With Black Mirror announcing news of an upcoming fifth season, now is the perfect time to list some of the best episodes this sci-fi series has to offer.
Hated in the Nation
In this critically acclaimed episode, Detective Chief Inspector Karin Parke is under questioning for her involvement in a matter of national security and the apparent suicide of a journalist. In flashbacks the audience watches she and her partner Blue Coulson, investigate more deaths, all of which have mysterious links to this new technology. A great introductory episode for anyone new to the series. It follows the continuing concept to be wary of technology and social media, no matter how shiny or useful it may first appear.
White Christmas
In the only Christmas related special, two men at a remote snowy outpost, share stories explaining how they ended where they are. Three seemingly unconnected tales of technology gone wrong, a weird sense that you don’t quite know how you got where you are, something clearly isn’t adding up. Loved by fans, this slightly twisted episode is considered as one of the strongest episodes of the series. One thing is for certain though, you won’t be wishing it was Christmas every day after this watching it.
Shut Up and Dance
Unlike other black mirror episodes, this installment doesn’t rely on theoretical future technology to tell a chilling tale, we already have web cameras. After a teenager is recorded pleasuring himself through a web camera, a hacker sends him messages instructing him to perform certain tasks or the video will be released online. However, he is not the only person getting blackmailed. As the situation escalates there seems to be no way out. The moral of the story is never trust a troll and also cover up your webcam, god only knows who could be watching you!
The Entire History of You
This episode out of season one is proof that sometimes it’s best not to dwell on things. In this alternative reality, people have grains inserted into their body in order to record everything they see and hear. Later these recorded memories can be replayed and studied. But after a dinner party Liam begins suspecting his wife of hiding an affair from him, refusing to leave the issue alone he soon discovers more than he would have liked. This disturbing parable about the role social media can have on our relationship was well received and might make you think twice about your saved memories.
Be Right Back
Perhaps one of the most devastating episodes in the entire series, “Be Right Back” asks the audience just how far they would go to see a deceased loved one again. After the sudden death of her boyfriend, a young woman is left shattered Her friend persuades her to try a new app whereby the deceased social media information is compiled to create a personality you can talk to. Not enough, the heartbroken woman takes further steps to get her boyfriend back. Once she discovers that replicas are not the same as the real thing, she finds herself haunted by the past.
