It’s been more than a decade since Charlie Brooker first introduced the world of Black Mirror. The anthology series, which has focused on the potential dark side of advancements in technology and science, has long captured audiences. It debuted in 2011 as a British series and ran for a few years.
In 2016, it moved over to Netflix. There, we’ve seen several new seasons over the years, each complete with new original stories. The seventh season—which includes six new stories—was released on April 10 on Netflix. Below is a look at each of the six new episodes and whether they should be a priority to check out. Let’s dive in.
Episode 1: Common People
This one focuses on a couple, blue-collar worker Mike (Chris O’Dowd) and teacher Amanda (Rashida Jones). They are happy and recently celebrated an anniversary. But a medical issue threatens their future. Amanda might die, but soon a Hail Mary option arrives. Gaynor (Tracee Ellis Ross) is with a company that offers new, life-saving technology at a price. It can restore Amanda’s brain and keep her alive, but it has some restrictions and comes with a hefty monthly subscription fee.
Mike agrees and gets his wife back. But the process is more cumbersome than he imagined. In addition, the company keeps changing the features and fee structure, which constantly puts the couple behind the curve in keeping up. Soon, Mike goes to desperate lengths, even debasing himself on the Internet for enough money to keep his wife going. But as he pours more of himself into it, the worse their quality of life becomes.
This is an interesting idea that, while similar to past episodes, puts plenty of new wrinkles. I liked the cast and O’Dowd in particular does a nice job here. The only problem might be that this feels a little too realistic. It’s hard not to feel a sense of dread seeing the rising costs that this couple can’t keep up with, and that’s the point. When life-saving medical procedures are a for-profit enterprise, it’s the common man that looses out. This was a good one to check out.
Season 7 Ranking: No. 4
Episode 2: Bete Noire
This episode focuses on Maria (Sienna Kelly), a confectionary whizz working for a company designing new products. One day at a test group, she runs across Verity (Rose McEwen). Maria knew Verity in school, and she gets an uneasy feeling seeing her again. It seems like a coincidence, but is it really?
Soon, Verity applies for a job at Maria’s company. Despite Maria’s protest, she’s hired. Everyone seems to love Verity, but not Maria. In fact, Maria begins to suspect Verity is making her look bad on purpose, sort of harassing her. Can she get to the bottom of it before it’s all too late?
This is a standard kind of set up in a Black Mirror season. We often get episodes that play out more like something out of a horror movie, and that’s certainly the case. You can feel Maria’s mental state imploding and while we know Verity is to blame, we don’t know how she’s doing it. The twist here is just OK, and the wild Third Act and ending took some of the wind out of the sails here. This isn’t my least favorite of the season, but it’s far from the best.
Season 7 Ranking: No. 5
Episode 3: Hotel Reverie
We start with a classic film, Hotel Reverie. It features a budding star in Dorothy (Emma Corrin). Fast-forward to the present, and we meet another star, Brandy (Issa Rae), who is looking to break out of her typecast shell. At the same time, a young producer Kimmy (Awkwafina) is pitching new technology to help give older films a new spin and new life. Judith (Harriet Walter) sees it as a way of saving her flagging studio.
So, the group decides to revive Hotel Reverie, this time inserting Brandy in the position of the male lead. They build an AI world that allows her consciousness to join in the original film and replace the performance. But when she enters and connects with Dorothy, something happens. When the computer goes down, the program takes on a life of its own as Dorothy is reborn in a way that creates something of a real connection to Brandy.
This is an episode that mixes old Hollywood with some interesting AI technology. It also feels like a call back to one of the better Black Mirror episodes of the past, San Junipero. That’s going to mean a lot to audiences. This isn’t quite on that level, but I really enjoyed Rae and Corrin in these roles. Their time together was fascinating, and the ending was bittersweet and satisfying. I enjoyed this one quite a bit.
Season 7 Ranking: No. 3
Episode 4: Plaything
Set in the near future, we quickly meet Cameron Walker (Peter Capaldi). He’s older and looking ragged. He’s arrested for shoplifting, but he soon becomes connected to a murder. Under interrogation with an over-eager detective and a psychologist, Cameron begins to weave his tale. It goes all the way back to the 1990s and his time as a video game tester.
We often get Black Mirror tales that feel a bit like science fiction horror. This is the second such set up in this season and it doesn’t play out better for me than the first. We get a cameo from Will Poulter, who is the best thing about this episode despite just a few minutes on screen. This is the shortest of the new episodes, but it feels longer than it is owing to the weird story that never really lands for me.
Season 7 Ranking: No. 6
Episode 5: Eulogy
Here we meet Phillip (Paul Giamatti). He’s aging and living alone in the United States. He learns that a former lover has passed away and the funeral is in London. He hasn’t seen her or thought of her for a long time, but he’s stricken. He’s asked to share memories for a eulogy using a new technology that can bring the past to life. He begins a painful journey into their relationship, reliving old wounds, reigniting old passions, and uncovering buried secrets along the way.
This is a simple set up but it’s executed beautifully. The story and the technology used here is captivating. But it’s the heart of the story that makes it stand out. I really loved Giamatti in this role and I loved the rich, emotional arc of the story. You can’t help but be moved. If you only watch one this round, make it this episode.
Season 7 Ranking: No. 1
Episode 6: USS Callister: Into Infinity
This is the rare sequel episode. It’s a return to one of the most famous and popular episodes of Black Mirror, which aired as part of the series’ fourth season. It picks up with the surviving crew of the USS Callister, led by now Captain Nanette Cole (Cristin Milioti), trying to survive on their own in the world of the game. But on the outside, users are complaining of pirates in the system. That leads the real Nanette and company owner Walton (Jimmi Simpson) to try and find out what’s going on. All of it leads to a hidden piece of departed creator Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons) that opens old wounds for everyone.
I was nervous about the idea of going back into an established world. The whole point of these stories is that they’re self-contained, and USS Callister was one of the best. But this sequel manages to tell a continuation of the story that feels different and engaging. It is the longest episode of the new season, running nearly 90 minutes, and one of the best. I really enjoy Milioti in this role and I’m interested to see a potential third installment. This is unique for the series, but it’s definitely worth seeking out.
Season 7 Ranking: No. 2
The entire season 7 of Black Mirror is now streaming on Netflix.