“Beyond the Sea” is an episode of the TV series Black Mirror. It is set in an alternate version of 1969. The episode follows two men on a dangerous mission who must face an unimaginable disaster. The astronauts swap back and forth between their two bodies and two distinct locations. One night, while David is in his replica on Earth, his home is broken into. The intruders appear to be from a hippy cult. Leader Kappa (Rory Culkin) and his three colleagues surround David and pin him down.
The cast of Beyond the Sea includes Aaron Paul as Cliff Stanfield, Josh Hartnett as David Ross, Kate Mara as Lana Stanfield, Auden Thornton as Jessica Ross and Rory Culkin as Kappa.
According to a review by Game Rant, “Beyond the Sea” is a touching and humanistic story that Black Mirror has ever tackled. The episode requires some patience to get into but once it gets past the shocking inciting incident, it tells one of the most touching and humanistic stories that Black Mirror has ever tackled¹. Another review by The Verge states that “Beyond the Sea” is strikingly generous toward Cliff and David, even as both men inflict suffering on each other and Lana.The episode is set in an alternate 1969 where two astronauts are midway through a six-year mission. They spend most of their time inhabiting lifelike telepresence “replicas” on Earth, while their real bodies are stuck in a cramped spacecraft.
One of the astronauts, David (Josh Hartnett), has a happy family life with his wife and two children. The other astronaut, Cliff (Aaron Paul), has a more strained relationship with his wife and son. When a tragedy strikes David’s family, Cliff allows him to take short jaunts in Cliff’s body on Earth.
The episode explores the themes of loss, grief, and the power of empathy. It is a moving and thought-provoking story about three people who are trying to find their way in a world that is both familiar and strange.
It is immediately clear that this story will end badly. “Beyond the Sea” does not subvert viewers’ expectations. Instead, most of the 80-minute episode is devoted to the relationship between its three main characters.
David and Cliff start out as opposites: David is a charming, laid-back Californian, while Cliff is a stiff, suspenders-wearing square. David tries to build a rapport with Lana, sensing her unhappiness and recommending books, while Cliff is inattentive and withdrawn. However, David’s misery turns into a growing resentment of Cliff, whose relationship with Lana is stronger than it appears.
Hartnett captures David as a man who is at turns suave, confident, and desperately lost. Paul gives an understated performance, playing both astronauts (in replica form) with equal skill. Mara is similarly stoic, maintaining a sense of guarded composure even as the tension escalates.
The episode is a well-acted and well-made piece of television. It is a slow-burning tragedy that is sure to stay with you long after the credits have rolled.