Mise-en-Scène Analysis on Heteronormativity in Queer Narrative “San Junipero” from Black Mirror

Abstract

As one of the most interesting episodes from the famous sci-fi British TV series Black Mirror, “San Junipero” warrants analysis, specifically from the perspective of science and technology. Nevertheless, gender and LGBT issues have not commonly been explored in sci-fi content like Black Mirror. Through an analysis on the mise-en-scène, or cinematographic elements (setting, color, costume, camera work, and performance), and the representation of queer characters in the media, this article attempts to identify whether the episode, as a queer narrative—dubbed “a celebration of queerness” by the fans—is really free from any heteronormativity elements. The study found that heteronormativity is still depicted in the episode because stereotypes of queer characters are still used to some degree in portraying the lesbian characters. As a heterotopia, according to Foucault [1], the establishment of the queer characters in “San Junipero” also fits Rich’s [2] theory on compulsory heteronormativity. Nevertheless, not all aspects of the episode suggest pure heteronormativity. It must be admitted that there are some efforts to create an empowering queer narrative through the establishment of a non-stereotypical identity in the female–female relationship. Keywords—Mise-en-scène, Heteronormativity, Textual Analysis, Queer Studies, TV Series