Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too

Last updated

"Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too"
Black Mirror episode
Rachel jack and ashley too black mirror.jpg
Promotional poster
Episode no.Series 5
Episode 3
Directed by Anne Sewitsky
Written by Charlie Brooker
Featured music
Cinematography byStephan Pehrsson
Original release date5 June 2019 (2019-06-05)
Running time67 minutes
Guest appearances
  • Miley Cyrus as Ashley Ortiz and Ashley Too (voice)
  • Angourie Rice as Rachel Goggins
  • Madison Davenport as Jack Goggins
  • Susan Pourfar as Catherine Ortiz
  • Marc Menchaca as Kevin Goggins
  • Jerah Milligan as Busy G
  • Daniel Stewart Sherman as Bear
  • James III as Habanero
  • Nicholas Pauling as Dr. Munk
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Smithereens"		Next →
"Joan Is Awful"
List of episodes

"Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too" is the third and final episode of the fifth series of the anthology series Black Mirror . The episode was written by series creator and showrunner Charlie Brooker and directed by Anne Sewitsky; it was released on Netflix on 5 June 2019, alongside "Striking Vipers" and "Smithereens".

Contents

It follows Ashley O (Miley Cyrus), a pop singer whose creativity is restricted by her controlling aunt, and Rachel (Angourie Rice) and Jack Goggins (Madison Davenport), teenage sisters who have recently lost their mother. The doll Ashley Too, owned by Rachel, is a clone of Ashley O's personality. Brooker based the episode on a sitcom script he had written years prior, about a punk band who are hanged and return to life to find their manager profiting off their deaths. It was also informed by holographic performances featuring deceased artists.

The executive producers thought Cyrus would be perfect for the role, but were surprised when she agreed. Filming took place in late 2018, for five weeks, in Cape Town, South Africa. Ashley O performs "On a Roll" and "Right Where I Belong" during the episode—these are adaptations of Nine Inch Nails songs. "On a Roll" was released by Cyrus, subsequently appearing on several national music charts as well as receiving a Guild of Music Supervisors Award nomination.

Critics found it to be more upbeat than most Black Mirror episodes. Ashley O's storyline was compared to Cyrus's own life, along with those of other figures in the music industry. Some reviewers analysed personality traits of Rachel and Jack as a reaction to their mother's death. Most critics found the episode lacking in structure, writing quality, exploration of themes and characterisation of Rachel, but Cyrus's acting received acclaim.

Plot

After the death of their mother, Rachel Goggins (Angourie Rice) and her bass-playing older sister Jack (Madison Davenport) live with their father Kevin (Marc Menchaca), who spends most of his time attempting to invent and promote mouse-control devices. Having recently moved, Rachel has no friends. For her fifteenth birthday, she receives Ashley Too (voiced by Miley Cyrus), an interactive artificially intelligent robotic doll of her favourite pop star Ashley O (Miley Cyrus). Ashley Too encourages and tutors Rachel, who treats her as a friend, but their relationship annoys Jack. Rachel dances to Ashley O's song "On a Roll" at a school talent contest, but fumbles the end of her routine and leaves the stage embarrassed. Jack blames Ashley Too for Rachel's chagrin and hides the doll; Rachel accuses Jack of suppressing both Rachel's and her own creativity.

Meanwhile, Ashley O is unsatisfied with her life and wants to reinvent herself as a rock musician. When she writes broody music and does not take the medication given to subdue her, her controlling aunt and manager Catherine Ortiz (Susan Pourfar) laces her food with drugs to render her comatose. She and the unscrupulous Doctor Munk begin to extract commercially viable music material from Ashley's brainwaves. When the news reports that the coma was caused by a shellfish allergy, Jack apologetically returns Ashley Too to Rachel, who shows no interest.

Six months later, Ashley Too reactivates and begins to glitch out after seeing a news report on Ashley O's coma. Jack connects the doll to the diagnostic software Kevin uses for his humane mousetrap inventions and removes a limiter. Ashley Too reveals herself to be a duplicate of Ashley O's entire consciousness, and persuades Rachel and Jack to look for evidence of Catherine's crimes at her house. Jack inexpertly drives them there, then poses as a pest control technician while Rachel takes Ashley Too to where Ashley O lies comatose. The doll unplugs the life support to let her real self die, but it transpires that the machine was actually perpetuating the coma and Ashley wakes up. Jack and Rachel subdue two staff members with Kevin's mouse stunner and a sedative syringe and flee the house with both Ashleys.

Ashley O directs the group to a venue where Catherine is debuting Ashley Eternal, a holographic replacement for Ashley O. Pursued by the police after Jack runs a red light, the group drive through the back entrance of the venue, dismaying Catherine and astonishing the crowd as Ashley O emerges on stage.

During the credits, Ashley O (now billed as "Ashley Fuckn O") performs the song "Head Like a Hole" in her new rock style at a smaller venue, with Jack on bass. Rachel and Ashley Too watch while Kevin talks to the bartender about the venue's pest control. Two dissatisfied fans leave the concert as Ashley crowd-surfs.

Production

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too"
The trailer for "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too".
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg "On a Roll"
Official music video for "On a Roll", an adaptation of "Head Like a Hole" sung by Ashley O (Cyrus).

A fifth series of Black Mirror was commissioned by Netflix in March 2018, three months after the release of series four. [1] Initially part of series five's production, the interactive work Black Mirror: Bandersnatch increased in scope to the point where it was separated from the series and released as a standalone film; it premiered on 28 December 2018. Although previous series of the programme produced under Netflix contained six episodes, series five comprises three episodes, as the series creator Charlie Brooker viewed this as preferable to making viewers wait longer for the next series. [2] The three episodes—"Striking Vipers", "Smithereens" and "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too"—were released on Netflix simultaneously on 5 June 2019. [3] As Black Mirror is an anthology series, each instalment can be watched in any order. [4]

Conception and writing

Holographic performances that used the image of dead musicians like Prince were an inspiration for the episode. Prince at Coachella 001.jpg
Holographic performances that used the image of dead musicians like Prince were an inspiration for the episode.

The episode was written by Brooker. It was based on a comedy sitcom script from years prior about a 1977 punk band whose members are hanged by a Conservative minister and return to life to see their manager exploiting their deaths for profit. It also took inspiration from real life holographic performances of dead artists such as Prince, Whitney Houston, and Amy Winehouse; Brooker found the holograms "ghoulish" and noted that the subjects "often pass away in extremely tragic circumstances". He also considered AI as a means for creating a program which could imitate John Lennon's songwriting or serve as a celebrity virtual assistant. [5] Brooker said that the episode is not disparaging pop music, but criticising inauthenticity in music. [6] According to Brooker, an unused idea saw Catherine revealed as non-human, either with her face being removed to display the machinery behind it, or with her disappearing "in a puff of smoke". In the final episode, after her Ashley Eternal plan fails, she looks at the camera and breaks the fourth wall. [5]

Casting

Brooker and Jones thought Miley Cyrus would be perfect for the part of Ashley O, but did not expect her to be interested, or that they would get a pop star for the role. However, she was a big fan of the programme, and within a couple of days of their reaching out, she accepted the offer. [7] [8] She found the script's portrayal of the music industry realistic, in terms of its "overt exploitation of artists" and the way in which decisions are driven by performance metrics rather than creativity. [7] Madison Davenport played Jack. She auditioned without knowing that the episode was part of Black Mirror, and was only told about the scene where Jack distracts a bodyguard from investigating Ashley O's IV drip removal. She was sent the full script a few days prior to filming. Angourie Rice, who plays Rachel, auditioned later in the process and knew that it was for Black Mirror. [9]

The executive producer Annabel Jones said that the episode was about a musician trying to find her identity and "break out from the commercial machine". Jones said that Cyrus's personality matched how the episode gets more "heightened and sarcastic and satirical" as it progresses. [5] She also said that Cyrus brought vulnerability to the role, despite her punk-like persona. [8] Cyrus related to Ashley O's desire to explore other genres, something she did after becoming an adult. Cyrus said that her parents took an active role in her career and focused on getting a manager who would take care of her, in stark contrast to Ashley O's manager Catherine. [10] Cyrus contributed ideas about her character's clothing and appearance. She also spoke to Brooker about enjoying a recent performance to a mostly older audience who were not recording the experience on their phones. Some dialogue and ideas from this conversation inspired aspects of Catherine's presentation of Ashley Eternal. [5]

Filming and editing

While the episode takes place in America, for financial reasons the filming went ahead in Cape Town, South Africa, taking place six days per week for five weeks. [9] [11] After Cyrus was spotted at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront during filming in November 2018, rumours began that she would appear in the fifth series of Black Mirror. [12] [13] Cyrus said that she was able to "get into Ashley" as she was isolated from friends and family. Problems in her personal life informed her emotions when portraying Ashley O's life breaking down. On the day that she filmed the scene where Ashley O wakes up from the coma, Cyrus had lost her home to a California wildfire. She used the events to inform her acting, though she had to take some breaks during filming the scene. [10]

The Ashley Too doll's movements were partly captured during the shoot, and partly computer-generated imagery. Two crew members controlled her movements—one for her head and arms, and the other for her wheels—and the doll spun around and spoke in real life. Some parts, however, required the actors to film with a green-screen stick, and the doll was added in during editing. The driving scenes were filmed on a sound stage. [9] The final scene was filmed in a Cape Town bar over the course of a few hours, on Cyrus's last day of shooting, with Davenport saying that it "felt like ... a small punk venue". Davenport knew how to play the guitar, but learned the bass guitar over the course of a fortnight for her part in "Head Like a Hole". Cyrus and Davenport recorded the audio in a music studio. [9]

Music

Trent Reznor, the lead vocalist of Nine Inch Nails, gave permission for adaptations of their songs to be used in the episode. Trent-Reznor 2009.jpg
Trent Reznor, the lead vocalist of Nine Inch Nails, gave permission for adaptations of their songs to be used in the episode.

Songs performed by Ashley in the episode are adaptations of songs from Nine Inch Nails: "Head Like a Hole" was retitled "On a Roll", and "Right Where It Belongs" was changed to "Right Where I Belong". [6] [14] A rewrite of "Hurt" to "Flirt" was made but not included in the episode. [6] "On a Roll" was released via YouTube on 13 June 2019 and added to various music streaming services on 14 June. [15] [16] It subsequently charted in several countries, including peak positions of 18 in New Zealand and 65 in the UK. [17] [18] Billboard ranked the song 28th in their list of the 100 Best Songs of 2019. [19]

During the writing process, Brooker contacted Trent Reznor, the lead vocalist and songwriter for Nine Inch Nails, with a synopsis outline and an explanation that he wanted to adapt their music into pop songs. [6] [20] Reznor—whose songwriting partner Atticus Ross produced the soundtrack to the series four episode "Crocodile"—was a fan of the show and approved. Brooker said that the humour arises from the fact that the pop versions are "insanely positive" and "full of empty affirmations". As an example, "On a Roll" changes the original lyrics "Bow down before the one you serve" to "I'm stoked on ambition and verve". [6] Reznor said that the songs were "wonderfully absurd" and "really funny" in context. He found it "strange to hear [his] music come through the blender and back". [20] Isobel Waller-Bridge, sister of the actor and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge, received a credit for adapting the episode's music. [21]

Analysis

Adi Robertson of The Verge wrote that "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too" is an "uncharacteristically upbeat story about subverting sinister tech toward good ends and combining a critique of celebrity fandom with a thought experiment about brain uploading". [22] Tim Brinkhof of The New York Observer said that Black Mirror serves "to expose the lies and hypocrisies of society", in this case "conflict between the artistic integrity of the artist and the financial interest of their producers". [23] Dan Stubbs of NME suggested that the title is a pun on Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1986), a film about two teenage girls who have a sexual relationship with a married man. [24] Some critics noted a change in tone around halfway through the episode, with The Independent 's Alexandra Pollard calling the latter half a "fun, high-concept heist film" and Stubbs describing it as "an adult take on the 1980s, kids' adventure caper, complete with gags [and] a goofy chase". [24] [25]

"Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too" explores a number of themes that other Black Mirror episodes focus on, such as AI, storage of human memories, and drugs. [26] Stubbs said that it was "not so much science fiction as science fact", because technologies already exist to facilitate hologram performances and production of new music using an artist's voice and image without their consent. [24] Robertson viewed it as "mostly allegorical", and employing technological tropes "to raise questions about human agency". [22] Writing in Vox , Alissa Wilkinson found that it asks: "What images are celebrities allowed to project? And what do their fans receive in return?" [26] Troy Patterson commented in The New Yorker that the episode criticises "people who tell kids to have faith in themselves because it suits their own cynical purposes", but nonetheless does "want kids to believe in themselves". [27]

The episode makes small Easter egg references to past works by Brooker. In Catherine's office, a cover of the magazine SugarApe, from the 2005 sitcom Nathan Barley , can be seen. [28] Ashley O sings "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)" by Irma Thomas, a song which appeared in four previous Black Mirror episodes, first in "Fifteen Million Merits". A news programme references Sea of Tranquility, a fictional franchise mentioned in "The National Anthem" and "Nosedive", along with a number of events from other episodes. Rachel's high school is named after Colin Ritman, a Bandersnatch character, and Ashley O is treated at St. Juniper's hospital, which appears in "Black Museum", where it was in turn a reference to "San Junipero". Catherine can be seen using the Smithereen app from "Smithereens"; conversely, in "Smithereens", #AshleyOWembley is a trending topic. [29]

Characterisation

The episode's storyline was compared to allegations that Britney Spears was forced to perform against her will during her legal conservatorship. Britney Spears, Roundhouse, London (Apple Music Festival 2016) (30072929931) (cropped).jpg
The episode's storyline was compared to allegations that Britney Spears was forced to perform against her will during her legal conservatorship.

Many critics compared Cyrus's real life to the experiences of Ashley O. She is a singer-songwriter who garnered fame as the protagonist of the Disney Channel teen sitcom Hannah Montana (2006–2011). Similarly, Ashley O is a "peppy, cookie-cutter pop star", according to Kelly Lawler of USA Today . [30] Brinkhof found the episode a "sharp critique on the ethics of stardom" that "eerily mirrors" Cyrus's "escape from her confining role" on Hannah Montana. He said that "to what extent she has become the master of her own destiny or has remained caught up in the economic machinery remains uncertain". [23]

Earlier in 2019, Cyrus had mentioned "Free Britney" during a performance, in reference to allegations that Britney Spears was being subjected to abuse through her then-ongoing conservatorship. [31] Adam White of The Telegraph noted the connection between the allegations and the narrative of "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too". [32] The similarities drew renewed media interest in June 2021 after Spears delivered testimony in a court hearing alleging excessive abuse and control through her conservatorship, including being forcibly hospitalized and medicated against her will as punishment for refusing to perform. [33] Robertson compared "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too" to the same subject, as well as legal disputes between the singer Kesha and her former producer Dr. Luke. [22] According to Stubbs, Catherine "views a vulnerable dependant as a product" and is in this way comparable to Murry Wilson and Joe Jackson. [24]

Critics commented on how the death of Rachel and Jack's mother affected the children. David Sims of The Atlantic said that both children experience depression, "with Rachel retreating into herself ... while Jack lashes out against the world". [34] Robertson thought the start of the episode "offers a fittingly melancholic portrait of someone using an imaginary relationship to handle loss and anxiety". [22] Patterson wrote: "Where Ashley O is a kind of Pinocchio dreaming of becoming a real girl, Rachel and Jack Goggins are two sisters awaiting their discovery as princesses". He said the lack of a maternal figure "abets its qualities as a fairy tale". [27] In order to "cope with lonely teenage hell", Robertson said that Rachel does "idol worship" of Ashley O. This connection draws on "the increasingly reciprocal relationship between celebrities and their fans." [22] The Ashley Too doll was compared variously to the robotic toy Furby, the virtual assistant Amazon Alexa and the fictional virtual assistant Samantha from Her (2013). [21] [26] In contrast with an episode of The Simpsons on a similar topic, "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy" (1994), Rachel is not critical of her doll. [35]

Wilkinson compared Rachel to Kayla, the protagonist of the comedy-drama film Eighth Grade (2018). Kayla is a young girl who films little-viewed YouTube videos about positivity. Wilkinson said that the documentary Jawline (2019) demonstrates "an eventual cost to the producers of that kind of relentless optimism, especially when the teenage content creators can't keep it up because things at home actually aren't all that great": this is similar to Ashley O's unhappy private life. Wilkinson wrote that "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too" shows "repercussions for the audience too", as a person views themselves as a failure for being unhappy. She asks: "is it the celebrity performance packaging industry itself that's at fault? Or is it the creators? Or the fans?" [26] On the same note, Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club commented that "'empowerment' has become a brand, with generic messages of confidence and believe-in-yourself churned out for an audience desperate to hear any assurance that there might be some way out of their misery". [36]

Reception

The episode holds a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 41 critics, indicating mixed reviews. Its critics' consensus summarises that it "struggles to sew its many concepts together", and the most major strength is Cyrus's "wholly committed and compelling performance". [37] It received ratings of three out of five stars in The Telegraph and The Independent, and two stars from the BBC. [25] [32] [38] It was rated 5.5 out of 10 in Paste and graded C+ in The A.V. Club. [35] [36] The critics Brinkhof, Patterson and Sims thought it was the best episode of series five, while Paste 's Jim Vorel and The Guardian 's Stuart Heritage found it the worst, with Heritage adding that it was one of the worst episodes of Black Mirror overall. [23] [27] [34] [35] [39]

Hugh Montgomery, writing in the BBC, criticised the episode as Black Mirror "at its most crudely parabolic". [38] The Hollywood Reporter 's Tim Goodman characterised it as an unintentional "Disney movie spoof" due to its "ridiculous plot and obvious writing". [40] Robertson and Daniel D'Addario of Variety believed it was worse than most Black Mirror episodes, with Robertson finding it a "corny, scattershot installment of a show that's usually revered for its sharp cynicism", and D'Addario calling it "the most majestically wrongheaded" episode of Black Mirror and of "prestige television" in the latest year. [22] [41] However, Sims found it an "intermittently fascinating bit of pop-music melodrama", albeit "bizarre", and Heritage approved that it was not "pointlessly bleak for the sake of it". [34]

There was critical consensus that the episode contained interesting ideas, but that these were insufficiently explored. Brinkhof pointed to "Be Right Back" and "White Christmas" as past episodes that examined themes of cloning and AI more deeply, and wrote that fans "lamented" the episode "for its untapped potential". [23] D'Addario said that the episode "has about fifteen potentially fruitful topics on its mind" but fails to find a good continuation from the premise. An example interesting topic is "women in music presenting a show of empowerment while being financially and creatively under someone else's control". D'Addario pointed to the "fundamental unseriousness of tone" as a reason the episode does not properly explore its themes. [41] White found "fascinating ideas sketched here and there", but a reliance on "vaguely banal statements on the vapidity of pop and the lack of care afforded to some of its most profitable stars". [32] Dissenting, Sims argued that "Brooker does a solid job interpolating" between "three big ideas", where "no single theme gets to dominate or develop fully". [34]

Patterson wrote that the show was "sharpest in its revisionist considerations of genre", and approved that the episode "tinkers with the tropes of tween tales and talks back to the genre in its own voice and on its own terms". [27] Sims thought the Ashley Too doll's consciousness was the "most compelling" idea, though it "arrives late in a muddled tale" as a "third-act plot twist", and Robertson saw "huge untapped potential" in having Rachel choose between the real Ashley O and the "perfect, locked-down" Ashley Too, or exploring the identity conflict between Ashley O and Ashley Too. [22] [34] Handlen asks why Ashley O's consciousness would be uploaded into the doll when it does not "do anything that much more complicated than empty pleasantries and soundbites". [36] In contrast, Den of Geek 's Rob Leane found it "brilliantly designed" and funny. [21] Chelsea Steiner of The Mary Sue said that the episode "offers nothing new or nuanced" in its "poking fun at vapid pop music", a topic well-explored by other works. [42] Heritage listed A Star Is Born (2018), Vox Lux (2018) and Yesterday as recent works that also addressed how "young creatives are at the mercy of their morally bankrupt handlers". [39]

Reviewers were largely disappointed by the writing and structure. Pollard summarised that: "Plot points are picked up and dropped; narrative arcs lead to nowhere; unnecessary characters abound". [25] A change in tone midway through was widely commented on, with Handlen writing that "we don't actually get to the plot till about the forty minute mark". According to Handlen, it starts as a "low-key family drama" and becomes a "kid's adventure film". [36] Robertson found that after "a promising start", the storyline "becomes simultaneously overstuffed and underveloped", omitting "the intimate details that make its early scenes so compelling". [22] Montgomery analysed the latter half as a "hokey-teen-sci-fi-adventure" that is "increasingly ludicrous and puerile" and Robertson said that episode was "at its blandest during some deeply unnecessary action sequences". [22] [38] Vorel criticised "clear-cut heroes and villains" with "paper-thin degrees of depth", and Sims believed the villains to be "particularly overwrought" as the episode does not explore their motivations. [34] [35] However, Leane praised that "an array of toe-tapping tunes ... really assist the episode in making this pop icon feel real". [21]

The ending received mixed commentary, as did some individual scenes. It was described as "gratifying" by Patterson, "a really triumphant payoff" by Leane and a "fantastic surprise" that subverted "the trademark nihilism" by White. [21] [27] [32] However, Sims accused the episode of being "more interested in providing a neat ending than in delving into the deep questions it stirs up", and Brinkhof reported that some fans "accuse its feel-good ending of being a symptom of the infamously bleak show losing its uncompromisingly sinister edge". [34] Leane reviewed that the mouse trap concept "feels like filler", though its payoff was "quite funny". [21] Sims praised one particular scene, wherein Ashley O's comatose musical ideas are turned into pop music, as "a classic piece of grim Black Mirror humor". [34]

Cyrus received acclaim for her portrayal of Ashley O and Ashley Too. Lawler said that "Cyrus is essentially playing herself ... and she does it well". [30] Goodman opined that she was "one of the few actresses and singers who could even make this work". [40] Pollard analysed that Cyrus was most impressive at playing the "two extremes" of her character's emotions: "desperate and broken" on one end and "uninhibited and defiant" on the other. [25] Montgomery found her early "subdued, spectral performance" as Ashley O to be the best part of the episode. [38] Leane and Sims both enjoyed her voice acting as Ashley Too, with Leane calling it a "tour-de-force performance" and Sims finding her "especially charming" in the role. [21] [34] However, Robertson preferred her as Ashley O, writing that Ashley Too is a "generic robot sidekick". [22] In contrast, Vorel criticised the characterisation of both versions, saying that the idea "could have come straight from Cyrus' own marketing team, in a meta-attempt to prove that Miley Cryus The Performer is a being of depth and nuance". [35] Heritage saw writing problems in Ashley O's later dialogue, saying that she "stops sounding like Miley Cyrus and starts sounding like a 48-year-old man trying to sound like Miley Cyrus". [39]

Other characters received less praise. Vorel found Rachel to be so "hopelessly naive" that the viewer "can't reasonably be expected to identify with or even empathize with her". [35] Handlen crticised that Rachel "is basically forgotten once the story kicks in", while Vorel said that Jack "rarely amounts to more than a sounding board for Rachel's insecurities". [35] [36] Steiner wrote that the episode fails to understand teenage girls and criticised an overall lack of "an authentic voice for any of the leads", suggesting that having a woman writer may have averted this problem. [42] Leane experienced a "minor letdown" in the lack of "emotional punch" in scenes showing Rachel and Jack with their father. However, he praised that "the core characters all get their chance to shine in a musical number". [21]

Episode rankings

"Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too" ranked as follows on critics' lists of the 23 instalments of Black Mirror, from best to worst:

IndieWire authors ranked the 22 Black Mirror instalments excluding Bandersnatch by quality, giving "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too" a position of 16th. [51] Instead of by quality, Proma Khosla of Mashable ranked the episodes by tone, concluding that "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too" was the fourth-least pessimistic episode of the show. [52]

Awards

In 2020, "On a Roll" received a nomination for a Guild of Music Supervisors Award in the category Song Written and/or Recorded for Television, with Trent Reznor as the songwriter, Miley Cyrus as the artist and Amelia Hartley as music supervisor. [53]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Head Like a Hole</span> 1990 song by Nine Inch Nails

"Head Like a Hole" is a song by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released as the second single from the group's debut album, Pretty Hate Machine. It enjoyed heavy rotation on the radio at the time of its release, eventually reaching number 9 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.

<i>Hannah Montana</i> American teen sitcom (2006–2011)

Hannah Montana is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March 2006 and January 2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart, a teenage girl living a double life as famous pop singer Hannah Montana, an alter ego she adopted so she could maintain her anonymity and live a normal life as a typical teenager. Episodes deal with Miley's everyday struggles to cope with the social and personal issues of adolescence while maintaining the added complexities of her secret identity, which she sustains by wearing a blonde wig. Miley has strong relationships with her brother Jackson and father Robby Ray, as well as her best friends Lilly Truscott and Oliver Oken, who become aware of her secret. Overarching themes include a focus on family and friendships as well as the importance of music and discovering one's identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miley Cyrus</span> American singer and actress (born 1992)

Miley Ray Cyrus is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Regarded as a pop icon, she has been recognized for her evolving artistry and style. Having been dubbed the "Teen Queen" of the 2000s decade, Cyrus is cited as one of the few examples of a child star with a successful musical career as an adult. The daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, she emerged as a teen idol at age 13 as the lead character in the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana (2006–2011). As Hannah Montana, she achieved success on the Billboard charts with two number-one soundtracks and a US top-ten single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fly on the Wall (song)</span> 2008 single by Miley Cyrus

"Fly on the Wall" is a song by American singer Miley Cyrus, released by Hollywood Records on November 4, 2008, as the second and final single from her second studio album, Breakout. The song's lyrics have been interpreted in a number of ways, such as a description of an abusive boyfriend. In actuality, Cyrus says the song describes paparazzi and their extensive personal privacy invasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Party in the U.S.A.</span> 2009 single by Miley Cyrus

"Party in the U.S.A." is a song by American singer Miley Cyrus from her debut extended play (EP), The Time of Our Lives (2009). It was released on August 4, 2009, by Hollywood Records as the lead single from the project. The song was written and produced by Dr. Luke, with additional songwriting provided by Jessie J and Claude Kelly. It is a pop song, with lyrics reflecting her relocating from Nashville, Tennessee, to Hollywood, California. This is one of four collaborations between Cyrus and Dr. Luke, with the EP title track "The Time of Our Lives", will.i.am's "Fall Down" and "Wrecking Ball" following in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who Owns My Heart</span> 2010 single by Miley Cyrus

"Who Owns My Heart" is a song by American singer Miley Cyrus. The song was written by Cyrus, Antonina Armato, Tim James and Devrim Karaoglu, and produced by Armato and James. It was released on October 22, 2010 in Germany by Hollywood Records as the second and final single from Cyrus' third studio album Can't Be Tamed. It would become her final overall release with Hollywood Records after signing with RCA Records in 2013. The song was written about the feelings a club's environment can lead someone to believe. "Who Owns My Heart" is musically club-oriented and driven by synths. Lyrically, the song speaks of meeting a potential love interest at a nightclub.

<i>Black Mirror</i> British anthology television series

Black Mirror is a British anthology television series created by Charlie Brooker. The series explores various genres, with most episodes set in near-future dystopias containing sci-fi technology—a type of speculative fiction. The series is inspired by The Twilight Zone and uses the themes of technology and media to comment on contemporary social issues. Most episodes are written by Brooker with heavy involvement by the executive producer Annabel Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twerking</span> Type of dance primarily involving the buttocks

Twerking is a type of dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving throwing or thrusting the hips back or shaking the buttocks, often in a low squatting stance. It is individually performed chiefly but not exclusively by women.

<i>Bangerz</i> 2013 studio album by Miley Cyrus

Bangerz is the fourth studio album by American singer Miley Cyrus, released on September 30, 2013, by RCA Records. It is her first body of original work since leaving Hollywood Records after her third studio album Can't Be Tamed (2010) and signing with RCA in early 2013. Cyrus began working on the album, and decided against prioritizing her acting career as originally stated, in 2012. Bangerz is a pop, hip hop and R&B record, with lyrical themes that revolve largely around romance. It is a shift from Cyrus' previous work, which she felt "disconnected" from. Pop singer Britney Spears and rappers Big Sean, French Montana, Future, Ludacris, and Nelly appear as guest vocalists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus song)</span> 2013 single by Miley Cyrus

"Wrecking Ball" is a song recorded by American singer Miley Cyrus for her fourth studio album, Bangerz (2013). It was released on August 25, 2013, by RCA Records as the album's second single. The song was written by Mozella, Stephan Moccio, Sacha Skarbek, with Dr. Luke and Cirkut, who also served as the producers, credited as co-writers along with David Kim. "Wrecking Ball" is a pop ballad which lyrically discusses the deterioration of a relationship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miley Cyrus videography</span>

American singer, songwriter, and actress Miley Cyrus has appeared in music videos, films, television series and video games. From 2006 to 2011, Cyrus starred in the television series Hannah Montana as Miley Stewart and her alter ego, Hannah Montana. In 2009, Cyrus starred in the feature film Hannah Montana: The Movie, whose soundtrack included her lead single "The Climb". Her other films included voicing the role of Penny in the animated film Bolt in 2008, The Last Song with Liam Hemsworth in 2010, and LOL with Demi Moore in 2012. Her song "When I Look at You" was part of The Last Song soundtrack with the music video directed by the film's producer, Adam Shankman. She has released 39 music videos and appeared on 12 music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angourie Rice</span> Australian actress (born 2001)

Angourie Isabel Teresa Rice is an Australian actress. She began her career as a child actress, coming to attention for her roles in These Final Hours (2013) and The Nice Guys (2016). She played Betty Brant in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). For her starring role in Ladies in Black (2018), she won the AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. In 2024, she starred as Cady Heron in the musical film Mean Girls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inspired (song)</span> 2017 promotional single by Miley Cyrus

"Inspired" is a song recorded by American singer Miley Cyrus. It was released on June 9, 2017, as a promotional single from her sixth studio album Younger Now (2017). Written and produced by Cyrus and Oren Yoel, "Inspired" is a country ballad about creating a difference in the world. Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign inspired Cyrus to write the track, which references her father Billy Ray and her childhood in Tennessee. Media suggested that this song was as an example of Cyrus' career change following the more hip hop approach to her fourth studio album Bangerz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)</span> 1964 song

"Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)" is a 1964 R&B song written by Jeannie Seely, Randy Newman, Judith Arbuckle and Pat Sheeran. It was recorded by Irma Thomas and released as a single the same year, with "Time Is on My Side" as the B-side. The song is about a woman who stays in a relationship with a man despite his bad behavior.

Smithereens (<i>Black Mirror</i>) 2nd episode of the 5th series of Black Mirror

"Smithereens" is the second episode of the fifth series of the British science fiction anthology series Black Mirror. Written by series creator and showrunner Charlie Brooker and directed by James Hawes, it premiered on Netflix on 5 June 2019, alongside "Striking Vipers" and "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too". In the episode, the rideshare driver Chris takes hostage the intern Jaden of Smithereen, a large social media company, making a demand to contact the company's CEO Billy Bauer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striking Vipers</span> 1st episode of the 5th series of Black Mirror

"Striking Vipers" is the first episode of the fifth series of the anthology series Black Mirror. It was written by series creator Charlie Brooker and directed by Owen Harris. The episode was released on Netflix, along with the rest of series five, on 5 June 2019.

<i>Plastic Hearts</i> 2020 studio album by Miley Cyrus

Plastic Hearts is the seventh studio album by American singer Miley Cyrus. It was released on November 27, 2020, by RCA Records, and was her final album with the label; she signed with Columbia Records in early 2021. Marking a departure from Cyrus' previous releases, Plastic Hearts is primarily a rock, pop, synth-pop, and glam rock record, with influences from country, punk rock, new wave, arena rock, industrial, disco, and power pop. Most of the album was produced by Andrew Watt and Louis Bell, with further collaboration with Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. Guest vocals include Dua Lipa, Billy Idol, Joan Jett and Stevie Nicks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">On a Roll</span> 2019 single by Miley Cyrus

"On a Roll" is a song recorded by American singer Miley Cyrus under the moniker "Ashley O", the character in the Black Mirror episode "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too". It is an adaptation of the 1989 Nine Inch Nails song "Head Like a Hole". The episode was originally released on June 5, 2019, and the song was released as a promotional digital single by RCA Records and The Null Corporation on June 14, 2019. The B-side, "Right Where I Belong", is based on the 2005 Nine Inch Nails song "Right Where It Belongs". Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor approved of the adaptations, and released Black Mirror-themed merchandise to coincide with the episode's release. The song was ranked 28th on the 100 Best Songs of 2019 list by Billboard. The song was not released to radio in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midnight Sky</span> 2020 single by Miley Cyrus

"Midnight Sky" is a song by American singer Miley Cyrus, released on August 14, 2020, by RCA Records as the lead single from her seventh studio album Plastic Hearts. The single was written by Cyrus, Ali Tamposi, Ilsey Juber and Jon Bellion with song's producers: Louis Bell and Andrew Watt. It is a disco, pop, synth-pop, electropop and pop rock song with lyrics about independence and self-confidence. The song's music video was Cyrus' first self-directed music video and was released on the same day as the single.

References

  1. ↑ Strause, Jackie (5 March 2018). "'Black Mirror' Renewed for Season 5 at Netflix". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  2. ↑ Jeffery, Morgan (23 May 2019). "Exclusive: Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker reveals why season 5 only has 3 episodes". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  3. ↑ Ovenden, Olivia (15 May 2019). "'Black Mirror' Season 5 Takes On Home Robots And Romance Apps In Dark New Trailer" . Esquire . Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  4. ↑ Dwilson, Stephanie Dube (4 June 2019). "Do You Have to Watch 'Black Mirror' Episodes In Order?". Heavy . Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Hibberd, James (5 June 2019). "Black Mirror producers on that Miley Cyrus episode and a creepy pop star trend". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Grebey, James (5 June 2019). "Here's How Black Mirror Made Such Catchy Pop Songs for Miley Cyrus". GQ . Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  7. 1 2 Pelley, Rich (1 June 2019). "Miley Cyrus: 'Black Mirror portrays the exploitation of artists'". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  8. 1 2 Maas, Jennifer (10 June 2019). "'Black Mirror' Showrunners on Landing Miley Cyrus – and if They'll Release Ashley O's Songs (Video)". TheWrap . Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Ivie, Devon (11 June 2019). "Black Mirror's Madison Davenport and Angourie Rice on Working With a 'Diva' Robot". Vulture . Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  10. 1 2 Malkin, Marc (23 June 2020). "Listen: Miley Cyrus on 'Black Mirror,' Getting Sober and Her Love of Britney Spears". Variety . Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  11. ↑ Martin, Laura (6 June 2019). "Where is Black Mirror season 5 filmed? Filming locations included Brazil, South Africa and Kent". i . Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  12. ↑ Trendell, Andrew (14 November 2018). "Miley Cyrus is reportedly filming an episode of 'Black Mirror'". NME . Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  13. ↑ Bailey, Alyssa (14 November 2018). "Miley Cyrus Is Reportedly Shooting a 'Black Mirror' Episode". Elle . Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  14. ↑ "On A Roll / Ashley O". Tidal . Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  15. ↑ Maas, Jennifer (13 June 2019). "'Black Mirror': Watch the Music Video for Miley Cyrus' – Er, Ashley O's – 'On a Roll' (Video)". The Wrap . Archived from the original on 13 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  16. ↑ Maas, Jennifer (14 June 2019). "Netflix Drops Miley Cyrus' 'Black Mirror' Tracks – Listen to Ashley O's 'On a Roll' Here". The Wrap . Archived from the original on 14 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  17. ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 24 June 2019. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  18. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 13 July 2019. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  19. ↑ Billboard Staff (11 December 2018). "The 100 Best Songs of 2019: Staff List". Billboard . Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  20. 1 2 Grow, Kory (5 November 2019). "Trent Reznor on 'Watchmen' Soundtrack, Nine Inch Nails' 'Pretty Hate Machine' Turning 30". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Leane, Rob (5 June 2019). "Black Mirror season 5: Rachel, Jack And Ashley Too review – a tour-de-force from Miley Cyrus". Den of Geek . Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Robertson, Adi (7 June 2019). "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too is Black Mirror's stab at a feel-good teen comedy". The Verge . Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  23. 1 2 3 4 Brinkhof, Tim (11 June 2019). "Critics of Miley Cyrus' 'Black Mirror' Episode Can't See This Is Charlie Brooker at His Best". The New York Observer . Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  24. 1 2 3 4 Stubbs, Dan (5 June 2019). "Black Mirror 'Rachel, Jack and Ashley, Too' review: a genius pop music caper that might better be called A Star Is Borg..." NME . Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  25. 1 2 3 4 Pollard, Alexandra (5 June 2019). "Black Mirror season 5: 'Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too' review – Miley Cyrus excels in an initially po-faced episode". The Independent . Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  26. 1 2 3 4 Wilkinson, Alissa (5 June 2019). "Black Mirror's Miley Cyrus episode rebels against positivity culture". Vox . Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 Patterson, Troy (5 June 2019). "The Best Episode of the New "Black Mirror" Is a Princess Tale Starring Miley Cyrus". The New Yorker . Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  28. ↑ Martin, Laura (6 June 2019). "SugarApe: the awful, iconic Nathan Barley magazine returns in Black Mirror – and he's now the editor". i . Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  29. ↑ Tallerico, Brian (7 June 2019). "Every Hidden Easter Egg in Black Mirror Season 5". Vulture . Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  30. 1 2 Lawler, Kelly (5 June 2019). "The Miley Cyrus 'Black Mirror' episode is Hannah Montana gone mad". USA Today . Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  31. ↑ Willman, Chris (6 May 2019). "Miley Cyrus Calls to 'Free Britney!' Spears at Memphis Concert". Variety . Archived from the original on 29 March 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  32. 1 2 3 4 White, Adam (5 June 2019). "Black Mirror: Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too, review: Miley Cyrus shines in a prescient, if vague, story with echoes of 'Free Britney'" . The Telegraph . Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  33. ↑ O'Connor, Roisin (26 June 2021). "Britney Spears testimony compared to 'haunting' Miley Cyrus Black Mirror episode". The Independent . Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Sims, David (5 June 2019). "Black Mirror: 'Rachel, Jack, and Ashley Too' Is a Fascinating Jumble" . The Atlantic . Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Vorel, Jim (5 June 2019). "Miley Cyrus Flounders in Black Mirror's Self-Parodying "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too"". Paste . Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 Handlen, Zack (5 June 2019). "Black Mirror reminds us that sometimes unhappy people sing happy songs". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  37. ↑ "Black Mirror – Season 5, Episode 3". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  38. 1 2 3 4 Montgomery, Hugh (5 June 2019). "Black Mirror series 5 review". BBC. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  39. 1 2 3 Heritage, Stuart (7 June 2019). "Out of tune: why Miley Cyrus' Black Mirror episode hits the wrong note". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  40. 1 2 Goodman, Tim (4 June 2019). "'Black Mirror' Season 5: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  41. 1 2 D'Addario, Daniel (4 June 2019). "The Unfulfilled Potential of Miley Cyrus' 'Black Mirror' Episode (Column)". Variety . Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  42. 1 2 Steiner, Chelsea (12 June 2019). "Black Mirror's "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too" Embodies the Shallow Feminism It Attempts to Skewer". The Mary Sue . Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  43. ↑ Atad, Corey; Miller, Matt (5 June 2019). "Every Episode of Black Mirror, Ranked" . Esquire . Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  44. ↑ Power, Ed (5 June 2020). "Black Mirror: best and worst episodes ranked, from Striking Vipers to San Junipero" . The Telegraph . Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  45. ↑ Page, Aubrey (10 October 2020). "Every 'Black Mirror' Episode Ranked From Worst to Best". Collider . Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  46. ↑ Hibberd, James (9 April 2020). "Every Black Mirror episode ranked". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  47. ↑ Bramesco, Charles (5 June 2019). "Every Black Mirror Episode, Ranked" . Vulture . Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  48. ↑ Molloy, Tim (8 June 2019). "'Striking Vipers' to 'San Junipero': Every 'Black Mirror' Episode Ranked, From Good to Mind-Blowing (Photos)". TheWrap . Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  49. ↑ Jeffery, Morgan; Fletcher, Rosie (13 June 2019). "Ranking all 23 episodes of Charlie Brooker's chilling Black Mirror". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  50. ↑ Clark, Travis (10 June 2019). "All 23 episodes of Netflix's 'Black Mirror,' ranked from worst to best". Business Insider . Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  51. ↑ Greene, Steve; Nguyen, Hanh; Miller, Liz Shannon (24 November 2017). "Every 'Black Mirror' Episode Ranked, From Worst to Best". IndieWire . Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  52. ↑ Khosla, Proma (5 January 2018). "Every 'Black Mirror' episode ever, ranked by overall dread". Mashable . Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  53. ↑ Nordyke, Kimberly; Howard, Annie (7 February 2020). "Guild of Music Supervisors Awards: 'Once Upon a Time,' 'Queen & Slim' Among Winners". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.