Black Mirror S7 Review: Only 2 Episodes Deserve a Strong 10/10 for Me (Spoiler Free!)
The long-awaited new chapter just premiered on Netflix, and I already watched all six new episodes. So now I am ready to share what I think of the anthology's newest attempt to scare us.
Black Mirror is definitely a show that has no analogues, and each new season takes us on a technological journey that we would never have believed to be real.
Charlie Brooker's show has a decent 8.7/10 rating on IMDb and never recycles a theme twice (unless it’s a USS Callister sequel). There's simply no need: the world of technology is so far-reaching and unexplored that the sci-fi premise of every episode can't be completely different. And that was the case with season 7.
Season 7 of Black Mirror has just been released on Netflix, and it consists of 6 episodes:
- Episode 1: Common People
- Episode 2: Bête Noire
- Episode 3: Hotel Reverie
- Episode 4: Plaything
- Episode 5: Eulogy
- Episode 6: USS Callister: Into Infinity
While each of the episodes has its own unique premise and exceptional cast, there's no way every single episode will make me feel the same, right?
While there are no official ratings for each new episode yet, it's still clear that there are episodes that ended up being fan-favorite. Others, even if they managed to cause some emotions, just lack that wow effect — at least for me.
Don’t worry: no spoilers are coming, so you’re free to keep reading even if you haven’t watched the entire season yet.
My First Personal ‘Wow’ From Black Mirror Season 7: Episode 1 ‘Common People’
Common People is the first episode of the season, and that's actually perfect, because it sets the tone and creates a vibe that the good old Black Mirror no one dared to consider boring is back. And that's a common feeling that all fans of the show have had while watching it.
“Jesus Christ my jaws dropped to the floor in a way that no episode last season did. So far a very good return to form,” Redditor ArtisticWorld5354 said.
Common People opens like a sweet episode, casting two of the most charming actors, Chris O’Dowd and beloved Rashida Jones. And later we’ll realize that it was no accident, because watching these two absolutely likeable people suffer hard for the next coming hour will be so much more painful.
The episode perfectly illustrates how today's technology and media can be twisted by corporations, politicians, and other morally bankrupt entities to manipulate our worst impulses and profit from our pain.
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I won't go into plot details to save you from spoilers, but trust me, this one will keep you invested until the very end, hoping for the worst in order to save the main couple from suffering so much. Sounds like a paradox, right? Well, that’s Black Mirror at its best for you. Solid 10/10! Let’s just say that if you’re tired of everything in the world being a subscription, you’re definitely going to enjoy this one.
“A plot that feels a bit too close to home, amazing acting, THE SONG, and feeling horribly depressed and weird at the end of the episode? Oh, we are SO back,” Redditor lyingacidratz said.
The Second ‘Wow’ Bring Us Back to Roots: Episode 6 ‘USS Callister: Into Infinity’
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USS Callister: Into Infinity, as you can see from the title, is a feature-length sequel to the acclaimed Season 4 episode USS Callister. And the new installment more than lives up to the hype.
Picking up a few months after the original episode ended with the death of Robert Daly, the twisted mastermind behind the massive multiplayer game Infinity, the story finds his cloned "crew" still trapped in the digital world he created. While normal players can respawn after dying or shrug off damage, the crew of the USS Callister experiences real pain (and real death).
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In the new episode, things get even worse, as the only way for any of them to stay alive is to raid other players for credits. But since the crew aren't actual users, they don't have player IDs, making them invisible to the system, or pirates of sorts. To make matters worse, the evil executive who now runs the company decides it's time to wipe them out to protect the game's profitability.
Everything is screaming “classic Black Mirror” in this one. The references. The never-ending anticipation for yet another plot twist when you think you’ve seen everything. The characters (the villain!).
“WOW. That was literally the best movie I’ve watched in 15 years. Not joking. They created a villain as bad as Darth Vader or Freddy Krueger. Like legit scary,” Redditor DSeriesX said.
The resolution of the episode leaves an aftertaste that will take a long time to dissipate. And the casting decisions and all the new drama add several new layers to an already beloved story. 10/10 without a doubt.
Where to Watch Black Mirror Season 7?
Black Mirror season 7 is available to stream on Netflix.
