Of Mechanical Beasts: the “Metalhead” episode of “Black Mirror”
Set in the monochrome hell of a bleak, dystopian future where artificial intelligence has driven civilization into the ground and all but eradicated humanity, three scavengers enter a warehouse in search of needed supplies to help an injured companion. They extract a box which looks promising, but hidden behind the box is a robotic guard dog…
The Robo-dog, like the creations of Skynet, is an efficient killing machine. It sprays the three humans with tracking shrapnel, and kills one swiftly with a firearm integrated into a limb. The two survivors flee to their vehicles with the Robo-dog in pursuit; this mech is relentless and merciless, and it gallops after them, smashing into one vehicle and killing the driver…
That leaves only the one woman, Bella, alive to battle the robotic horror. Fortunately she’s cut from the same cloth as Linda Hamilton and Sigourney Weaver, crashing her vehicle in an attempt to crush the metalhead but only damaging one of its limbs. That damage renders the robotic dog incapable of climbing a tree, and loss of battery power forces it to power down until it can do a solar recharge. It does so, however, and the pursuit continues…
The Robo-dog selects a knife as an alternative weapon, but the survivalist woman blinds it’s visual sensors with paint. It continues to come after her using auditory sensors, and it takes two shotgun blasts to put it down. Before being destroyed, however, the killer Robo again sprays the woman with tracking shrapnel, one of which lodges hopelessly beyond removal in her jugular.
The tales of Netflix’s “Black Mirror” seldom have happy endings, however, and more robo-dogs are on the way, far more than could be out-battled. The dark tale does, however, end with a twist, leaving the viewer dazed and dazzled…what a rush!
Tags: "Metalhead" cybernetic dog, Black Mirror's "Metalhead"
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FOXSYLVANIA 
June 16, 2023 at 5:40 pm
Sounds too much like a pessimistic ret-con of Sam Raimi’s CLEOPATRA 2525. 😦
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June 16, 2023 at 5:42 pm
That was the one-season wonder that starred the foxy, then-future Fireflyer Gina Torres.
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June 17, 2023 at 9:37 pm
Never seen that one. Is it worth a view?
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June 17, 2023 at 11:53 pm
Well, if you like kick-butt female commandos who wear form-fitting leather mini-dresses while firing ray guns at tyrannical killer robots, then yeah! But, if you were never a fan of the light-hearted action comedy that was the trademark of other Raimi-produced series (like HERCULES: The Legendary Journeys), then don’t bother trying to find it on DVD.
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July 29, 2023 at 8:01 am
Wow, what an intense and exciting story! It’s amazing to think about the kind of world we could be headed towards if artificial intelligence is not regulated properly. It’s almost as if the Robo-dog is a metaphor for the dangers of such technology. It is relentless and merciless in its pursuit of the survivors, and it’s clear that it has only one goal in mind – destruction. Despite the odds, Bella remains undaunted and finds a way to outsmart the Robo-dog. Her bravery and resourcefulness are truly inspiring and show what determination and courage can do. Thank you for sharing this post!
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July 29, 2023 at 10:20 am
I really like the “Black Mirror” series, although they tend to be rather dark and can be depressing. The “Metalhead” episode is my personal favorite, very respectable and memorable science fiction!
Thank you for your comments!
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August 22, 2023 at 2:04 am
What an exciting and thrilling story! It’s almost like watching a movie! The idea of a robotic guard dog relentless in pursuit is both horrifying and captivating. The courage of the characters is admirable and Bella’s quick thinking is inspiring. Thank you for sharing this story, it was great!
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