Spoiler Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for the Black Mirror episode “Loch Henry.” If you have yet to watch the latest season, please tread carefully.
Like a lot of people with a Netflix subscription, I woke up on Thursday, June 15th and immediately started Black Mirror Season 6. And since the 2023 Netflix show can essentially be watched in any particular order, I settled on “Loch Henry,” the true crime-centric installment about a young documentarian who returns to his sleepy Scottish town to film a nature documentary only to uncover a more sensational and shocking story to explore.
Like some of the best episodes of Black Mirror, “Loch Henry” is a morality tale full of twists, turns, and lessons about technology and how it impacts our lives (and past secrets). After watching the episode, which is already making waves on social media thanks to the "Joan Is Awful" twisty ending, I was left with a great deal of thoughts about the big twist, the clues that teased the reveal, and other thoughts about it. Let’s break those down now…
First, I Have To Break Down The Big Twist
Going into the episode, I had a feeling there was going to be some kind of twist, considering that is one of the main qualities of Black Mirror. That being said, I wasn’t fully prepared for how things ended up shaking out.
Throughout the episode, documentarians Davis (Samuel Blenkin) and Pia (Myha'la Herrold) attempt to get to the bottom of the case of serial killer Iain Adair (Tom Crowehurst) and the numerous victims he claimed before killing himself years earlier. But little did they know that the story would be very, very close to home, in that Davis’ widowed mother, Janet (Monica Dolan) and deceased father, Kenneth (Gregor Firth) played active roles in the grisly crimes.
The moment Pia discovers the footage, on an old tape of Bergerac nonetheless, creates for one of the more shocking moments in the series so far, and was pulled off wonderfully at that. The footage of a younger Janet in a red mask performing unspeakable acts on victims is an even bigger shock thanks to her quiet and reserved demeanor up to that point.
There Are Multiple Clues About The Big Reveal Throughout The Episode
Though I didn’t see the disturbing twist, and even more unsettling reveal, coming before it all went down in “Loch Henry,” I started to feel like Agent Dave Kujan during The Usual Suspects ending in the minutes of the Black Mirror chapter. What I’m getting at is that there were clues waiting to be found throughout the narrative, which really adds to the rewatchability of the episode. I’m not saying I’ve picked up on all the teases, but there were a few clues that I went back to revisit as soon as the credits rolled.
First, the red mask that Janet is seen wearing in the murder tape is seen multiple times throughout the episode, including when Davis and Pia first enter her house. It’s just there, hanging on the wall like some trophy or piece of memorabilia from a sporting event. We see the mask again later just before Pia runs out of the house after watching the tape, but by this point we already know the meaning behind it and know that this is no red herring.
During the scene in which Davis interviews Janet for the documentary, Janet makes a few comments that are very telling looking back. From talking about not being in front of a camera in years to chuckling when asking “can you imagine” after her son says his father’s videos were never meant for broadcast, it’s quite telling. This is especially true with that sinister little laugh before the scene ends.
And then there’s the way Richard (John Hannah), the father of Davis’ friend, Stuart (Daniel Portman), acts whenever Davis is around or the case is mentioned. It’s never revealed how much he knows about the crimes and Davis’ parents’ involvement, but his comments during the tense hospital scene suggest he had a feeling.
Davis Lost Everything
As mentioned earlier, Black Mirror is a show that has long been filled with lessons about everything from technology to popularity, and what you have to sacrifice in order to get what you want. And in some cases, getting what you want isn’t a good thing. Such is life for Davis, who not only learns that his parents were involved in a series of shocking and notorious murders, but also loses his girlfriend after Pia hits her head and drowns while evading Janet, who then commits suicide and leaves all the tapes and a note to her son.
In the episode’s epilogue, Davis wins a BAFTA for his decorated true crime documentary, Loch Henry: Truth Will Out, but loses everything in the process. He wanted to make his movie and he got it, but at what cost? The once outgoing young filmmaker looks like a shell of his former self in the closing shot of the episode as he sits in a hotel room with only his trophy and himself to figure out what’s next in life.
Davis And Pia Wanted To Make A True Crime Doc, But Become The Subjects Of One Instead
And what would an episode of Black Mirror be without a nice chunk of irony for the audience to chew on long after the story ends? Well, that’s exactly what we get with “Loch Henry,” as Davis and Pia set out to make a true crime documentary, only to find themselves the subjects of one instead. Similar to the point above, this is one of those “be careful what you wish for” situations that have made previous seasons of Black Mirror so riveting.
It’s also ironic that the episode is playing on Netflix, which has come under fire in the past with its original programming. This was especially true for Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which was met by outcry from the family and friends of the killer’s victims following its release. And it’s not just Netflix, as the true crime genre has taken over other streamers as well.
Well, those are just some of my thoughts after watching “Loch Henry," which is just one of the newly released episodes of Black Mirror streaming on Netflix. In the meantime, take a look at our 2023 TV schedule to see what other great shows are coming to Netflix and other streamers and channels in the weeks and months to come.
