While it's yet to be confirmed if there are any more Black Mirror episodes in the works, Charlie Brooker's innovative series has enough twists and turns that the existing episodes can be enjoyed more than once.
Naturally, many fans have rated the available episodes on Letterboxd and given their opinions. Every Black Mirror episode serves as a critical interpretation of society and how technology begins to consume people. Even though the show is futuristic, the technology and events that occur are believable and similar to current times. Of course, there are some episodes that resonated with viewers more, and fans on Letterboxd were quick to share their thoughts.
Updated on September 21st, 2022 by Colin McCormick: News of a new season of Black Mirror coming to Netflix has thrilled fans of the intense anthology series. With a new cast including Aaron Paul, Zazie Beetz and Annie Murphy adds even more excitement as fans try to anticipate what kind of twisted tales of technology this new season will reveal. In the meantime, those fans can revisit some of the best Black Mirror episodes as voted on by the users of Letterboxd.
"Smithereens" - 3.2/5
"Smithereens" is a rare Black Mirror episode that feels like it could take place in modern times and also features a relatively small story. Andrew Scott plays a man who kidnaps an employee of a large tech company in order to get in touch with the company's owners.
The message of the episode about the addictive nature of phones is not particularly original or thought-provoking, but the episode is still a gripping thriller with a terrific central performance from Scott.
"National Anthem" - 3.4/5
The very first Black Mirror episode certainly didn't easy audiences into its intense storytelling. The episode deals with the kidnapping of a member of the royal family and in order for her to be returned safely, her kidnapper demands the Prime Minister perform a shocking act live on television.
It is a wild and bizarre way to kick off the show while also feeling quite different from a lot of the other episodes. But it is an edge-of-the-seat ride in which the audience is constantly guessing where things will go.
"Hated In The Nation" - 3.5/5
"Hated in the Nation" feels like one of the episodes with the biggest scope, turning the story into an intense crime saga. Kelly MacDonald and Benedict Wong star as investigators looking into the deaths of several controversial celebrities and how social media might be linked to it.
Like all the best Black Mirror episodes, the message of this story feels timely for modern society. But most of all, it is just a gripping crime story that leads to a truly shocking conclusion.
"Playtest" - 3.5/5
Though Black Mirror is often a deeply unsettling and sometimes scary show, "Playtest" leans into that more than most other shows. Wyatt Russell plays a young man traveling abroad who takes a job testing out a new virtual reality game with a horror spin to it. But once inside the game, the boundaries of reality begin to blur.
Russell gives a terrific performance that goes from a laidback likable character to a tortured victim in a nightmare scenario. It is also another great project from Dan Trachtenberg who directed the recent acclaimed Prey.
"Be Right Back" - 3.6/5
While Black Mirror deals with some big concepts, it is often at its best when it tells very human stories within these futuristic ideas. "Be Right Back" is a heartbreaking story of grief and how fans someone would go to have a loved one back.
Hayley Atwell stars as a woman whose husband (Domhnall Gleeson) dies and she discovers ways artificial intelligence can make it seem like she is still connected to him. While initially finding solace, the more she pushes it forward, the more eerie it gets.
"Fifteen Million Merits" - 3.7/5
"Fifteen Million Merits" follows a character named Bing in a futuristic world in which everyone rides a bike to earn credits in order to live a better life. Bing is obsessed with a singing competition on TV, in which the winners become rich. He then makes it his goal to help his crush enter the competition.
"Fifteen Million Merits" has an average rating of 3.7 out of 5 on Letterboxd with many of the most popular reviews praising Daniel Kaluuya's performance. Some fans have claimed that this is one of the most underrated Black Mirror episodes, as it's not as often talked about as others.
"The Entire History Of You" - 3.7/5
"The Entire History You" follows a couple in a world in which nearly everyone has a memory implant that allows them to record memories. After Liam Foxwell suspects his wife might be cheating, he goes insane re-watching memories in order to find evidence.
Many of the reviews comment on how cool the technology is in this episode, and how it accurately shows how people would treat this sort of memory device. Considering this was the first season's finale episode, it surely had a large emotional impact with one of the worst endings for a Black Mirror character.
"USS Callister" - 3.7/5
"USS Callister" follows Captain Robert Dally and his crew on a spaceship. After a new woman joins the crew, they discover the dark truth behind their reasoning for being there.
The episode pays homage to Star Trek in some fun ways, but while James T. Kirk could be a bad captain at times, Captain Dally is much worse. Many of the reviews commented on the comparisons to Star Trek, and how this episode could have been its own movie due to its intriguing story.
"White Bear" - 3.7/5
"White Bear" follows Victoria, who suddenly wakes up with no idea where she is or what's going on. She also finds herself struggling to remember her past, while nearly everyone around her records her on their phones. She then meets a group that tells her they need to destroy a transmitter that has control over society.
"White Bear" seemed to cause a lot of discussion amongst Letterboxd fans. Many reviewers believe that the turn of events that occurred to Victoria was well deserved, while others believe the point of the episode was to show that revenge does not equal justice. "White Bear" is an excellent example of why viewers love Black Mirror, because of its conflicting themes that make fans question their values.
"Nosedive" - 3.8/5
In a futuristic world where ratings have taken over, people can rate others that they meet and it influences the way others view them, their chances of purchasing a certain home or even being invited to events. When Lacie is invited to a wedding that could drastically boost her rating, things go terribly wrong.
Lacie is one of the unluckiest Black Mirror characters, which makes this episode especially memorable. Many fans on Letterboxd commented on how ironic it was to rate the episode, given that the whole episode is about ratings. This episode's similarities to likes and ratings deeming a person's worth make it completely relatable to current society, which is likely why it's popular amongst viewers.
"Black Museum" - 3.8/5
"Black Museum" follows a young woman who randomly decides to check out a mysterious museum during her road trip. At the museum, its owner tells her unique stories about some of the items there.
Many of the reviews on Letterboxd have compared this episode to "White Christmas," due to both episodes having mini-stories within them. Fans also mentioned how this episode would have been a great finale to the series since it has many references to past episodes and serves as a love letter to the show.
"Hang The DJ" - 3.9/5
"Hang the DJ" follows Sam and Amy, two individuals part of a dating program that pairs people up but puts an expiration date on the relationship. Sam and Amy begin to question the system once they develop feelings for each other.
Many fans on Letterboxd praised the relationship in this episode and commented on the extreme lengths that the two went through to be together. While not many Black Mirror episodes have romance, it seems that the couple in "Hang the DJ" certainly won the viewers over, making this a fan-favorite episode.
"Shut Up And Dance" - 4/5
Two individuals find themselves having to work together after they've both been blackmailed to commit crimes by an anonymous group. The two end up doing whatever they're asked in order to keep their dark secrets from being revealed.
"Shut Up and Dance" is a Black Mirror episode that really played with the emotions of the viewer. There's no doubt that this episode gained popularity for having a memorable twist at the end. This was certainly one of those episodes that withheld information until the very end in order to leave the viewer shocked, a tactic that seemed to work out well in its favor due to the many rave reviews.
"White Christmas" - 4.1/5
During a Christmas meal in a secluded and snowy outpost, two friends share creepy stories about their lives, which lead to the events of them ending up at the outpost.
"White Christmas" is no doubt one of the best holiday-themed horror anthology TV episodes and is one many fans remember from Black Mirror. Many of the Letterboxd reviews mentioned how terrible the events were in this episode, some joking that things became even more messed up as the episode went on.
"San Junipero" - 4.1/5
"San Junipero" takes place in an '80s setting, with a more reserved young woman going out to different clubs each night. There, she meets another woman who intrigues her, but despite their connection, she becomes distant and seems to be hiding something.
While the technology in this Black Mirror episode doesn't make sense, that doesn't stop it from being one of the most popular episodes. This episode is probably one of the most memorable Black Mirror episodes because of the '80s music and aesthetic. "San Junipero" is also popular for its romantic storyline between two women and shocking twist, which is likely what earned the episode its favorable reviews.