Anthology series are a good choice for viewers who don’t have the time to devote themselves to watching a continuous storyline from start to finish. Usually, when it comes to anthology TV shows, one episode equals one story, with different characters and settings as well. Black Mirror is a good example of that. Even though most of the episodes fall into the science-fiction genre, each of them works with a brand-new tale.
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The only thing they have in common is their grave atmosphere. Black Mirrorstories don’t usually end well, which is one of the reasons why the series is so popular among the audience and contains more than one memorable episode.
5 The Entire History Of You
The human memory is selective, and it might be for the best, as this episode suggests. The main hero, Liam, begins suspecting his wife of cheating on him with another man, and he uses the technology allowing people to replay their memories to try and prove that he’s right.
The Entire History of You is one of the less science-heavy episodes, hinting at the fact that sometime in the future, a similar technology might very well exist in the real world. That makes the episode’s atmosphere and ending even more chilling. It also shows that when human jealousy and technology combine, the result isn’t positive. The actors don’t disappoint, even though their characters aren’t always sympathetic.
4 San Junipero
In multiple ways, the episode San Junipero stands out as it has a retro atmosphere to it, having taken place in 1987. The episode tells the story of two girls befriending each other… or so it would seem. As is customary for the series, there’s more to the story than meets the eye, and it keeps the audience invested in what happens next.
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San Junipero is one of the episodes that the viewers enjoy the more, the less they know about the plot and where it’s heading. The actresses are believable in their roles, as well as the bond that develops between them. San Junipero is one of the proofs that Black Mirror offers many different types of sci-fi tales, and the show’s variability plays a large part in its popularity.
3 Black Museum
Museums tend to be peaceful places where people can learn new things. Yet Nish has no idea what awaits her when she decides to visit a museum of artifacts to pass some time when her car breaks down. Dark tales connect to the individual artifacts and Nish is about to learn more of them. Laetitia Wright of Black Panther fame shows another side of her acting abilities in the episode. Just like other episodes in the series, Black Museum contains three different stories, making it an anthology inside an anthology.
The episode manages to combine several different genres, including horror, comedy, drama, romance, and more. Besides Wright, Douglas Hodge draws attention to himself playing one of the most memorable villains of the series. The episode keeps a fast pace despite a runtime over an hour and some viewers pointed out that they would have liked to see even more stories about other artifacts from the museum.
2 Hang The DJ
Even though Black Mirror belongs to the science-fiction genre, it often addresses topics well familiar to the current audience. Such as the reality of love and romantic partnership and what happens when modern technologies change it. In the case of this episode, a dating program determines in advance when a relationship will end. Frank and Amy who get together will have to decide what they’re going to do with the knowledge they received.
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Unlike other episodes in the series, Hang the DJ plays on a more optimistic note while still having the power to make the audience think about the story. It reflects the downsides of dating apps and the effect they have on people’s lives. The episode doesn’t lack romance as well as a sense of humor. Georgina Campbell and Joe Cole are sympathetic in the roles of Amy and Frank. As such, it’s easy for the audience to become invested in their relationship and wish them luck. Out of all the Black Mirror episodes, Hang the DJ is the closest to a romantic comedy, albeit a thought-provoking one with a science-fiction spin on top.
1 White Christmas
Christmas specials are a customary practice in the world of television series. Usually, they take place during Christmas and have a positive atmosphere. But Black Mirror being the techno-thriller it is, the show only fulfills the first requirement and ignores the second. The episode centers on two men trapped on a remote outpost who tell three stories about technology going crazy. Since its first release, Black Mirror has starred multiple known faces, and this episode is no exception. Actors such as Jon Hamm, Oona Chaplin, and Natalia Tena will be well familiar to the audience.
Some of the viewers who watched the episode described it as clever, surprising, and emotionally devastating. What makes the episode even more captivating is that its punch line isn’t immediately obvious, and when it finally comes, it leaves a strong impression. White Christmas is worth watching any time of the year, not just during Christmas, as to this day, it remains the most popular episode of the series.
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