‘Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Starred in One of the Best ‘Black Mirror’ Episodes

As Netflix’s Black Mirror returns for Season 7, Reacher fans should migrate from Prime Video to watch star Alan Ritchson appear in one of the hit anthology series’ most unnerving episodes. Ritchson appears in Season 3, Episode 1, “Nosedive,” sharing the screen with Bryce Dallas Howard, Alice Eve, Cherry Jones, James Norton, and others in an unsettling story about humanity measuring their worthiness through social media technology.

Proving that there are no small parts, Ritchson capitalized on his brief Black Mirror performance and now ranks among Hollywood’s most sought-after action stars. In “Nosedive,” Ritchson flexes his acting chops more than his action-movie muscle, showcasing a versatility that many Reacher fans may be surprised by. With Reacher Season 4 and a handful of movies in the works for Ritchson, reflecting on his Black Mirror performance will give fans a greater appreciation for his acting range.

Nosedive’s Premise

Directed by Joe Wright, “Nosedive” takes place in the future, like much of Black Mirror. Technological advancements in social media have created an environment where people are reviewed and rated on every interaction they have in public. Each person is implanted with a mobile device in their eye that promotes constant monitoring. Those who behave the best are rewarded with five-star reviews, while those who act impolitely earn 1 star or fewer.

The story concerns Lacie Pound (Dallas Howard), a woman dissatisfied with her 4.2 social rating. By increasing her rating to 4.5 stars, Lacie will earn a discount on an upscale apartment. Lacie lives with her husband, Ryan Pound (Norton), who does not want to live in the luxury apartment that means so much to her. During their fight, Lacie agrees to attend the wedding of her old friend, Naomi (Eve).

However, Lacie is less interested in being her old friend’s maid of honor and more intent on gaining a positive review from Naomi, whose 4.8-star blessing will increase Lacie’s popularity. En route to the wedding, Lacie interacts with several eerie individuals whose encounters fluctuate her social rating.

Dipping down to a 2.6 rating, Naomi calls Lacie on her wedding day and tells her not to come, as someone rated that low is akin to a plague. No matter how much Lacie meant to Naomi in their childhood, Naomi would never accept a 2.6-rated person attending her wedding, as it would decrease her rating. In this world, friendship means nothing. Popularity is the only currency that matters.

Who Does Alan Ritchson Play in ‘Black Mirror’s Nosedive?

Appearing in the final 13 minutes, Alan Ritchson plays Paul in “Nosedive.” Paul is Naomi’s groom-to-be, who stands up and gives a toasting speech to his best man, Anthony. With a clean-shaven face and slightly slimmer physique than Reacher fans know him for, Ritchson flashes charming energy and infectious charisma. Although the speech is intercut with Lacie wading through swampland to attend the wedding, Ritchson showcases his comedic chops as Paul. He cracks jokes about Anthony, saying “Hilarious speech by the way…by your standards,” which cracks the crowd up in ways that will surely boost his social rating.

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Another laugh-out-loud moment occurs after Paul introduces Naomi and approaches her for an embrace. Instead of showing affection to his bride, Paul barks and chest-bumps Anthony in a ridiculous display of hypermasculinity, which makes Naomi roll her eyes. That’s when Lacie arrives, covered in mud, and proceeds to give her maid of honor speech.

No longer disillusioned by the need for popularity, Lacie gives a speech deemed too honest for likes as she exposes Naomi’s indiscretions. Lacie’s social ratings take a nosedive during the speech, and she sprints out of the wedding with a knife in tow when Paul attempts to stop her.

Why Nosedive Remains One of ‘Black Mirror’s Best Netflix Episodes

Without spoiling the worthwhile shock ending, “Nosedive” remains a high watermark for Black Mirror for two primary reasons: the technological and the thematic. Technologically, “Nosedive” was the first episode produced after Black Mirror transitioned from Channel 4 to Netflix. The shift to Netflix included a massive budgetary increase, enabling Joe Wright to expand the technological prowess of the TV series and create more expensive sets, props, CGI, and the like.

The technological upgrades fostered more vivid world-building, with the unsettling artifice of “Nosedive’s” clinically sterile, all-too-perfect environment marking a clear improvement for Black Mirror. How Wright perceives the modern-day perils of social media and projects them into the near future is stark, disturbing, and aesthetically realistic. Coupled with the alarming themes, “Nosedive” becomes a frightening cautionary tale society should heed closely.

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Social media was designed to bring people together, but oftentimes, it has the opposite effect and drives people apart. This is the thematic fulcrum spinning “Nosedive” from beginning to end, with its deliberate message communicating that having likes, followers, and popularity does not equate to happiness. On the contrary, the terminal quest to be approved by others is a recipe for unhappy doom and dismay.

Although it takes a while for Lacie to realize this, her encounter with truck driver Susan (Cherry Jones) on the way to Naomi’s wedding helps clarify things. Susan admits that her dead husband was denied his cancer treatment because his social score was considered too low. Since then, Susan has sworn off pleasing others for a silly rating and does not care that she holds a 1.4-star. Frankly, every social media user should be so lucky and reevaluate what’s most important in life.

Nosedive’s chilling antisocial media message and handsome production values continue to prop it up as one of Black Mirror‘s best Netflix episodes. What transpires in the episode isn’t too far from occurring in reality, and it’s up to society to prevent social media from determining personal happiness. Otherwise, we’re all bound to nosedive into oblivion.

Black Mirror is available to stream on Netflix