Fifteen Million Merits (11 Dec. 2011)

In a bleak,automated future Britain Bing is one of millions who pedal exercise bikes to create energy as a living. Their currency is merits,tokens with which to buy food from vending ... See full summary »

Director:

Euros Lyn

Writers:

Charlie Brooker, Konnie Huq,

Stars:

Daniel Kaluuya, Jessica Brown Findlay, Paul Popplewell

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Kaluuya	...	Bing
Jessica Brown Findlay	...	Abi
Paul Popplewell	...	Dustin
Rupert Everett	...	Judge Hope
Julia Davis	...	Judge Charity
Ashley Thomas	...	Judge Wraith
Isabella Laughland	...	Swift
David Fynn	...	Oliver
Colin Michael Carmichael	...	Kai (as Colin Carmichael)
Hannah John-Kamen	...	Selma Telse
Kerrie Hayes	...	Glee
Eugene O'Hare	...	Hammond
Jaimi Barbakoff	...	Anna
Merce Ribot	...	Big Shot Registration Lady
Matthew Burgess	...	Botherguts Host

Storyline

In a bleak,automated future Britain Bing is one of millions who pedal exercise bikes to create energy as a living. Their currency is merits,tokens with which to buy food from vending machines and which can be increased or decreased according to which shows one watches on giant television screens. A popular choice is 'Botherguts',which humiliates over-weight citizens. But Bing uses his merits as entrance money to get sweet-voiced fellow worker Abi onto the TV talent contest 'Hot Shot'. Unfortunately,despite her talent,she is but one of a glut of singers and ends up on the porn channel 'Wraith Babes'.An enraged Bing saves up another lot of merits and gets onto 'Hot Shot' to denounce its falseness. But will he be seen as a new Messiah or a voice crying in the wind and forced to sell out?

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 December 2011 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zeppotron

Technical Specs

Runtime:

62 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

User Reviews

What was that?

Whatever it was, it nearly made me suffocate with holding my breath.

You know that feeling you get, that almost nausea, that exhilarating terror when you take the plunge over a roller-coaster loop, that feeling of stretching out a finger to barely touch something transcendental, that white blank feeling you get when you've hit ground zero and the truth is there, almost there...

No?

I've had that feeling before. I almost can't quite remember when, just that the enormity of feeling something like that couldn't possibly be contained in a memory.

This makes no sense, does it?

I don't know - but tell me you didn't feel something rare when you watched Bing nearly commit cultural, political and physical suicide on that stage. I've never seen anything that's managed to depress and stimulate me at once. I've never seen anything that raw and human. Not for a long time.

Watch it?

And transcribe the end speech. I would have that tattOOED.