Black Mirror’s iconic lesbian love story San Junipero wins two Emmy Awards
Black Mirror episode San Junipero, a beautiful lesbian love story, has won two Emmy Awards.
The 60-minute episode of Charlie Brooker’s dystopian anthology series, which airs on Netflix, featured two women living in a digital afterlife.
San Junipero broke with Black Mirror’s usually-bleak depiction of technology and the future, with a notably upbeat and heartwarming love story between two women.
The acclaimed episode, which was near-universally acclaimed, picked up an Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.
Charlie Brooker, who wrote the episode himself, also picked up the award for Outstanding Writing for a TV Movie.
The episode starred Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis as lovers Kelly and Yorkie.
Accepting the writing award, Brooker said: “I’d like to thank everyone at Netflix for being supportive and smart and funny. I’d like to thank our wonderful cast, Gugu and Mackenzie.
“Thank you very much, I’m shocked – I’m going to go melt this down for gold.”
Accepting the second award, he quipped: “I’ve heard 2017 described as like being trapped in one long un-ending Black Mirror episode, but if I’d written it it wouldn’t be quite so on the nose, with all the Nazis and hate.
“San Junipero was a story about love, and love will defeat hate. Love will win, but it might need a bit of help.
“Maybe if all the beautiful people in this auditorium could start to physically make love with eachother, or by yourselves, the world would be a far better place.”
Netflix recently revisited the episode in a surprise crossover with Orange is the New Black.
The crossover Orange is the New Black featured fan favourite Taystee (Danielle Brooks) reunited with her dead friend Poussey (Samira Wiley) in a San Junipero dreamland.
It had the title ‘Orange is the New Black Mirror’.
Netflix has been praised for its increased focus on LGBT diversity within its shows.
While many Netflix shows feature LGBT storylines and characters, it has also commissioned shows like Sense8, which more directly address LGBT issues.
Sense8, penned by transgender Matrix creators The Wachowskis, was recently renewed for a one-off special.
Related: The 12 best ever lesbian characters on TV
