The following article contains spoilers for Black Mirror season 7, episode 1, “Common People.“Black Mirrorseason 7, episode 1 stars Tracee Ellis Ross and Rashida Jones spoke about the similarities between Amanda (Jones) and Gaynor (Ellis Ross) as users of Rivermind. In “Common People,” Amanda suffers from a fatal brain tumor, which leads to her husband Mike (Chris O’Dowd) being presented with Rivermind, a subscription service that will replace the tumor with synthetic tissue and keep Amanda alive. Gaynor sells Rivermind as the ultimate solution to save Amanda’s life, but the couple soon discover the service comes with several catches.Gaynor repeatedly sells Amanda and Mike “updates” to their subscriptionas their original service continues to downgrade.
Speaking withDecider, Ellis Ross explained Gaynor’s evolving relationship with Rivermind, which took her from being just a user herself to now a peddler of the subscription service. She responds thatGaynor is both a victim and a perpetrator of Rivermind, showing the duality of her character.
I don’t think she thought she was evil. I think that’s the way it comes across, but she is a person who was perpetrated on in her own vulnerability and now she’s the one doing the perpetrating.
Jones remarked on the “cycle” that both Amanda and Gaynor are trapped in by using Rivermind, owing to the issue with “capitalism.”
That’s the thing, the cycle is really hard to break on both sides. If there’s a way to make money and save yourself, you’re gonna do it. It’s capitalism.
Ellis Ross further spoke abouther character’s morality as a “representation of greed"and how the Rivermind subscription service has “warped” Gaynor’s ideas.
And she’s a representation of greed, but I don’t think anyone sets out to be a bad person. I think most people have a lot of, whether they’re warped ideas or not, think they’re doing the right thing, even if it turns out being on the wrong side.
What This Means For Gaynor In Common People
Both Amanda And Gaynor Are Victims Of Rivermind
Like in mostBlack Mirrorepisodes, the characters are victims of technology and greed.
As the episode progresses, more tiers are added to Rivermind, finally ending in “RivermindLux,” which promises heightened sensations that the user can control on their phone. With each tier, Gaynor introduces price increases for the new services and reduced capabilities for the"Common People"protagonists, who eventually cannot even afford “Rivermind Common.”
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Our Take On The Rivermind Subscription In Common People
No One Wins In This Tragic Black Mirror Episode
Neither woman is free from selling a product or service asboth need to pay a fee to stay alive. Their experiences are different, but both end in the same way: making Rivermind money. Mike’s heartbreaking decision to suffocate AmandaatBlack Mirror’sending of “Common People"shows that Rivermind failed to do its job by focusing on turning a profit, rather than genuinely benefiting humanity.
