the precise episode (main spoilers are developing, by the way in which), you be taught that sure, Danny is having an affair ― together with his finest buddy, Karl. The buddies, who’ve recognized one another for 10 years however by the point the story begins haven’t actually been retaining in contact, begin taking part in a VR recreation referred to as “Putting Vipers” that’s so immersive they really change into their characters, viscerally feeling every thing their avatars are feeling. 

However as an alternative of combating within the “Mortal Kombat”-style recreation, the pair find yourself in a digital sexual relationship, with Danny as an Asian male fighter named Lance (Ludi Lin) and Karl as horny feminine fighter Roxette (Pom Klementieff). It’s, because the enthusiastic Karl mentions at one level, the “finest intercourse of [our lives],” however all through the affair Danny struggles with the concept that he’s basically having an affair together with his finest buddy, and particularly with the concept that his buddy, although feminine within the recreation, is a person. 

There are echoes of the basic “Black Mirror” episode “The Total Historical past of You” right here. Like that episode, additionally written by showrunner Charlie Brooker, expertise performs a job in deepening the pressure and the jealousy in an already collapsing relationship. There are additionally echoes of “San Junipero,” which instructed the story of a lesbian couple who fall in love in a digital world. In contrast to these episodes, there are a number of delicate layers piled on high of “Putting Vipers.”

The episode is about plenty of issues, together with the function expertise performs in our lives as a type of escape, and the way that escape can inadvertently change into our lives if we’re not too cautious. It’s in regards to the nature of relationships, the distinctions between love and dedication. However essentially the most fascinating theme and thread right here is the inherent fluidity of sexuality and the self-destruction of denial, instructed right here, considerably, by means of the story of two black males. 

It’s important that “Putting Vipers” has a completely black main forged, a primary for the “Black Mirror” collection. And it’s important to observe two black males, particularly, grapple with their sexuality and id, and play out their sexual fantasies in a approach that few are ever given house to do within the “actual” world. 

There are few queer tales about black males in popular culture, and a trope that we do get typically is that of the “downlow brother” who marries black girls whereas persevering with to pursue homosexual sexual relationships exterior the wedding. The trope doesn’t depart a lot room for compassion or nuance, vilifying these males slightly than scrutinizing the true elements that drive them to remain within the closet or query their sexual id in painful silence. 

“Putting Vipers” performs with that trope in fascinating new methods. It isn’t a strictly homosexual story, however it’s one which questions the confines of sexual id and imagines a world ― actually ― the place black males (and certainly all males) will not be inhibited or confined by gender. All through the episode, Karl insists that his and Danny’s midnight meetups within the digital world don’t make them “homosexual,” that what they’re doing is just like porn, however on this he misses the purpose ―this isn’t actually about inflexible concepts about homosexual vs. straight, however a extra fluid strategy to intercourse and their very own masculinity. 

After making an attempt to chop off the digital relationship a number of occasions, Danny means that he and Karl meet in actual life to kiss for actual, and decide whether or not they’re truly homosexual and truly in love. Neither man “feels” something, and this realization nearly appears to make issues worse ― the 2 find yourself combating, for actual. The battle is emblematic of their very own inside struggles ― in the event that they’re not homosexual, then what are they? 

There’s an earlier scene halfway by means of the episode the place Nicole Beharie, as Theo, delivers a tremendous monologue in regards to the nature of dedication in a relationship and the sacrifices one has to make to make it work, including dimension to the episode by invoking the emotional toll that Danny’s deception and denial put her by means of.

“I simply need to know. I’ll take care of it how I take care of it. I simply need to know,” she says.

Danny reaches throughout the desk, grabs her hand, and lies to her and to himself: “Nothing is happening.” 

“Putting Vipers” ends with a compromise. Danny and Theo open up their relationship ― each month, Theo takes off her marriage ceremony ring and goes out in town, whereas Danny stays dwelling and has his midnight meetup with Karl as Roxette. It’s unclear whether or not this compromise will final, whether or not it would work, however that’s not related. The victory right here, if there’s a victory, is that Danny, Theo, and Karl are lastly being trustworthy with themselves.