I have only recently got into Black Mirror, and I believe that it could be the best TV show ever made. I realise that is a controversial statement, as the standard of TV shows has increased tenfold over the last 15 or 20 years, especially with much loved shows like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad.
For people who haven’t watched the show, Black Mirror is a British science fiction anthology television series created by Charlie Brooker. It examines modern society, looking closely at the unanticipated consequences of new technologies.
All the episodes are standalone, so you can pick and choose whatever episode you want to watch on Netflix. The episodes are usually set in an alternative present or the near future, often with a dark and satirical tone.
Black Mirror season 2: White Bear
I have never had a show make me think about certain episodes weeks after watching like this show does. It is a cliché, but genuinely some of the episodes have blown my mind with their endings. Episodes such as White Bear in season 2 and Shut up and Dance in season 3 are some of the best pieces of television I have ever seen. Both have a similar theme of following the protagonist through a series of events hoping they prevail, before the ending changes your whole mindset. The unbelievable writing filled with moments of suspense are like nothing I have ever seen from a television show.
Scene from Black Mirror season 3 episode: Shut up and Dance
Now in fairness, not every episode is brilliant. There are a few episodes that leave you slightly disappointed when comparing it to the best parts of the show. Some episodes such as That Waldo Moment or Arkangel aren’t great, but they are still watchable. Even the worst episodes in the series are worth watching.
The crazy thing about Black Mirror is the fact that all the technology shown is probably only a few years away. Some concepts from the series are happening today. In the debut episode from season 3, Nosedive, the world has a rating system where people can rate each other out of 5 stars. Each person has an average score out of 5. This works as a class system where the people whose average is 4.5 or higher, enjoy access to the best things in life. The best houses, cars and lifestyle are all available to them while people who are 3 out of 5 or lower are seen as degenerates and low lifes that no one wants to be seen with. At first you think it is a crazy concept, but then you see that they are introducing a “plan to create a ‘social credit’ system that rates everyone’s trustworthiness based on things like financial ratings and political beliefs”.
Basically, what I am saying is that everyone should watch Black Mirror, this show has changed the landscape of television, as it tackles topics that haven’t been touched before, as many of them are possibilities in the future and haven’t actually happened yet. Some scenes and even episodes are very uncomfortable to watch, and will have you thinking about them for days or even weeks after. At the same time, I would urge you to continue to watch the uncomfortable episodes, as they are important to watch too.
Black Mirror is a ground-breaking, innovative show that we all should watch. It makes you aware of the problems with society and technology and what direction we are headed for the future if we don’t take a step back and have a look at ourselves.
Many people would argue my statement at the start of this piece saying that it is the best show ever made. That is debatable, But I think that Black Mirror is one of the most important TV shows to ever be made in terms of our future, and that is much more difficult to argue with.
John McAuliffe