Ah, Black Mirror, the perfect show to launch one's self into when pursuing existential terror and paranoia. There is no better way to explore the impact technology has on our lives than with Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones, especially due to the programme being presented in its signature anthology format, letting Brooker exhibit completely different technologies in every episode. Naturally, we are introduced to different characters in every episode, all living in different times and places, adding to the attraction of the series.
The dystopian drama is one of my favourite shows, so, of course, I have watched and thought about each episode to quite an unhealthy extent (can you blame me?). I have recently rewatched each episode of the show in an attempt to gage which episodes are my favourites. Would another complete viewing alter my appreciation for any episodes? Well, as it turns out, yes. After finishing series two, I decided I'd write a review for the series, a brief piece for each episode, I could rank them too, which would make things more interesting. To find a definitive score for each episode, I marked the episode in question in five categories, on a 1-10 score chart and then found an average of scores (story / writing being the most important, as well as performance, costumes/set design, cinematography and soundtrack), which was the final mark for the episode. It's also worth noting that there is nothing below a 5 on overall scores, which is definitely a positive result for the show. I'll give you the numbers before I start ranking, so you can get an idea as to what I think of each episode.
10 - Perfect
9 - Fantastic
8 - Great
7 - Very Good
6 - Good
5 - Neutral
4 - Below average
3 - Poor
2 - Bad
1 - Awful
Another thing I'd like to discuss quickly, before I start ranking, is what I look for in an episode of Black Mirror, what makes me like and episode and why I watch the show, as I believe people with different reasons for watching the show would have a different ranking, maybe not though, maybe that's just me defending my decisions that are sure to anger some of you. I watch Black Mirror because I enjoy the thoughts that each episode elicits, of course, I enjoy the fear that it puts into you, but I love to think about where that fear comes from, the best episodes, in my opinion, are the episodes that examine not one singular person's relationship with technology, but the examination of how society is affected by technology, especially when you can tie real life problems to the episode.
Enough about that, though, let's get into ranking Black Mirror, here is your spoiler alert!
23. Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too (5.6)
It's always sad when you have such a lovely meal and the last thing you eat from the plate isn't quite right. Unfortunately for Black Mirror, Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too equated to that situation for me. I'll admit, on second watch it did grow on me in places, but in others it simply shriveled and died even more. I like the premise, the idea of someone growing so controlling over their employee, to the point which RJ&A2 goes, especially in the entertainment industry. I really like the technology presented to us, but it's the half of the episode that focuses on sisters Rachel and Jack that really bothers me. The episode was obviously trying to create the stereotypical high-school misfit scenario, which is an interesting place for Black Mirror to go, but it fails miserably, feeling like something that was trying to be serious. I can't quite place my finger on what it is about it, but it's definitely either not enough of a caricature, or it's too much of a caricature of a difficult home life. The episode needed a bit longer to introduce us to the family, I would have liked to have known more about the death of Rachel and Jack's mother, which seemed to be there simply to drive the stereotype home. I would have liked to have seen the ending stretched out a bit longer, perhaps to leave Ashley-O in her coma a bit longer, until the release of the album, just to add some conflict to the situation that really should have had more than simply "oh fuck." Overall, I can appreciate what the episode was trying to do, but simply didn't enjoy the way it was delivered.
22. Playtest (5.8)
When I first watched Playtest, I thought very highly of it, it was much like some of my favourite films, it had the real haunted house element, it was spooky and it was much like Christopher Nolan's Inception. But rewatching it, I realised it has one major flaw. An episode's appeal relies on how believable or relatable the situation the character is in. Unfortunately for Playtest, the one thing that people can do to escape the terrors and dangers presented by virtual reality, which is the technology in focused on in the piece, is to tell themselves it is not real. Despite Cooper's efforts to try and tell himself the situation is not real, even when the system breaks rules, the viewer has the security of being an audience member, the fear factor can't come into play in a VR world that someone else is experiencing, especially when the thing we are supposed to be scared of is a series of completely over-the-top generations of craziness, including a completely atmosphere-shattering vision of the woman Cooper had been staying with, which really took marks from the episode. The ending was good, however messy. The reveal that Cooper had died during the initial implantation of the VR device, due to a call from his mother, was clever and did satisfy me, especially how casually the development staff dealt with the death, prioritising the details of what went wrong in the tech, instead of the fact that a subject had died during the process, but the lead up to this reveal dragged. Much like RJ&A2, Playtest really needed to develop the primary character's background to increase audience attachment and overall effectiveness.
21. Black Museum (5.8)
This is my first seriously controversial decision, as I know Black Museum receives a lot of love in general, however, I have serious problems with it, all of which, lie in the writing and construction of the episode. I'll admit that frustration makes up a lot of the negative feelings I have for the episode, but I do believe the episode doesn't compare to any of the episodes that are listed higher than this. My main problem, that webs out into many branches of disdain, is the fact that it feels like Brooker and Jones had a game of lucky dip in the discarded episode bin. The episode tells the stories of several items that were involved in serious Black Mirror style crime, clever, technological and deeply disturbing. The climax of the episode tells another story, the story of a convicted criminal, whose consciousness is tortured as the main attraction of the Black Museum itself. The first story we are told, of the doctor who becomes addicted to pain is very good, it is harrowing and repulsive and generally good, it could have been a standalone episode. The second story we are told, whilst I would brand it decent at best, disastrously flimsy at worst, would have also made a much better episode on its own (though I'm happy it was never written as a full episode). I am frustrated at the fact that both of these stories were told in the way they were, because they both seem like a big waste. Maybe Brooker couldn't find a way to write them into full episodes, but I think doing a 'White Christmas' to them is totally unfair. The main story focuses on the relationship between Nish and Rolo Haynes, and it is revealed to us that Nish is actually the daughter of Clayton, the convict who is being tortured, in a White Bear style reveal. The shock value wasn't nearly as high as it was when discovering the truth of episodes like White Bear or Shut Up and Dance, the reason simply being because we do not know Nish, there was no previous development that let the audience grow to like Nish, she was not the focus of the episode until the last five minutes, she was essentially one of us. This episode feels like a low effort scrapbook of ideas, mashed together, the only purpose it serves being explicitly tying the each episode together, showing that every Black Mirror installment happened in the same universe.
20. The Waldo Moment (6.2)
Upon first watch, The Waldo Moment was my least favourite episode, by a long way. This could have been down to having a lot less, or virtually no, understanding of politics, or it could have been down to the very different style of story the episode uses. I really wanted this episode to come higher up, but I couldn't put it any higher than 20, due to my main problem with the piece: it feels more like a relationship piece. I know there are many different problems people have with this episode, the seeming lack of technology (which, to an extent, I would agree with), or the ending (which I have very mixed feelings on), but I find the piece focuses on Jamie and Gwendolyn's relationship way too much. Instead of focusing on society's favouring of a computer generated character over a human being in control of a political seat, we are told mainly about Jamie's relationship with someone who he is against in the polls and how Waldo the bear affects said relationship as well as his own wellbeing. Like RJ&A2, the episode touches upon ideas of human ownership, which again, in combination with society's view on the Waldo character, could have made a much more compelling and enjoyable episode, but in the way it was released, The Waldo Moment feels like reading only the even numbered pages in a book. This could have been so much more.
19. Arkangel (6.8)
Objectively, Arkangel should be one of the best episodes of Black Mirror, the story is perfect. It's a situation I'm sure many of us know, a parent who worries about their child so much, to the point it becomes a little bit too much. Adding the Black Mirror treatment in the form of obsession surely would make this scarily real, but instead it just creates a character who you just end up questioning throughout. Could anyone be such a clueless parent to the point of not talking about death, internet safety and drug use? Maybe the point of the episode was to show the divide technology can put between mother and child, or how parents rely on technology too much, but it just seemed to fail for me. Every time, I just sit and wonder why Marie didn't speak to her child, Sara, about any of the things that the Arkangel technology blocks from her vision. The episode is enjoyable, for the most part, the performances are good, the feeling is decent, until the end. I'm not sure whether it's just me, but I think Sara's bludgeoning of Marie was way too extreme, even for the control Marie was administering without Sara's knowledge or permission. I think the episode's message was good, it perhaps needed a rejig of pacing, perhaps an extra fifteen minutes to illustrate a sense of neglect in Sara's childhood days, after the implantation of Arkangel.
18. Hang the DJ (7.2)
Arguably Black Mirror's most positive episode, Hang the DJ comes in at spot 18 with a score of 7.2, which says a lot about the show if the sixth-from-bottom episode gets 'very good' on my rating scale. Anyway, Hang the DJ is by no means bad, it's very good, but it seems to miss the point of Black Mirror. The show generally explores how technology affects people, other than this episode, which just seems to exhibit the inner workings of a technology available in the Black Mirror world. Luckily, this isn't so much of a problem, as the story is mostly very well done. The acting is great, the set design is great and so is the cinematography. The only thing I found when rewatching the piece was that it wasn't nearly as exciting the second and third time watching, which many of the other episodes are. This is largely due to the twist, which reveals Amy and Frank are actually simulations in a dating app. There are some great moments to rewatch, knowing what is happening, such as Amy's fun suggestion that they may be in a simulation (oh, Mr Brooker, you are a tease), or simply the situations the simulation lays out for the couple, like the atrocious party they attended. Apart from those moments, rewatching the episode just isn't as fun as others, especially due to the amount of gratuitous sex. Viewers get absolutely nothing to think about, no posed questions or existential crisis, just that yucky warm feeling in your heart. Eugh.
17. USS Callister (7.6)
Often cited as one of Black Mirror's best episodes, USS Callister enters at number 17. I've never understood why USS gets all of the praise that it does. It's a fun piece of television, and a good episode of Black Mirror, but I can't understand why it's often named one of the top episodes. There are some great parts to it, such as the presentation of Robert Daly's persona at work and in game, which is absolutely fascinating, but apart from that, there isn't too much else to talk about, storywise. The idea of being in a game or simulation is common in Black Mirror, perhaps a little bit overused now, but this episode does cover the topic that many people have talked about since video games began: are CPUs sentient? The exploration of the answer is rather fun, but, much like RJ&A2 (sorry for bringing it up AGAIN) Brooker and his co-writer, William Bridges, go with the Star Trek-esque stereotype, which does work, but it gets a little bit tedious in places (Who am I to talk, though, if I were Daly, that crew would be stuck in the TARDIS all day and night!). The episode does successfully leave viewers feeling happy but shaken at Daly's downfall, getting stuck anywhere is bound to fill you with existential dread, but some of the 'cheese' really does leave a bad taste in your mouth, such as my all time least favourite line in Black Mirror and quite possibly television, "Nobody steals my pussy and gets away with it." Whoever wrote that line needs to take five minutes on the naughty step.
16. Crocodile (7.8)
Crocodile is commonly listed as Black Mirror's worst episode, which I have defended in the past to a very large extent. I can understand why people may have that opinion; the structure is unusual for the show and so is the story, but as I mentioned earlier, when watching Black Mirror, I look for the episodes that examine human relation to technology, which Crocodile does in a very peculiar way, but one that I really enjoy watching, in a horribly morbid sense. Watching Mia Nolan's (not to be confused with La La Land's Mia Dolan) desperate attempt to hide a hit-and-run by avoiding the technology is extremely hard to watch, but worth it. I'd love to watch with a psychologist to try to understand why Mia sees murder to be a good way to cover up her past mistake, but even without a psychologist, it's easy to understand the stress the situation put on her. The episode's technology was also fantastic fun, the device that lets insurance worker, Shazia, view reconstructions of memory, which occasionally supplied the episode with a sprinkle of humour. When Mia sees an accident happen from her hotel room, and then we discover if you have witnessed an accident, it is a legal requirement to undergo the memory reconstruction, there is a sudden hit of realisation of what is going to happen, Mia's trying to put off the procedure is painfully awkward and makes my skin prickle, though I really wanted to see what would happen if she were to be found out by Shazia. Throughout the whole sequence in which Mia is having her memories visualised, I was hoping that she would think back to the first accident, not so she would get caught, but to see what she would do. The character work there is fantastic. This episode also has one of the most affecting twists, in the fact that Mia's last victim, a small child was in fact blind, rendering her killing completely pointless. That's effective and lasted with me for quite some time afterwards.
15. Bandersnatch (8.0)
I knew this needed to be included in the list, afterall, it is an instalment of Black Mirror, I just had no idea how I was going to review it, which path would I choose? After a bit of thinking and research, I decided to watch Bandersnatch's default path, meaning I do not touch anything until the end, I make no decisions myself. If you haven't done this already, I highly recommend doing so, it feels a lot more like a complete story. After watching it that way, I had to wrap my head around what it was doing, which is complex, but a fantastic idea, it's a simulation of Colin's theory, there will always be another path and another reality, explaining why the default path takes you back again after almost every choice, only to divert you to the path that it didn't pick the first time. Taking the default path gives you many endings, but the final ending, the one that finishes the film, is Stefan in prison, his game gaining only 2.5/5 stars. If any Black Mirror episode is going to give you a crisis, Bandersnatch will do it. It's a freaky adventure that reminds you of everything you don't know and puts you in your place as a human being; ever-flowing current of time that is impossible to swim against. I don't believe I can say much else about it, other than I really enjoy the idea that time can go back on itself and that the White Bear symbol is developing even more of a meaning.
14. Men Against Fire (8.0)
I was hoping Men Against Fire would end up higher than 14. It was another episode that I didn't like much first time around, but like Waldo, with a better understanding of the world now, this episode resonates with me a bit more. Unfortunately, not enough to get it up any further than this. The idea that soldiers are implanted with chips that dehumanise enemies, to allow for easy killing is scary enough already, but the reason for doing so being to help the government carry out a national eugenics program is even more effective and even on second and third viewings, left me shocked and disgusted. The only problem is one that I think I'll call continuity, though I don't think that's quite right, is how easily the soldiers give consent to having their minds wiped. Although it is a small part of the episode, the idea that every single soldier who has signed up (most of whom seem clever enough to understand free will, though there may not be free will in dystopia) has consented, is rather hard to believe. That being said, there are definitely lots of good points in this episode, the acting is great, the story leaves a lot to be thought about and the soundtrack is absolutely fantastic! Let's also not forget about Arquette the psychologist's ability to control dreams through the implant, that needs to be revisited at some point.
Be Right Back is a cruel examination of grief in a world in which technology can allow someone to make the process initially easier with a replica version of their deceased loved one. Many of us will have lost someone close to us in our lifetime, so many of us will know that grief can do strange things, it can completely change the way someone thinks, it can make people do anything. Hayley Atwell's character, Martha, gets involved in a scheme to help those in bereavement, which even at first she believes is nonsense. After signing up, she begins to miss him more and will do anything to increase the reality of the substitute Ash. She is given the dreaded upgrades, which first allow her to text and email Ash, her partner, who was killed in a road accident, then to speaking on the phone. This isn't enough, so the final upgrade is initiated and an android type being arrives at Martha's house. All of this time, we are feeling more and more sorry for her, knowing that she will regret (and to an extent, is already regretting her decisions) but more and more scared about what she may do next, which is a fantastic device Brooker uses against us. The after seeing the rollercoaster that is Martha and fake Ash's relationship unfold, which reveals that the androids aren't built to do human things, Martha finally tries to get rid of him, only to find out that androids learn and they listen to anything you ask, when android Ash pleads for his life at the edge of a cliff. This was the first time Black Mirror really affected me, I love the psychological episodes, the ones that examine human emotion, and this does that just perfectly. The episode did only score an eight, however, I believe it's a great episode, I don't believe it could be any better, but there are certainly better episodes. Could such strong grief really lead one to putting themself under such a cruel physical curse?
12. Hated in the Nation (8.2)
The bee episode! If you had asked me a year ago to rank Black Mirror, I guarantee Hated in the Nation would have been in the bottom five. I do not know what I had against it, but I now think it is a really good, faced paced, almost Sherlock-esque adventure. Social media has been done a few times on Black Mirror now, but Hated in the Nation was the first to really exploit its problems. The problem being the way people casually threaten others on platforms such as Twitter, and the general toxicity of internet culture. Combining a Twitter 'game of consequences' with a hacked government system that kills by vote is a truly disturbing idea, one that I feel is very easy to imagine, which makes the episode so much more immersive and intense. The desperation in the victims' to get to safety is fantastically portrayed and extremely realistic, particularly Chancellor Tom Pickering's efforts to get to safety, proclaiming that he is more important than the environment, something I can imagine many politicians of the day resorting to for their own safety. This episode really exhibits how society could be altered in a single day, just by one man and a twitter game. The episode escalates in the final twenty minutes, when the detective team uncover a list containing everyone who has ever taken part in the game (over 300,000), which is soon revealed to be a list of final targets for the robot bees to kill as the final consequence. The shock that comes with the realisation is always fantastic and is some genius thinking from Brooker, as well as a brilliant warning against online challenges and trends, whilst criticising both the gullibility and the lack of thought the public have about the internet, as well as the separation they have made between social media and reality.
11. Shut Up and Dance (8.4)
I'm tempted to call Shut Up and Dance 'White Bear 2', as it asks many of the same moral questions, and uses many of the same plot devices, but ultimately, not nearly as effectively. That is not to say that Shut Up is not a good episode, it's very well written and, again, like White Bear, really tricks the viewer into feeling sorry for our main character. My favourite part of this episode is seeing how people who have been caught in 'the web', as I'll call it, interact with people who have no idea of its existence. The best of these moments being Hector and Kenny's first interaction, in the hotel room. Not only does the episode supply these horribly funny moments, but there is a real tensity not only in the episode's 'race against time' feeling, but between everyone caught in the web. I also love how Brooker attempts to make the viewer scared of something so familiar and probably beloved, their mobile telephones, their laptops and PCs, anything with access to the internet, which is the blood that runs through society's veins, reminding them that they are always vulnerable to unrelenting attack. At the end of an hour of a mix of intense action, morbid laughter and fear mongering, Brooker once again teaches the audience to do their detective work with people around you and not to download anything from untrustworthy websites.
10. The National Anthem (8.6)
The first installment of Black Mirror, The National Anthem, served as the gateway for Black Mirror's original fans, and it was also Charlie Brooker's chance to really have a stab at the public. The episode is also an exhibition of the fantastic actors the show features, including the acclaimed Rory Kinnear and the internationally recognised Lindsay Duncan, both giving phenomenal performances. The way Brooker really had a jab at the audience was by putting fictional Prime Minister, Michael Callow in a truly hard situation. Callow had to choose whether he would appear on live television and engage in sexual intercourse with a pig, in order to save a member of the Royal Family. Callow decides to proceed, in a truly awful moment, whilst we receive a montage of the public watching at home, in public venues or even at work. In what would become true Black Mirror style, it is revealed that the Princess was released half an hour before Callow started the act, completely unharmed. The 'stunt' was orchestrated by an artist, in order to show just how obsessed the public are with the media. Not only does this episode have a real impact, never failing to quench my thirst for drama, but it also constantly makes me think about how these events would unfold in real life, unfortunately, I believe the result would be almost identical to how the episode resolves. After seeing this episode, I was instantly worshipping Brooker's insane genius.
9. White Christmas (8.6)
White Christmas marked the end of Black Mirror's Channel 4 era, and was the last of the visually bleak episodes, making way for the juxtaposing glitz that Netflix gives the show. White Christmas is possibly the best written episode of the show, featuring dark twists and some extremely effective set up, which leads to one of the most troubling pay offs. As I mentioned earlier, White Christmas feels like a majorly upgraded Black Museum, due to its inclusion of multiple stories, none of which feel like discarded or underdeveloped stories. The cherry on top of the episode is how they are tied together by the role that Jon Hamm's character, Matt, plays in relation to Rafe Spall's, Joe. The idea that one criminal can partially redeem themself by helping coax a confession from another is good enough, but the final fate for both characters is suitably dystopian for the show, and had me pondering for hours over which punishment I'd rather be subjected to. It makes for a really hard sitting, but the fantastic acting and soundtrack (including Roy Wood's I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday, which will never be the same).
8 . The Entire History of You (8.6)
I owe my thanks The Entire History of You, as it was the episode that convinced me to watch the series, just due to Jodie Whittaker being in the cast for the single episode (I wanted to watch her in things before her first episode as the Doctor). As the final episode of the first series, TEHOY really finishes the series with a bang (well, a few actually...). The main thing I love most about this episode is how we follow Liam, who is one of the most unlikeable protagonists Black Mirror has ever presented us with, fantastically played by Toby Kebbell. The great thing about the character is that he is unlikeable because of the way he deals with a certain situation, but the situation is one that completely justifies action, just not the action Liam takes. Not only is the story great, but the technology that is featured, 'The Grain', a device that records everything the owner sees and hears, allows the user to view their own memories with a remote. The device destroys the idea that the past is in the past and gives way for whole load of over analysis and anxiety, as the episode proves. In classic Black Mirror style, the episode makes everyone forget their wishes to watch memories over and over, and really makes me grateful this technology hasn't caused a paranoid dystopia in our own lives.
7. San Junipero (8.8)
Here it is, the most beloved episode of Black Mirror, by a long shot. San Junipero marked a turning point in the show, one that really was unexpectedly welcome. The episode focuses on the good relationship between humans and technology, which not many other episodes have done so explicitly. The idea of giving people who can't experience life to the fullest a way to experience a full life is already truly heartwarming, but Black Mirror tackling the theme of the afterlife does something to the head as well as the heart. The story of Yorkie and Kelly is told in a way that slowly peels, revealing the true nature of San Junipero and the characters who reside there. San Junipero being a simulated afterlife, of course, comes with some questions of ethics, which lead to my favourite part of the episode. Once the true identities of Yorkie and Kelly are revealed, we learn of Yorkie's plan to move permanently to San Junipero, but to do so, she must have consent from her parents (one thing that I've always thought about is how they are still alive, because Yorkie is very old), which isn't granted, but if she is married, the authorisation can be given by the partner. The story that unfolds between Kelly and Yorkie with the marriage is uncharacteristically charming for Brooker, I certainly don't take that for granted. I also really like the addition of Kelly's doubts about moving over permanently, her loyalty to family is brilliantly portrayed and a genuine reason why someone may feel so frustrated about the invention of San Junipero, there is sure to be some guilt about leaving behind loved ones. The episode finishes with perhaps one of the most effective uses of a song over visuals to be used on television, Heaven is a Place on Earth, played over shots of the inner workings of the San Junipero databank... Wow.
If you're still here after breaking whatever you are reading this on, please try to see my point with this. I love this episode, I know that is seriously controversial, but when it comes to Black Mirror, I do have a fair few opinions that may cause uproar. There isn't too much to say about why I love this episode, but I love the message it conveys, which, admittedly, is rather blurred by all of the freaky video game sex (which if you didn't already know, the reality that it is technically homosexual sex between two men is quietly referenced in the title of the episode). The episode illustrates how technology can fracture relationships and families, which is an issue that is so prevalent today, it's a problem that I'm sure many of us have encountered and experienced, chances are, in ourselves. In an age that allows us to communicate with each other, play games or surf the internet, all on a mobile phone, many of us will have experienced a period of addiction, or had close family members who can't seem to put their phone down. Whilst Striking Vipers takes this one notch further up (or maybe a few more than that), it's really interesting to see Danny, played by The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) experiencing these issues to the point that leads him and his wife to having an annual compromise of their marriage. Whilst this isn't the most satisfying ending, I love it all the same, it's not going to launch you into a state of terror, but instead it leaves you to reflect on the significant impact tech has had on Danny's family and how it could affect your own. To me, this is effective enough, and has a strange charm that isn't found in any other episode.
Another choice that is sure to cause many to dismiss my opinion completely, Metalhead comes in at number five. Usually condemned to the bottom few spots in Black Mirror rankings and reviews, Metalhead tells a very different story to any other episode of Black Mirror. Arguably the episode that deals with dystopia the most explicitly, Metalhead follows the escape of Bella, a woman trying to survive the late stages of some kind of culling of human life by robot guard dogs. One factor of the story that really appeals to me is that we are never told, or given hint, as to what the real situation is that caused the lack of life, the uprising of the dogs, we are left to guess, or create the situation ourselves. We aren't even told until the very last shot why Bella and her short lived companions break into the warehouse containing the dog that ends up hunting them all down, the reason being to try to find a toy to make a child's dying days easier. The group's efforts to attain a soft toy amid the crisis reveals so much about the society the characters are living in, the idea that life has lost so much value that risking your own life for a toy is viable really made me think about how much value one's own life has lost, how grimm life must be. To add to the bleakness of the story, the episode is shot in some of the most desolate locations in England, including the famously haunting Dartmoor national park. To really drive home the classic dystopia, the episode was shot entirely on monochrome cameras, leaving absolutely no colour on screen, giving the episode a fantastically drab appearance, that certainly suits the story. Whilst this episode doesn't ask the audience much, it certainly creates an apocalyptic world which I am extremely fond of.
4. White Bear (9.2)
After watching Black Mirror for the first time, White Bear was my favourite episode and as you can see from its very strong 9.2 rating, it's still, in my opinion, one of the best episodes to date. White Bear doesn't offer much of a commentary on our general relationship with technology, but instead invites us to ask ourselves numerous questions about our current society and our society's possible future. How far is too far? Is the main question, regarding criminal welfare, which is a subject that is heavily debated. White Bear takes the debate to the extreme and exhibits possibly the lowest form of care anyone could be put into, infact, the things Victoria is subjected to are better described as mental torture than any sort of care. Other than Victoria, who is masterfully played by Lenora Crichlow, the episode features Tuppence Middleton and Michael Smiley, who are the heads of the White Bear 'Justice Park', which is a horrible concept in itself. Smiley's character, Baxter, is also the one who reveals to us the twist, Victoria's true identity, the child murderer. The first time I watched this episode, I remember being unable to do anything properly for hours afterward, I was still thinking about the episode the next day, the only thing on my mind was the twist, I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that we had been led into feeling sorry for such a twisted mind, which made me rewatch the episode (White Bear is the episode I have watched the most, I believe seven times now) soon after my first viewing, just in order to comprehend what was going on and wonder whether my feelings would be changed, would I feel sorry for Victoria anymore (of course I would!). The second time, knowing what was coming, I focused more on other aspects of the episode, which led me to discover what I now think is the most terrifying idea Black Mirror has ever thrown our way: the desensitisation to violence people have experienced thanks to technology. Throughout most of the episode, Victoria is followed through the justice park by hundreds people, all wielding phones. These people take photos and video Victoria going through the trauma, often laughing and smiling, taking the most photographs when she is in extreme distress or in violent situations, offering a glimpse at how technology seriously stunts empathy, even if the victim is a criminal. There are children and even babies brought to the park for the day, this is classed as entertainment, family entertainment, that in itself puts shivers down my spine.
3. Fifteen-Million Merits (9.4)
A great piece of character work, Fifteen-Million Merits commentates not only on the world's obsession with fame and fortune, but sharply criticises the strength people hold and their hypocriticism in situations that can offer something better than what they already have. As we follow Bing's story in the strange establishment in which citizens generate currency through exercise, we meet Abi. The two start a romance and the couple start to talk about auditioning Abi for Hot Shot, which is a television talent contest. Bing spends the vast majority of his account funds on an entry ticket for Abi, costing fifteen-million merits. One point of interest I really love in this episode, is how Brooker comments on the majority of famous people who are shown to the public are the extreme model of 'attractive', hardly any, especially female, are overweight. The price of the entry ticket being fifteen-million would require lots of dedicated time just spent of exercise, which would obviously lead to weight loss. This episode is filled with tiny little pickings at society, which is one reason it gets such high marks. Once Abi has given her performance on Hot Shots, the judges express how unimpressed they are, but still offer a chance for fame, which would be through one of the judge's pornography channels. Abi accepts due to the pressure given by the audience and is never seen again in the flesh, also making a comment on how society is still divided by class and social status. Eventually, Bing manages to get onto Hot Shots and starts dancing, which abruptly stops when he holds a shard of glass to his neck, threatening to kill himself if anyone tries to stop him speaking, and gives a speech about the awful society he lives in, which is one of the best performances of the entire show. The judges proclaim the 'act' was the best in the history of the show and offer Bing his own show. Bing's acceptance of the offer not only exhibits the desperation to escape the system, but the weakness the society (which holds many moral similarities to our own) has given him. The piece also criticises the industry's ability to exploit almost anything and make a profit from it, even negativity aimed at the industry. The episode's appeal comes so much from its contrasting criticisms and comments, but doesn't entirely rely on them, as it as many other positive features to fall back on, such as performance and even the cinematography and soundtrack.
2. Nosedive (9.6)
Nosedive is the epitome of Black Mirror scary, not only does it exhibit a technology that is already being developed and experimented with, but it shows the deceptively bright and happy world that is controlled by a rating system on people, which looks like a Wes Anderson Film but feels like a novel by George Orwell. Being the first episode of the Netflix era, Nosedive's juxtaposing glitz beats any other episode that tries to employ the technique, such as Hated in the Nation, USS Callister and the whole of series five. I don't want to talk much about the story in the episode, but reference many scenes in the episode that add to my adoration for it. I'll make a statement regarding the story by saying that it is so clever and well written, performed superbly by a fantastic cast, who portray a constant mix of stress and exaggerated 'niceness' to a top notch degree in every scene. Nosedive is perhaps the episode that best explores the society in which it is set (which may have something to do with the episode focusing on society, but it's still effective!), and this is a real strong point. As we follow the life of Lacie, a young woman rated 4.2, we learn about the society's 'norms', what many people do but won't ever admit, my favourite of these being the moment in which Lacie takes a bite of a biscuit, but doesn't eat it, an obvious attempt to keep on top of weight. To be worried to enjoy yourself, for fear of being rated low, is a horrible thought in itself, which this episode really plays on, even Lacie's laugh, which isn't the stereotypical elegant laugh, is suppressed. Perhaps the scariest part of the episode is Chester's story. Only a side character, Chester is a character who is nosediving, or falling in rating very swiftly. The reason for his descent is his split with his boyfriend, Gordon, who never appears on screen, but the entirety of the office he works in has taken Gordon's side and are giving Chester low ratings, just because they can. It is unsettling to think that people would really do this if this sort of system was active in society, but the worry lies in the fact that people who fall below a certain rating aren't allowed in certain places, the lower your rating, the more limited you are in everyday life, which is exhibited at the airport, with a line only for those above a 4.0 rating, or at the car hire centre, the only cars allowed to be rented by people below a certain rating are older, less reliable models. Throughout the episode, we see Lacie trying her absolute best to act politely towards the people around her, constantly smiling and complimenting people, which is naturally reciprocated, but not out of kindness, that would rarely happen in this society, most of these actions are carried out due to fear. The moments at the end of the episode, when Lacie drops below 1.0 rating, present her as the happiest she's been, despite her being covered in mud and dust. This is further built upon when she is put into a cell, opposite another man, both of whom have had their rating implants removed. Before noticing the man, Lacie looks into the air and smiles gleefully at the dust floating in the air, representing an escape from the hell that was her spotless shell of a life. After noticing the man, the pair engage in one of the most silly arguments one will ever hear, just going to show how inexperienced they are with any kind of negativity, but also their final emancipation.
1. Smithereens (9.6)
Number one, Smithereens (I can hear your phones crunching in your hands), my favourite episode of Black Mirror. There are many reasons I love this episode more than any other, but I'll start by asking everyone who is screwing their face up in disgust to keep reading and then going back to watch the episode again. Smithereens is the most relevant episode of Black Mirror to date, forget The National Anthem's message about media obsession or Hated in the Nation's criticism of online personas and the nation's lack of conviction in anything remotely serious, Smithereens presents a situation directly linked to the overuse of mobile phones, especially social media, a problem which I am rather passionate about solving. The story is told brutally, but phenomenally, with perfect cinematography and a greatly ambient soundtrack, both helping to give the story scale and a really memorable feeling. The episode revolves around Chris (Andrew Scott), a driver from an Uber-like app, who kidnaps Jaeden, an intern at a large social media company, Smithereen. Chris planned to kidnap a worker in a much higher position than Jaeden, so he could achieve his goal in an easier fashion. The performance given by Scott when he finds out Jaeden is only an intern is extraordinary (as to be expected by Scott), his outbursts top even Daniel Kaluuya's performance in Fifteen-Million Merits. In the moments before he had even said anything, when Chris asked Jaeden for his mobile phone (which was in Chris's other car) I was shrinking in my seat, awaiting another terrifyingly realistic, unstable explosion. Another wonderful thing about the episode is the weirdly friendly relationship Chris and Jaeden form whilst in the middle of the field, Chris apologising to Jaeden throughout the piece is strangely endearing, really promoting the non-technological contact that the episode is about. Chris himself is also, in a peculiar plot device, the thing that creates the tight, gripping tension the episode is about, though this is helped by occasional glimpses of snipers being set up. His intelligence and preparedness for his plan is wonderfully written, especially the scene with the negotiator, which is one of my favourite scenes in the entire episode. Chris's concealing of all emotion and calmness proves truly effective when he breaks every now and again, whether that be to verbally explode or to implode crying, both happening a few times. The final reveal of why Chris was trying to talk to Smithereen CEO, Billy Bauer (a character who seems rather important, but really isn't integral, though fantastically played), is heartbreaking, a conclusion that is often deemed 'predictable' or 'tacky', I feel, is extremely clever and should be reassessed by those who previously thought badly of it. Though second time around, it is rather obvious to see the nature of Chris's problem being linked to phones, I wouldn't say it takes away from the message. People seem to want to keep warnings and messages out of entertainment, I've seen endless complaints about the environmental messages given through Doctor Who or the pushing for equality of race and gender rights in films such as Black Panther and Captain Marvel, and now Black Mirror is receiving complaints of the same concern. Whilst admittedly, some of media can be heavy handed in dealing with these topics, I feel Black Mirror shouldn't be viewed with scorn for this, as the purpose of the show is to raise these questions and criticise society. The point that the episode conveys is that technology is seen as some sort of savior, or is completely ignored by the law, as Chris didn't stop the accident that resulted in the death of his girlfriend, telling Jaeden that the driver in the other car was under the influence, and the law overlooked the quick glance at his phone that caused the death. To add to the point, the episode uses some remarkable techniques to solidify the idea that technology absorbs and distracts the public from the real world, the first being the location which was used (which has spiked my interest so much that I can locate the field on google Earth without typing a single word in), a field full of pylons, which really emphasises that technology can't be escaped, but also has much more of an importance than human beings, as they tower high above the events below. The second device is the end, specifically the ambiguity of who was shot, was it Chris, was it Jaeden or was it both? The answer never being revealed is clever enough, but to show us the reactions of the public who are reading it on their phones reminds the audience that no matter how big an event is, it will just be another media story next week, even when someone threatens life to make a point against social media, they will be absorbed by the inevitable growth of technology.
If you are as much of a nerd as I am and you'd like to have a virtual look at the location used in Smithereens, here are the coordinates to the strangely grand field: 51°23'57.4"N 0°22'24.6"E
Just incase you were interested, here are the series, ranked by average score of episodes:
1. Series One (8.8)
2. Series Three (8.1)
3. Series Five (8.0)
4. Series Two (7.8)
5. Series Four (7.3)
I hope you enjoyed my reviews, I hope they have maybe changed the way you think about certain episodes, or opened your mind to an episode you previously thought negatively of. I hope after reading this you will go back and rewatch Black Mirror, as I have done, I'd love to talk about the show with anyone else who shares my adoration for it. Thank you very much for reading this, I hope you'll come back soon, I plan on doing a review with the exact same structure for Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton's black comedy anthology series Inside No. 9 soon, so if you haven't ever seen that and enjoy Black Mirror, I highly recommend it.
Thanks again,
J.