In Episode 5 of Black Mirror's seventh season, we follow the journey of Philip Connarthy, a reclusive individual battling his demons as a recovering alcoholic. One fateful day, a phone call shatters the stillness of his life: his ex-partner, Carol Hartman, has passed away, and her daughter, Kelly, yearns for Philip's cherished recollections to craft an immersive eulogy. Kelly provides him with a disc equipped with an AI Guide, tasked with curating Philip's memories of Carol.
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Yet, time has blurred the edges of his past, rendering Carol's visage a mere blur in his mind. The AI Guide suggests a solution—uploading old photographs and utilizing enhancement techniques to reignite his faded memories. Philip possesses three Polaroid snapshots, but ironically, Carol's face is conspicuously absent from them. Instead, the Guide spots an engagement ring, revealing a piece of information unknown to Philip: Carol had been engaged to another before their relationship blossomed.
As they embark on this nostalgic voyage, the tone grows increasingly sour. Philip unearths more photos, each with Carol's face meticulously excised, a testament to their acrimonious breakup. Their three-year relationship culminated abruptly one day when Carol walked out of his life, leading Philip into a spiral of alcoholism that took fifteen arduous years to overcome.
Navigating through these memories, the Guide observes flaws in Philip's role as a partner too. Carol harbored a passion for the cello, but Philip compelled her to play the keyboard in their band, prioritizing their musical sound over her personal preferences. A snapshot from a Halloween party captures Carol seated beside a man donned in a Beetlejuice costume, while a jealous Philip cozies up to his coworker, Emma, sparking a heated argument. The Guide's observation that Carol appears to turn away from Beetlejuice and is never seen with him again in subsequent photos adds fuel to the fire of Philip's lingering doubts and regrets.
Philip holds little regard for the past incident, his mind instead drifting back to its aftermath. Carol, despite her setback at the Philharmonica audition, found her niche as a cellist in West End's iconic production of "The Phantom of the Opera." The Guide’s annotation reveals a tinge of bitterness in Philip, who resents Carol's abrupt departure for London, oblivious to the strain it would impose on their bond.
The subsequent photograph captures Emma snapping a picture of a tipsy Philip on his birthday—a moment that marked the beginning of their relationship’s unraveling. As Carol rang, Emma answered, unbeknownst to all, setting the stage for drama. In his Drunk induced loneliness, Philip confessed later that night, having slept with Emma. Blaming Carol, a heated argument ensued over the phone.
The next scene unfolds in an elegant London restaurant, revealed through enhanced imagery. Philip, driven by a spontaneous decision, had flown to London to propose. He secured a luxurious suite and attended Carol's musical, yet at dinner, her refusal to eat or drink filled Philip with unease. Undeterred, he pressed on with his proposal. Carol's frozen response only heightened his anxiety, prompting him to create a spectacle. She fled, leaving him utterly humiliated.
Fed up with Philip’s self-pity, the Guide scorns him for his selfishness and failure to comprehend Carol’s predicament. In a stunning revelation, the Guide, who turns out to be Kelly’s AI, uncovers the true story. That fateful night, Carol was pregnant and terrified. Seeking retribution against Philip, she indulged in a one-night stand with Brian, a fleeting encounter that meant nothing to her and resulted in only a handful of meetings with Kelly.
Philip is enveloped by a cocktail of guilt and lingering anger, haunted by the fact that Carol never reached out to him again. Kelly steadfastly asserts that she indeed did try, but Philip's mailbox remained steadfastly unyielding to any missives bearing her name. In a sudden twist, his eyes alight upon an undeveloped photograph. Upon enhancement, the image reveals a disheveled, intoxicated Philip capturing the remnants of a ravaged London suite on film. Amidst the clutter of his belongings, Kelly discerns Carol's letter, scattered and forgotten. Philip's attempts to gather the fragile parchment are met with tears, blinding him to its contents. With Kelly's patient guidance, he eventually unearths the letter, hidden amidst a sea of snapshots and London brochures.
A nostalgic flashback transpires, depicting Carol meticulously crafting her heartfelt letter. Her affection for Philip remains undiminished, yet she trembles at the prospect of pregnancy. Determined to embrace motherhood and forge ahead with him, she invites him to a post-show rendezvous, making it clear that his absence would signify a move on from their past. Naturally, oblivious to the letter's existence, Philip fails to show.
Present-day Philip, visibly shattered, resolves to dedicate himself wholeheartedly to delivering a heartfelt eulogy. He cues up a tape containing a song Carol composed exclusively for him. The melody serves as a potent catalyst, reviving vivid memories of her playing it for him. He attends the funeral, where the very same Kelly, a cellist in reality, performs the haunting piece. It seems the memory has seamlessly woven its way into his eulogy, as her fingers dance across the strings in perfect harmony. She catches his eye and beams a warm smile.
The closing scene of Black Mirror Season 7 Episode 5 reveals Carol's visage. In the memory that lingers, her smile meets Philip's, a poignant echo of a love that once was.
