Apr 14, 2025 08:12 AM IST
‘Common People,’ the first episode of Black Mirror’s seventh season, was well-received by fans, who quickly speculated about the fate of Mike.
Black Mirror season 7’s new episodes dropped on Friday. The first episode ‘Common People’ was received well by fans, as per numerous reviews on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. The ending of ‘Common People’ left fans speculating about the fate of Mike (played by Chris O’Dowd).
While a majority of Black Mirror’s dystopian episodes end with positive twists or reveals, ‘Common People’ spirals downwards instead, and when you just think things can’t possibly get any worse, the worst happens.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers about the episode.
Mike loses his job after a violent altercation at his workplace and can no longer afford the experimental Rivermind+ service for Amanda (played by Rashida Jones). Rivermind+ is the more expensive service that blocks all the advertisements that Amanda plays and keeps her from sleeping for 16 hours a day to cure her malignant brain tumour. They go back to the Rivermind company to appeal for help but are ultimately turned away as they can’t pay for the subscription.
Fast forward to the destruction
They’re seen a year later, skinny and weak, on their wedding anniversary where Mike gets a 30-minute Rivermind Lux booster pack for Amanda. Rivermind Lux is an advanced tier of the life support service that allows users to customize emotions and experiences. After he turns Amanda’s ‘serenity’ levels to the max, she tells him, “I think it’s time,” indicating that
After laying her down on the bed, Mike suffocates Amanda with a pillow while she plays an antidepressant advertisement – which plays right when the 30-minute Rivermind Lux booster pack ends. He whispers to her that it’s ok as she continues her ad underneath the pillow until she succumbs to her death.
What does the last sequence suggest?
The episode’s last sequence shows Mike going to the spare bedroom with a scalpel. His computer is still open in the background with the Dum Dummies website open. With Amanda dead, the final scene infers that Mike is planning to take his own life by suicide. With the Dum Dummies website open in the background, it also suggests that the violence will be live-streamed.
