"Joan Is Awful" is the first episode of the sixth series of the anthology series Black Mirror. It was written by the series creator Charlie Brooker and directed by Ally Pankiw. Alongside the rest of the sixth series, it premiered on Netflix on 15 June 2023. It follows Joan (Annie Murphy) as her life is adapted in real-time into a television series starring Salma Hayek. It is released on a fictional streaming service, Streamberry, that parodies Netflix; Brooker said the company had no objections to their portrayal. Marketing for the sixth series featured Streamberry and personalised Is Awful thumbnails.
Brooker described "Joan Is Awful" as the only episode of the series to fit the show's traditional style. It was inspired by the recency of the events depicted in The Dropout (2022); Joan was written with Murphy in mind after Brooker watched Schitt's Creek (2015–2020). Hayek encouraged more profane dialogue than was in the script for her character, and the addition of facts about herself.
Pankiw saw the episode to explore questions about who can make art and tell stories; the women-led stories and a diversity of crew were important to her. Reviewers identified themes including streaming services, personalised content and privacy. It was considered timely as its writing preceded the release of ChatGPT and 2023 Hollywood strikes by the Writers Guild of America and actors' union SAG-AFTRA, which drew attention to the role of artificial intelligence and computer-generated imagery of actors in entertainment industries.
The episode is more comedic than most Black Mirror episodes and has a happy ending. Reviewers praised its tone and the acting of Murphy and Hayek. However, the episode's pacing and plot received ambivalent response. Some critics disliked the execution of its themes. The episode makes numerous Easter egg references to other Black Mirror instalments through Streamberry's platform and use of the song "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)".
"JoanIsAwful" is the first episode of the sixth series of the anthology series Black Mirror. It was written by the series creator Charlie Brooker and...
series History of the World, Part II and the Black Mirror episode "JoanIsAwful". She also voiced roles in the Disney Channel series Kiff and the Max...
through newspapers and other text; its themes were compared to "JoanIsAwful", which is also about streaming television. The episode placed around the...
credits also include I May Destroy You and the Black Mirror episode "JoanIsAwful". In 2023, she was in The Great Escaper with Michael Caine and Glenda...
season of the comedy-drama series Russian Doll (2022), and the episode "JoanIsAwful" of the anthology series Black Mirror (2023). She also had a voice role...
series was released on 15 June 2023. "JoanIsAwful" follows Annie Murphy's character Joan as a Streamberry programme is made about her life using computer-generated...
Canadian Screen Awards in 2019. In 2023, she appeared as "Source Joan" in "JoanIsAwful", the opening episode of the sixth season of Black Mirror. Her...
Rob Delaney (born January 19, 1977) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and activist. He was the co-star and co-writer of the TV show Catastrophe,...
Leila Effat Farzad (born 30 December 1981) is a British actress. She is known for her role as Naomi Jones in the Sky Atlantic series I Hate Suzie (2020–2022)...
song was also featured in a scene of Black Mirror Season 6, Episode 1 "JoanIsAwful". "Tap In" marks Saweetie's first release without a feature since 2019's...
Oluwunmi Mosaku Listen (born 1986) is a Nigerian-born British actress. She is known for her roles as Joy in the BBC Two miniseries Moses Jones (2009) and...
is an American actor. He played Siddiq in the AMC television series The Walking Dead (2017–2020). Nash was born in the United States, his father is Indo-Guyanese...
Ololade "Lolly" Adefope is an English stand-up comedian and actress, specialising in character comedy. She is known for playing the role of Fran in the...
Himesh Jitendra Patel (born 13 October 1990) is a British actor. He began his career portraying Tamwar Masood in the BBC soap opera EastEnders (2007–2016)...
Richard Fulcher (born November 18, 1968)[citation needed] is an American comedian, actor and author. He played Bob Fossil and other characters in the British...
received a credit as executive producer of the series six episode "JoanIsAwful". Brooker noted that, since Black Mirror's 2011 debut, dystopian sci-fi...
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, 2017 Visual Novel. Free Guy, 2021 film "JoanIsAwful", 2023 episode of Black Mirror Jury Duty, 2023 television series "The...
Black Mirror is a British science fiction anthology series created by Charlie Brooker. The programme was inspired by The Twilight Zone and explores technology...
Salma Hayek is a Mexican and American actress who made her acting debut in the Mexican television series in Un Nuevo Amanecer (1988–1989), before becoming...
Max William James Harwood (born 12 September 1997) is an English actor. He debuted in the title role of the film Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2021)...
alongside Demián Bichir. In 2023, she appeared as herself in the episode "JoanIsAwful" of the Netflix anthology Black Mirror. Hayek's charitable work includes...
supporting role as a painter acting alongside Elaine May, Lucas Hedges, and Joan Allen. Cera co-starred in the 2018 film drama Gloria Bell, with Julianne...
and Salma Hayek Pinault appeared onstage during the live episode for JoanisAwful. A British version of the show, I Like to Watch UK, premiered on Netflix...
Global Information