Black Mirror pulls Plaything inspiration from notorious true crime case

Plenty of TV dramas dive into twisted tales of murder, but none do it quite like Black Mirror. Killers in this sci-fi thriller anthology come in unexpected forms, like a ruthless architect on a rampage ("Crocodile"), a heartbroken ex on a holiday visit ("White Christmas"), or a swarm of electronic bees compelled by social media ("Hated in the Nation"). Now, following up on the true crime commentary in Season 6's "Loch Henry," Season 7 offers "Plaything," a story about a ranting gamer who is tied to a decades-old cold case. While the tech on display in this episode is so advanced it might well make contemporary gamers drool or shudder, the murder at the story's core is cryptically familiar. There are a couple of clues amid the mystery that suggest the episode's rambling protagonist, Cameron Paul Walker (Peter Capaldi), is inspired by the late convicted killer and star of The Jinx, Robert Durst.