Black Mirror: What If We Told You Joan Is Awful Is Kinda Based on Real Life?
Why is Joan Is Awful one of the most intriguing episodes of the season?
The episode titled Joan Is Awful revolves around an AI parallel universe within a supercomputer, where TV executives transform a person's life into a sensational TV show.
While the premise seems too outlandish to be based on reality, some striking similarities with a real-life series have caught the attention of viewers.
Caveh Zahedi, filmmaker and star of the series The Show About the Show, noticed uncanny parallels between his own creation and this episode, and shared his thoughts with Mashable.
Zahedi observed resemblances in the story, themes, and even a character's name. Although he couldn't be certain if the creators of Black Mirror had seen his series, the similarities were too remarkable to overlook.
The Show About the Show came out in 2015. It's a mix of a documentary and an indie comedy about Zahedi and his life.
Basically, each episode dives into the behind-the-scenes of the previous episode, using interviews, reenactments, and real documentary footage. It's a pretty interesting and unique concept!
Similar to Joan Is Awful, the repercussions of each installment create a chain reaction, leading to emotional turbulence in the lives of those involved.
Both The Show About the Show and Joan Is Awful share emotional similarities. In both narratives, the main characters experience upheavals in their romantic lives.
Joan's fiancé ends their relationship after watching the TV show based on her life, while Zahedi's marriage faces strain and becomes a central storyline in his series.
Furthermore, both stories explore how the knowledge of reenactment affects intimacy and authenticity in relationships.
The Show About the Show has faced its fair share of criticism, with accusations of unethical practices and sinister undertones. Zahedi's ex-wife even threatened legal action to halt the series.
Similarly, Joan Is Awful also evokes a strong negative reaction within its fictional world.
This parallel underscores the potential criticism targeted at Zahedi and his work, becoming an intriguing aspect within the broader context of his series.
Interestingly, The Show About the Show presents a clash between Zahedi and Netflix, while Joan Is Awful takes a satirical approach towards a fictional platform called Streamberry, clearly mocking Netflix.
This intertextuality raises questions about the influence of Zahedi's series on this particular episode of Black Mirror, as well as the willingness of Netflix to embrace self-criticism.
Source: Mashable