Here’s where to start with Black Mirror before Season 6 arrives.
Season 4, Episode 5
“Metalhead” is far from Black Mirror’s usual sharp satire, and that’s what makes it worth watching. Its simple story of a woman on the run from a killer robotic dog is like a genuinely terrifying horror movie, shot in stark black and white.
Season 2, Episode 4
“White Christmas” gets points for being the darkest Christmas special ever, but it’s a great episode even without the gimmick. It weaves multiple stories from unreliable narrators into one of the grimmest, twistiest Black Mirror episodes.
Season 1, Episode 2
Black Mirror often deals with the toxic allure of fame, and its first attempt was one of the best. “15 Million Merits” is its first stab at the destructive power of reality TV to turn even dissent into a marketable commodity.
Season 3, Episode 6
“Hated in the Nation” channels the fear of public shame via social media pile-ons into something far more frightening. It also gets points for its great police procedural plot and one of the scariest bits of technology in all of Black Mirror.
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6. Hang the DJ
“Hang the DJ” delves more into dissatisfaction than outright horror. Telling the story of a draconian dating app with too much control over its users, it’s one of the lightest, easiest-to-watch Black Mirror episodes despite its underwhelming twist.
Season 4, Episode 1
Despite how it looks, “USS Callister” isn’t really about Star Trek. Instead, it’s a dark exploration of entitlement and toxic masculinity, making its themes tragically relevant.
Season 1, Episode 3
In “The Entire History of You” technology allows any memory to be stored and replayed. The device and its disastrous consequences are all too believable, making this episode even more chilling.
Season 3, Episode 1
The satire of “Nosedive” may be a little too obvious, but it’s still a great send-up of the compulsive perfectionism social media fame can drive people to. A great performance from Bryce Dallas Howard makes it even better.
Season 2, Episode 1
“Be Right Back” trades some of Black Mirror’s usual shock value for sheer heartbreak. It deals with a relatable experience of grief but is filtered through the show’s trademark dystopian technology.
Season 3, Episode 4
“Emotional” in the context of Black Mirror usually means “heartbreaking.” That changes in “San Junipero,” which tells a sweet but still somewhat troubling, love story elevated by two great lead performances from Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis.