Is there anything more terrifying than technology itself? From killer robots to living forever, the world of sci-fi horror is packed with shows like The Twilight Zone, The X-Files, and Stranger Things to keep you up at night. However, when it comes to anthology series about dystopian futures ruled by technology, Black Mirror and Philip K Dick's Electric Dreams are going head-to-head (appropriately, both on streaming services).With Black Mirror having just wrapped season 4 on Netflix, Channel 4 and Amazon are pushing ahead with the premiere season of Electric Dreams. Boasting an all-star cast and some talented directors, it should be a winning formula ready to overtake Black Mirror in the popularity stakes, but something seems to be missing. SRelated: Black Mirror Season 4 Is At Its Best Finding Hope In Otherwise Bleak Scenarios

The Hype

Electric Dreams

Anthology shows couldn't be bigger right now, with Ryan Murphy becoming the master of this thanks to American Horror Story, Feud, and American Crime Story. However, when Black Mirror aired on the UK's Channel 4 in 2011, it landed with a more modern take on the idea that had already been around for decades. Over the years, Black Mirror has grown its own loyal base of fans, earned a slew of awards, and was eventually bought out by Netflix. You only have to look at the buzz surrounding season 4 about a possible 'USS Callister' spinoff to see that all is going well in the Mirrorverse.

When the first trailer landed for Electric Dreams, it looked like it could 1-up Black Mirror with even more disturbing tales of the macabre. Set to The Mamas & The Papas 'Dream A Little Dream of Me,' it was a chilling tease of what was to come. But perhaps that is the biggest problem. With Channel 4 being the first network to bring Black Mirror to our screens, Electric Dreams was always going to live in the shadow of its predecessor. Bearing in mind that Netflix only got the rights to Black Mirror in 2016, perhaps Channel 4 should've waited a little longer before tackling such a similar show.

The Cast

Steve Buscemi Electric Dreams

While Black Mirror these days may have features the likes of Bryce Dallas Howard and Jon Hamm, its earlier days contained many lesser-known actors who were just starting out. In fact, you could argue that Black Mirror helped actors like Toby Kebbell and Daniel Kaluuya on their way to becoming the Hollywood stars they are today. Looking at Electric Dreams, not a single chapter comes without a big name carrying the episode. Who doesn't want to see Benedict Wong, Steve Buscemi, or Anna Paquin in a sci-fi wonderland? Sadly, Electric Dreams seems to rely heavily on big names to pull in viewers, rather than making its stories as interesting and gripping as possible.

No one will ever agree on if there is a "bad" episode of Black Mirror show, but there are certainly some that are less memorable than others. Beyond Electric Dreams' first episode, 'The Hood Maker,' the rest of the season meanders through some equally forgettable entries. 'The Hood Maker' focuses on Game of Thrones alum Richard Madden as the surly cop partnered with a telepathic newby (Holliday Grainger). Cue tired stereotypes about dysfunctional police pairings and an unscary romance plot. Unfortunately, it seems that Electric Dreams' impressive cast is in danger of outshining the storylines they are given. That being said, with stars such as Vera Farmiga and Juno Temple still set to appear in the second half of season 1, Electric Dreams will still find audiences who are tuning in to see their favorite famous face play a part.

Related: Black Mirror: Jodie Foster Wants To Work With Netflix Forever'

The Comedy Aspect

So what makes Black Mirror the runaway success that it is, and where is Electric Dreams lacking? It may seem like an odd thing to say, but Black Mirror can be incredibly funny. You only have to look at season 4's 'USS Callister' to see how well Brooker and his team can balance a very dark humor with an even darker tale of morality. Seeing a VR crew trapped forever in the nightmare of Plemon's Robert Daly is something truly terrifying, but it works marvelously with well-timed jokes about genitalia and nostalgic Star Trek homages.

Speaking of which, you would imagine that 'USS Callister' would be compared to Electric Dreams' 'Human Is' - basically the one where Bryan Cranston is a Kirk-esque captain - but 'Callister' is a much impressive affair. Unfortunately for Channel 4, Electric Dreams continues to live in the shadow of its predecessor. Perhaps the show's biggest flaw is that it fails to capture that balance between horror and hopelessness that Black Mirror has in abundance. To this day, Black Mirror's premiere episode ('The National Anthem') is one of the most disturbing pieces of TV to come from the 21st Century, and that's the skill of Brooker - each episode manages to get under the audience's skin and stay there. Electric Dreams may be imaginative in its settings and characters, but there are so few moments of humor. Obviously, Black Mirror isn't built on a bed of chuckles, but the odd glimmer of comedy breaks up even the grimmest episodes.

Who Writes It Best - Brooker Or Dick?

Then there comes the problem of the source material itself. Black Mirror comes fresh from the mind of Brooker - best-known as a warped comedian with his face glued to modern society - while Dick's stories all herald from their publication in various magazines during the '50s. At the time they were probably revolutionary depictions of sci-fi, but modern audiences have become tech-savvy. Each episode of Electric Dreams uses a Dick story as a loose interpretation and offers up its own modern reimagining, leading to some working better than others. In 60 years time, Black Mirror stories about a Prime Minister having intercourse pig or pedophiles being mocked in front of a baying crowd will probably fail to strike a chord with viewers, but in the Big Brother state we live in now, it all fits together nicely.

That isn't to say that Electric Dreams is a complete write-off by any means. The storytelling is never less than ambitious, and although some of the stories blend into one undisguisable mush, Tom Harper's 'The Commuter' starring Timothy Spall is a particular highlight. Just like Black Mirror, some episodes are better than others, and 'The Impossible Planet' is also another memorable adventure that tugs at the heartstrings. Similar to the four seasons of Black Mirror, you have to take the good with the bad and simply skip what doesn't appeal to you. Sadly, with 14 (yes 14) executive producers, there is no flow between the chapters of Electric Dreams. Just like Murphy did with American Horror Story, Brooker has cottoned on to peppering Easter Eggs through his episodes to create his own expanded universe for fans to invest in. Of course, Electric Dreams could go down the same route, but it would cause yet more Black Mirror comparisons.

The Future's Bleak - But That's A Good Thing

Anna Paquin in Electric Dreams

As a first attempt, Electric Dreams could be a lot worse, and importantly, it has managed to get people talking. However, there is a problem with self-contained storied in themselves anyway. It may be fun to tune into a one-hour story, but what if you want to know more. The possibility of a 'USS Callister' spinoff shows what happens when an episode is almost too good. However, with Electric Dreams, there is no single episode that you can imagine running past its singular episode. Black Mirror may be riding a tidal wave of rave reviews for its recent run of episodes, but would you really call it the best season yet? In the early days, Black Mirror wasn't even seen as a "season," it was just a collection of three horrifying tales. Nowadays, we are too obsessed with what works and what doesn't, so let's give Electric Dreams a chance to find its legs.

There is no denying that an equally impressive Hollywood cast would presumably flock to be a part of the anthology, which is good news considering there are still so many Philip K. Dick stories to tell. In a post-Blade Runner 2049 world, the legacy that Dick left behind can still pull in the viewers. Even if Electric Dreams may not be the best representation of his works, let's all remember that Dick effectively lay the groundwork for shows like Black Mirror to exist through his futuristic look at the world. Also, with Electric Dreams having only wrapped season 1 of what will undoubtedly get recommissioned, even Dick himself couldn't predict what the future of this show holds?

Black Mirror is currently available on Netflix and Electric Dreams is available to stream via Amazon.

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