Smart House (1999)

Smart House walked so Black Mirror could run. I’m being serious.

The iconic DCOM centers around teenager Ben Cooper (Ryan Merriman), who wins a contest to move him and his family into a new home dubbed “the Smart House.” It comes with state of the art smart technology, headlined by PAT, a virtual assistant that can make any food you want, write the school bully’s paper for you, create an impromptu dance moment to “Slam Dunk (Da Funk)” with your buddies, and throw the ultimate party to impress your crush. What could possibly go wrong?

Turns out, a lot.

As Ben’s dad slowly falls for the creator of the home, Sara Barnes (Jessica Steen), PAT becomes too smart for anyone’s benefit, and evolves into a sinister maternal figure. She comes to life as a hologram, and at one point locks and bolts the family into the home for their “protection.” In a truly terrifying scene, a giant-sized version of PAT appears in the living room, whips up a tornado-hurricane and eerily sings “Hush Little Baby” to the family. To make it creepier, that lullaby stems from a much sweeter home video of the kids’ (now deceased) mother doing the same.

Smart House is a quarter of a century ahead of its time, and a cautionary tale for humans relying too much on technology to power their lives that still feels pretty poignant today.