The Black Mirror writers recently revealed that the show would be returning to Netflix for its sixth season, almost three years after the last set of episodes was released - and the announcement has already got fans excited to see what kind of inventive stories the anthology series would conjure up next.
Ranker has put together a list of the 10 best episodes of Black Mirror so far, as voted for by the show's fans on the internet. And whilst every single episode of the show is different, there are definitely some that stand out among the crowd a little stronger than the rest.
15 Million Merits
Although it's only the second episode of the entire show, "15 Million Merits" is still considered one of Black Mirror's biggest accomplishments to date. The story imagines a world where the human race is confined to an existence of repeatedly consuming reality TV and game shows - before one man makes a dangerous stand against the status quo.
The episode features an incredible performance from Daniel Kaluuya, who provides a mind-blowing monologue that really sets the tone for the entirety of the show going forward. It's an extremely dark story, but it's one that feels depressingly relevant and topical.
San Junipero
"San Junipero" is one of Black Mirror's happier and more optimistic storylines, despite the dark and solemn themes that it deals with. It represents the heights of the show's brilliant writing, featuring a memorable plot twist that really makes this episode stand out.
"San Junipero" is definitely one of the fan-favorite episodes of Black Mirror, mostly because of how unique and refreshing it is, compared to a lot of the show's darker storylines. There's also a lot of great editing and cinematography on display here, justifying the episode's many critical accomplishments.
Black Museum
The season 4 finale of Black Mirror is a fantastic experience for long-term fans of the show, as it features plenty of references and callbacks to previous episodes - seemingly confirming that these stories do all take place in the same universe.
"Black Museum" also features a fantastic Letitia Wright, who provides one of the most exceptional performances in the entire show. She commands every second of attention whilst she's on the screen, and her character is an extremely interesting one whose character arc raises a lot of interesting questions.
The Entire History of You
Black Mirror has quickly become synonymous with its focus on futuristic technology, but it isn't really until "The Entire History of You" that the show even features any real new technology. That being said, the memory technology in this episode is absolutely genius and allows for a thrilling story that's impossible to look away from.
A lot of people cite "The Entire History of You" as one of their favorite episodes, and it's really easy to see why - it's one of the first stories to deal with the conflict between humanity and technology, which would go on to become one of the show's defining themes.
Nosedive
Out of all of Black Mirror's dystopian storylines, "Nosedive" might just be the one that feels the most relevant and important. It imagines a reality where our entire society is defined by people's social media "ratings", telling the story of one woman who will do almost anything to maintain a positive score.
"Nosedive" can almost be viewed as a kind of comedy of errors, featuring one of Black Mirror's unluckiest characters to date as her life just gets worse and worse. It's one of those episodes that's easy to laugh at until you realize just how accurate it is to real life.
Hang The DJ
If there's one Black Mirror episode that doesn't really fit in with the rest, it's "Hang the DJ". Not only is it much more upbeat and lighthearted than the rest of the show, but it also has a very distinct style that makes it feel pretty different and unique.
The story focuses on the technology behind dating apps, imagining a world where a futuristic algorithm can instantly tell you the percentage chance of somebody being a successful partner. It features a surprising twist at the end but maintains its distinctive tone throughout.
USS Callister
Lots of Black Mirror fans agree that "USS Callister" is one of the show's most unique and unusual episodes, but that also makes it pretty divisive. Whilst some love the episode's unconventional narrative, others find it just a little too uncomfortably real to truly work.
Whichever side of the fence you fall on, it's hard to deny that the ambition of "USS Callister" makes it one of Black Mirror's most interesting and intriguing episodes. It features one of Jesse Plemons' best performances to date, alongside an equally talented and impressive Cristin Milioti.
White Bear
The second episode of Black Mirror's second season really set the tone for the show's future, providing one of the darkest and bleakest storylines that the show has ever produced. The audience is left pretty much in the dark for the entire episode until an explosive final act sheds light on the sickening truth.
If you're trying to get into Black Mirror for the first time - "White Bear" probably isn't the place to start. It's got a confusing narrative, extremely dark themes, and an even more depressing ending. But for those who are already familiar with the show's distinctly somber tone, 'White Bear' is an incredible story that knows exactly how to make the most out of its premise.
White Christmas
For many Black Mirror fans, "White Christmas" represents everything that makes the show so enjoyable. Weird technology, thrilling twists, interesting characters, and compelling performances all allow this story to thrive - and worm its way deep under the audience's skin.
It's surprising that Black Mirror never did another Christmas special episode since many people view "White Christmas" as one of the best holiday-themed anthology TV episodes of all time. It's incredibly original and unpredictable - there's never really been anything like it before, and no other show could pull off its bold story even half as effectively.
Shut Up And Dance
When it comes to cliffhanger endings, Black Mirror has plenty of memorable ones. But if there's one episode ending that stands out more unforgettably than the rest, it's that of "Shut Up and Dance". The final few minutes of this thrilling story completely reframe the narrative in a shocking way, forcing the audience to question everything they thought they knew about these characters.
"Shut Up and Dance" is a perfect example of why Black Mirror's writing is so universally praised. When you're dealing with different characters and storylines in each episode, it's easy to lose the audience's attention and intrigue. But Black Mirror never does this, offering strong character development and narrative progression at every turn.