Relationships Talk

For many fans of the series, Black Mirror episodes make new technologies frightening enough for them avoid trying them out. However, a young American developer was inspired by them and created an application similar to the one in the Hang the DJ episode.

Stranger than fiction… You’ll recall that episode 4 of Black Mirror Season 4, titled Hang the DJ, introduced us to a world where people live in an environment bounded by a large wall. At the heart of this “system”, each person is looking for their “ideal partner”, guided by a virtual coach who gives them advice and creates couples with an expiration date. This is how Amy and Frank, played by Georgina Campbell and Joe Cole, meet and fall in love with one another before their relationship turns into a nightmare.

While this episode directed by Tim Van Patten is actually a harsh critique of dating apps and the “disappearance” of romanticism, a 24-year-old American developer chose to draw inspiration from it to create an application similar to “system.”

Guided dates with a time limit

As our friends at HuffingtonPost revealed, Julian Alexander has indeed developed “Juliet”, an application that chooses the people to connect for a limited time. Following a date, users detail the positive and negative points of the time spent alongside their potential soul mate.

Based on this feedback, “Juliet” will be able to offer new dates based on these criteria. After all, why bother taking the time to get to know someone when an app can do it for us? Beware, however, not to fall into the disenchantment of the characters in the series, which has already made some worrisome predictions…

Check out the video above for more on this creepy new service! 

First dates can be really nerve-wracking. What will you talk about? Did you pick the right top? What if they’re not funny and you have to spend all night doing an over the top fake laugh? This is made ten times worse when you have been out of the game for a little bit. Whether you have been away because you’ve been in a long term relationship or just given yourself some time to be you, it can be intimidating to go back, to say the least. So, here is how to get back into the dating game. While using dating apps and going out for that first drink can be super scary, an expert shared some hints and tips on how to be happy when you are single and very much ready to mingle again.

After breaking up with my ex, numerous friends would turn to me and say, “oh you just need to get out there.” But what does that mean? It is easy to tell someone to put on their killer boots and go out for a drink, but if you are anything like me you are completely fine chatting to someone until you fancy them. Then I clam up, become hyper aware of all the things I am saying, and giggle like a school girl. “Getting back out there” is way easier said than done.

However, Maria Sullivan, a dating expert from Dating.com has said that she doesn’t think it needs to be so scary. She told me, “taking an absence from the dating world may have you feeling out of touch, insignificant, or flat out old.” But as the old adage goes, “Nothing is sexier than confidence.” It’s important, then, to do the things that help you feel more confident, whatever that is. “Do whatever it takes to boost your self-esteem,” she tells me. Life gets so hectic and it is easy to let habits of self-love go out of the window because you’re too busy. But doing things that make you feel good about yourself will make opening up to others so much easier.

Studio Firma/Stocksy

Dating apps have really filled the hole where people used to meet in real life. But even for a seasoned pro they can be difficult, let alone if the last time you dated was before the days of swipe right. Whilst creating a dating profile seems like a whole lot of pressure (who knows what to write in bios anyway?) Sullivan suggests it might not be the worst thing to dip your toes in the pool and try out online dating. She says, “see what the internet has to offer. There are lots of different platforms that cater to different preferences, find what interests you and create a profile.” The good thing about online dating is you can commit to it as much as you want. Have a little swipe when you’re round at a friends, just for a laugh, or put in the time to find a great match.

Sullivan says another important step is to take your time.

“Jumping straight back into dating after a long break may be weird at first. Test the waters by starting conversations with multiple people. Once you feel you’ve found your groove you can take the next step and meet for coffee or dinner.”

Stephen Morris/Stocksy

Diving head first back into the world of dating can seem like a big step, especially after the breakup of a long term relationship. The most important relationship you have is with yourself, so if you need a little bit of time to work out what makes you feel good in yourself again, then do it. From there, wine nights with friends while you play on each other’s dating profiles almost becomes the easiest way to window shop. Good luck!

If you haven’t binge-watched Sex Education, may I suggest you cancel all your weekend plans and get settled in for a Netflix marathon.

Once you’ve watched the full series, which follows the son of a sex therapist as he helps out his fellow students with sex and relationship advice he’s learnt from his mum, you’ll realise how exciting it is that two of the actors appear to be dating in real life.

After having a right good snoop on Connor Swindell (Adam Groff) and Aimee Lou Wood’s (Aimee Gibbs) Instagram pages, we get the feeling they might actually be boyfriend and girlfriend for real.

Back in September, Aimee shared a bunch of photos and videos of them to celebrate Connor’s birthday. She captioned them: “HAPPY DAY OF BIRTH SWINDELLS YOU BEAUTIFUL MAGNIFICENT MAN. You’ve been a warrior king forever in the hundreds of lives you have already lived but now you’re my 🤴. AND I DON’T GIVE A F IF ANYONE THINKS THAT IS CRINGEY cuz I’m trying to be as brave as u are. I’m owning my narrative 😉. Big thank you to Adam Groff and Aimee Gibbs for making all this possible… Not going to say anymore because I feel vulnerable but YOU KNOW THE REST🌜🌜.”

I mean, yes, maybe they are just really, really, REALLY good friends, but I’d put money on their Facebook statuses being ‘In a relationship’.

The pair also spent Halloween together.

And Connor shared a black and white photo of them on New Year’s Eve, which said: “Lots of love from Aimee Gibbs and Adam Groff. Happy New Year kids x”.

I’m calling it: these guys are in lurrrrrvvvvvvve.

Could there be a Sex Education season 2?

Why Sex Education is in American school in UK

Joe Alwyn did another interview as he continues his award season run for The Favourite, Boy Erased, and Mary, Queen of Scots, where he once again briefly commented on his and Taylor Swift’s private, two-year relationship that he really doesn’t like talking about. He didn’t explicitly talk about her, but he did talk about the way their decision to keep things private has been perceived.

This time, Alwyn’s interview was with Mr. Porter’s The Journal magazine, and Alwyn wasn’t into him and Swift being called “strangely private” because they’ve kept their relationship mostly secret, save a couple photographed public dates.

Alwyn was asked whether he feels he has had to fight more for his privacy now, given his Mr. Taylor Swift status. “I don’t think more than anyone else,” he said. “I don’t think anyone you meet on the streets would just spill their guts out to you, therefore why should I? And then that is defined as being ‘strangely private’. Fine. But I don’t think it is. I think it’s normal.” And that was all he said about his love life in the profile.

Previously, Alwyn has said the following about him and Swift. It all has the same underlying message: They are private, so please don’t ask about it because he won’t talk much about it:

To Vogue UK, on the public’s interest in him and Swift: “I’m aware people want to know about that side of things. I think we have been successfully very private and that has now sunk in for people…but I really prefer to talk about work.”

To British GQ on him and Swift: “Someone’s private life is by definition private. No one is obliged to share their personal life.” And on whether he’d name his favorite Taylor Swift song: “I’m just not even going to go into that side of the world.”

To that red carpet reporter who asked what he thinks about Swift’s foray into politics: “I think it’s great, I think it’s important.” Then he left the interview.

To Esquire on whether he gets advice on his relationship with Swift: “I didn’t seek out advice on that because I know what I feel about it. I think there’s a very clear line as to what somebody should share, or feel like they have to share, and what they don’t want to and shouldn’t have to.”

And to Entertainment Tonight‘s reporter who asked if he’d act alongside Swift at the Golden Globes: “It’s not planned at the moment, but who knows.”