Episode 1 of Black Mirror's sixth season introduces Joan, a woman living with her partner Krish and serving as an Orange Squad Leader at Sonicle, a renowned tech giant. The day begins with Joan delivering the unwelcome news of Sandy's termination, leaving her worker devastated. Adding to the turmoil, Joan receives messages from her ex, Mac, who has returned to town. Engaged to Krish, Joan's encounters with Mac become a precarious dance, especially as she begins to question her current commitments.
After a long day at work, Joan seeks solace with her therapist, lamenting the feeling of being on autopilot, not the protagonist of her own narrative. Yearning for a change, Joan decides to seize control and take a bold step—meeting Mac for drinks. Over cocktails, Mac convinces Joan to leave her job and embark on a new journey with him back to San Jose. Hesitant, Joan gives in to a moment of weakness and kisses Mac in full view of the crowd. The kiss jolts her back to reality, and Joan begins to have doubts. As she departs, Mac leaves her with the promise that he'll be in town for three days if she changes her mind.
That evening, Joan and Krish settle in to watch a new drama on Streamberry titled "Joan is Awful." The show, starring Salma Hayek, is a shockingly accurate portrayal of Joan's life—her reactions to Krish's cooking, the firing of Sandy, and every mundane detail in between. It's not just Joan who's watching; the entire town, including Sandy, Mac, and even her parents, are tuned in. The revelation of Joan's secrets turns her evening into a surreal nightmare.
To make it even stranger, when Joan turns on the TV later, she sees Cate Blanchett playing the lead role in "Joan is Awful" on Streamberry. Krish, realizing the extent of Joan's betrayal, decides to leave, unable to trust her any longer. Joan awakens alone the next morning and continues her day amidst the frigid stares of her neighbors and colleagues. They've all seen the pilot episode and now view her as the awful person portrayed on screen. To compound her misery, Eric confronts her in her office, delivering the devastating news that she's been fired. Joan's violation of an NDA by discussing sensitive work issues with Sandy has left the board with no choice but to terminate her employment.
Joan gathered her belongings and departed, mirroring Sandy's footsteps, ultimately returning home, drowned in sorrow over the turmoil her life had become. Her despair was amplified when she visited her lawyer and discovered that Streamberry had the legal right to exploit her life and turn it into a sensationalized drama. All this, she learned, was stipulated in the Terms and Conditions she had unwittingly agreed to upon signing up. So, Joan was powerless, unable even to bring a lawsuit against Salma Hayek, as she had consented to the use of her digital likeness.
Utilizing advanced AI and a vast network of computers, Streamberry knew Joan's every move, leaving her trapped in their web. That evening, Joan sought out Mac, her emotions spilling over into tears. But those tears soon transformed into a fleeting kiss, followed by a stale silence. In bed, Mac felt uneasy, fearing their intimacy would be broadcast on the show, destroying the intimacy of the moment.
In a moment of desperation, Joan resorted to binge eating fatty foods and laxatives, only to attend a church wedding and disgrace it with her actions. Her aim was to tarnish Salma Hayek's name, and she succeeded remarkably. Salma Hayek was enraged, but her lawyer reminded her that she had also signed the same contract.
Unbelievably, Salma Hayek appeared at Joan's doorstep, eager to discuss their shared plight. The two women vented their grievances about the show, realizing they were both victims of the same manipulation. Joan proposed a daring plan: to dismantle the physical server that housed their data. However, Joan lacked the influence and authority to breach Streamberry's headquarters. But Salma Hayek? She possessed the clout to make such a daring move. Joan courageously presented herself at the reception and demanded to see Mona Javadi, the CEO.
Mona was engrossed in an interview, boasting about their new AI algorithm—a quantum computer capable of producing polished shows instantaneously. They intended to offer customized content to each of their 800 million users, ensuring it was as relatable as possible. Yet, Mona shrugged off the question of why they chose to label it "awful" and "terrible" instead of "awesome" and "amazing." She explained that the more sensationalized content generated better engagement.
As Salma and Joan ventured into the office, the strangeness escalated. It dawned on us that our Joan was merely a facade. There existed a "Source Joan," the genuine article. And who was the one to unveil this mystery? None other than Michael Cera himself. Our Joan was a mere digital facsimile, portrayed by Annie Murphy, the illustrious actress from Schitt's Creek. Meanwhile, Source Joan dwelled in the real world.
As Source Joan caught a glimpse of 'Joan is Awful' on TV, she beheld our Joan embodying her. What we had been observing was akin to a recursive mirage, like gazing into a maze of mirrors and witnessing countless reflections of oneself. It was not the authentic essence, but a reflection of a reflection. Thus, the Joan we had been following was essentially a "level 1" existence, indicating that Joan herself was but a character in a television show, with various "levels" of fictionality depending on how deeply one delved into the narrative.
When "Source Joan" committed the ultimate indignity of defecating in a church, it sparked a domino effect. The ensemble of characters, portrayed by digital replicas of diverse actors, realized their image and identity were being sullied and were compelled to take action. With an axe in hand, Joan pondered annihilating the quantum computer altogether. The Streamberry CEO and security personnel intervened, yet it was not enough to deter Joan from executing her plan, as this fateful event had already transpired. The "level 1" Joan had no sway over the matter, and the genuine Joan demolished the computer, striving to reclaim her life.
As the episode drew to a close, we beheld Joan still under house arrest and surveillance, but at least her entire existence was no longer a theatrical spectacle. Even more delightful, she had gained a new companion in Annie Murphy!
