Black Mirrorhas solidified itself as one of the most intriguing television shows of the modern era. The sci-fi show blends elements of drama, dark comedy, and even horror to create a thought-provoking satire on society and our relationship with technology. The anthology setting of the series allows multiple concepts and stories surrounding the development of technology and social media, and how it affects our daily lives.Created by Charlie Booker, the show explores dark, unsettling themes reflecting society’s fears and desires surrounding the tight grip technology has on us.
Black Mirror
As an anthology show, each season and each episode have entirely different settings, characters, and plots. While each episode and season shares the same common theme of the dark side of technology or social media, the seasons vary in terms of quality and consistency. The show has been critically acclaimed throughout its run, with most seasons Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. With season 7 recently dropping on Netflix, we’re looking at each season individually to see which one the critics at Rotten Tomatoes believe is the best season. Critical acclaim isn’t everything, but it does impact the perception of a show.
The fifth season of the series is often considered the weakest of the seven seasons by most fans, and apparently, critics too. It touches upon the common theme of humanity’s interactions with technology that is consistent throughoutBlack Mirror. Still, it doesn’t match the level of emotional impact that the other seasons had. Part of that is due to the limited number of episodes in this season, as it only has three. The other negative against it is the departure from the bleak nature of most of the previous seasons. It lacks the typical mind-bending surprises that the show is known for.
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It is not by any means a bad season. It just feels like a rather glaring downgrade from the seasons that came before. “Smithereens” is undoubtedly the standout episode from the fifth season. Andrew Scott gives a powerful performance that may be one of the best the show has ever seen. Nevertheless, “Smithereens” is not enough to move this season higher up the list. The critics' consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads: “ThoughBlack Mirror’s abbreviated fifth season never quite reaches the heights (or surprises) of previous installments, it remains one of TV’s strangest philosophical offerings – for better or worse.”
The sixth season features five episodes, and quite a few of them lean more into horror than mostBlack Mirrorepisodes. The season focuses on the ways technology, social media, and even streaming are inextricably entangled in our lives and can cause our descent into madness. “Joan is Awful” tackled the dangers of streamers using AI technology instead of actual actors, while ‘Beyond the Sea’ used robotic doppelgängers to warn us that using technology to separate parts of our lives is futile.
Save for “Mazey Day,” each episode of season 6 are mostly worthy additions to the series. The balance of tone while exploring different concepts worked in the season’s favor. The biggest letdown was indeed “Mazey Day,” as it abandoned the usualBlack Mirrorformula completely and instead opted for a supernatural horror route that just didn’t click. Instead of commentary on technology, it was a reminder of how sleazy paparazzi can be. While that is true, it doesn’t fit with the themes of the show, and the supernatural element wasn’t exciting enough to make up for it. Clearly, the folks over at Rotten Tomatoes had similar feelings, stating that the installments range from “instant classic to woefully undercooked.”
Season 4 has six episodes that allow it to develop the season’s stories. This season is more diverse in its blend of genres and tones, making it a step up from season five.The dark, sinister sci-fi episode “USS Callister"is one of the highest-praised episodes in the entire show. That episode alone makes the season worth watching. There’s also the more lighthearted, relationship-focused episode, “Hang the DJ.” The episode sees people paired up through an app that is supposed to test out viable romantic partners, effectively putting an expiration date on each relationship until there is a perfect match found.
The other four episodes are well done, but they lack the memorability of “USS Callister” and “Hang the DJ,” except for maybe “Black Museum.” It’s a visually stunning season, but some of the episodes felt too derivative of theBlack Mirrorformula. Sure, they had dark plots, but the narratives were too simplistic to truly feel connected to the rest of the show. “Metalhead” in particular was a divisive episode when the fourth season aired in 2017. It is a stylistic season with worthy stories. The critics' consensus states: “Black Mirrorproves with its fourth season that the series still has ample source material to terrify fans with technology that is now – or soon could become – an integral part of our lives.”
Season 3 is almost universally praised by fans as the best season of the series. It isBlack Mirrorat its best, most socially relevant state. The show is meant to serve as commentary on the way technology bleeds into every facet of our lives. Whether it be through social media, gaming, computers, or smart devices, modern technology is inescapable and the only thing we can do is try to control our reaction to it. Episodes such as “Nosedive” expertly depict the way many people depend on social media engagement to validate their lives, while “Playtest” portrays our willingness to try any new technology for some spare change in these difficult times. They feellike full-length movies.
Critics enjoyed it as well, although it doesn’t rank as high on their list as it does on most fan lists. Season 3 managed to offer a brief reprieve from the bleak, uncomfortable outlook on society’s development with technology, with the fan-favorite episode “San Junipero.” The season offered a brief reprieve from the bleak, uncomfortable outlook on the way society is developing with technology, while still staying true to the darker, more complex tone that the show is known for. Although it’s not rated the highest on Rotten Tomatoes, their team still praised it, saying in their critics' consensus that “Charlie Brooker remains a masterful dystopian storyteller.”
Season 2 features only three episodes in the main season, as the special episode “White Christmas” is technically a later addition to the season, according to IMDB. The second season expands on the themes set up by its predecessor, further delving into the dark side of not just technology and our reliance on it, but on humanity itself. This season leaned into the exploration of grief and loss more than some other seasons, giving viewers an emotional throughline that connects the audience more deeply. It is also slightly more haunting than other seasons, with the episode ‘White Bear’ being a relentlessly shocking depiction of justice, or lack thereof.
Despite its brevity with only three regular episodes, season 2 was certainly enough to keep audiences engaged. The third episode, “The Waldo Moment,” admittedly doesn’t compare to most episodes of the show. However, “Be Right Back” and “White Bear” are two episodes that sear themselves into your memory. “White Bear” in particular is unforgettable in its relentless reminder that society easily becomes lost. The critics' consensus agrees with this sentiment, stating that season two will stay with the audience long after viewing.
The most recent season ofBlack Mirrorfelt like a return to form for the series. The first episode of the season, “Common People,” was an emotional, harrowing story with a rather bleak ending. It centers around a married couple, played by Rashida Jones and Chris O’Dowd, who are barely making ends meet but still live a rather happy life. After Amanda (Jones) is diagnosed with an inoperable tumor, Mike (O’Dowd) decides to trust a new service that will keep her brain functional via a sort of streaming chip. This, of course, has tiered subscription options that become increasingly more expensive and start to affect Amanda’s every waking moment.
Other episodes,such as “Bete Noire"and “Plaything,” go back to basics by expanding on the often detrimental impact advanced technology has on ourselves and our perception of reality. ‘Hotel Reverie’, while an interesting premise that involved AI technology in old Hollywood movies, felt a bit out of the ordinary for the show. Emma Corrin wonderfully plays an old Hollywood starlet, but the chemistry with Issa Rae’s character is almost non-existent. The sequel episode to “USS Callister” brought the return of a fan-favorite story, and ‘Eulogy’ hit the emotional beats that other seasons may have lacked. It may not reach the highs of other seasons, but it is certainly a worthwhile entry for the series overall.
The debut season immediately drew viewers in when it originally aired in the UK.The innovative storytelling,relevant social commentary, and daring themes gave the first season an edge that has led to the prominence the show still has nearly 14 years later. The absolutely shocking first episode of the series, ‘The National Anthem’, quickly introduced viewers to the unnerving, disturbing tone of the show. It broke boundaries for episodic storytelling, showing viewers that television can be riveting and thought-provoking, and most importantly, make you question things about your own life.
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“Fifteen Million Merits” is another season 1 episode that is often considered one of the series’ best. It depicts a dystopian world where the only way to live is to continuously earn merits by riding a stationary bicycle. “The Entire History of You,” rated the best of the season with an 8.5 on IMDB, depicts another near-future world where everyone has access to a memory implant that records everything they experience.
While unsettling, the premises of these episodes didn’t seem too far off from reality, and to this day, they still don’t. The critics' consensus on Rotten Tomatoes perfectly sums up the impact of the first season, saying: “Black Mirrorbegins with a disquieting shudder in a canny first season that will instantly hook viewers into a brave new world of alienation.” It sucks you in immediately.
