Calling all dystopian thriller enthusiasts — if you’re one of the many, you’ll loveBlack Mirror.Charlie Brooker’santhology show has transformed over the years of its five-season run, reinventing the anthology genre through incredible twists and turns exploring the dark side of technology all that it entails.
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The show covers a plethora of topics on the darker side, with every episode leaving viewers gobsmacked at the horrors that unfold. As time has gone by, the show’s content has evolved and taken on topics previously unheard of in earlier seasons. One thing remains undisputed — every season is shocking in some way.
The latest season ofBlack Mirrorhad anticipation working in its favor, but not much else. For one, the season has fewer episodes compared to earlier ones, which viewers weren’t too happy about, especially after such a long wait for the season drop.
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The three episodes we were gifted with seem to lack the gut-punching shock that comes with earlier seasons ofBlack Mirror. WithMiley Cyrusguest-starring in one episode, and the other two episodes seeming to resemble earlier seasons, the episodes were definitely good, but in comparison to other seasons, nowhere near as shocking.
‘Bandersnatch’
Whilst not technically a season, theBandersnatchfilm is a part of the Black Mirror universe, breaking boundaries as an extremely sophisticated interactive film where viewers can choose their own paths. An interesting concept, sure, but as viewers came to find, limiting in its execution.
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The movie tends to over-rely on the interactive aspect of the film, with the actual plot of the film definitely not the most interesting, especially in comparison to other Black Mirror episodes. With this lack of interest also comes a lack of shock factor, which is whyBandersnatchisn’t at the top on those terms.
Black Mirror’sSeason 4 was brilliantly crafted, with some fan-favorite episodes coming from this season. From “USS Callister"being one of the show’s more unique episodes,even demanding a sequel, to Mia’s jaw-dropping descent into madness in “Crocodile,“the six episodes that makeup Season 4 are incredibly interesting.
Compared to earlier seasons, the ideas that come out of Season 4 are arguably more unique. Despite this, they can’t top the shock factor that stems from the first three seasons of the show, which are jaw-dropping at best.
Black Mirror’sSeason 2 is a four-episode collection of whatBlack Mirrordoes best — each episode coming in with a unique angle, keeping audiences guessing all the way through. From “White Bear” arguably possessing one of the most shocking plot twists of the entire show to ‘Be Right Back’breaking hearts everywhere, this season is a great successor to the first season.
Season 2 loses ranking because of “The Waldo Movement,“which is widely regarded as one of the weakest episodes of the show as a whole. The episode was far deep-rooted into politics, reality, and didn’t feel like a dystopian-typeBlack Mirrorepisode, making it far less shocking than episodes in other seasons.
The fact that no one knew what to expect with the initial airing ofBlack Mirrormakes it so that the first season had viewers gobsmacked. Themes including corruption, envy, political exploitation, and more, shape what is known as a brilliant start to a brilliant show.
“The National Anthem” as an introductory episode was shocking in its very premise, whilst “Fifteen Million Merits"and “The Entire History of You"gave us brilliant performances fromDoctor Who’sJodie WhittakerandGet Out’sDaniel Kaluuya whilst providing the perfect premise to base the rest of the seasons ofBlack Mirroron.
After moving to Netflix, the third season ofBlack Mirrorremains its most surprising. With a bigger budget, grander stories, and large-scale frights, the season houses some of the show’s most shocking episodes, such as “Shut Up And Dance,” “Nosedive,” and “Playtest.”
“San Junipero,” arguably one of the best Black Mirror episodes, manages to surprise viewers in the context of an uplifting love story. What all episodes of Season 3 have in common, ultimately, is their ability to leave you in absolute shock.
