The 10 Best Black Mirror Episodes Ever

Few anthologies have captured audiences’ attention quite like Black Mirror. Each episode of creator Charlie Brooker’s series is completely different, varying in genre, tone, cast, and story. The only thing that really links (almost) every episode is a fascination with the way technology shapes our world, typically interrogating how a particular innovation can make our lives better—or, as is so often the case in Black Mirror, so much worse. Some are terrifying, many unsettling, but most are at the very least provocative. Formats and genres from police procedurals to political satire to epic romances have been featured in Black Mirror; you truly never know what you’re going to get when you tune in to a new episode. The nature of anthologies means there are bound to be hits and misses, but even the lesser episodes of the show can be oddly entrancing.

As Black Mirror returns for its seventh season, 14 years after its first season premiered and now at 32 episodes and counting (not to mention one interactive film), we’re making the case for the 10 best episodes of the series, presented in chronological order.

Read more: Black Mirror Season 7 Episodes, Ranked From Worst to Best

“The Entire History of You” (S1, E3)

One of the most compelling concepts in the history of the show: What would you do if you could remember and replay everything that’s ever happened to you? Innovations in tech lead to a memory implant, which records everything the user sees and can be played back exactly as it was seen. Written by Succession creator Jesse Armstrong, “The Entire History of You” finds Liam (Toby Kebbell) unable to get over a suspicion that his wife Ffion (Jodie Whitaker) is being unfaithful. Black Mirror is often harrowing as it preys on our fears over the unpredictability of the world around us, but this one is especially crushing.

“White Bear” (S2, E1)

Victoria (Lenora Crichlow) wakes up with no memory of who or where she is. Her world is hostile: everyone wears masks, and people seem to delight in filming her as she begs for answers and doesn’t get any. Those who aren’t busy filming her are trying to attack her. She’s told there’s a radio wavelength making people crazy, and destroying its source is the only way to ensure her safety. The episode is a pulse-pounding thriller that immerses viewers in an unforgiving world before dropping a legitimately shocking and deeply disturbing twist that turns everything on its head. “White Bear” questions our capacity to witness human suffering and how far we’re willing to go in the name of entertainment. Disturbing and visceral, it will make you unforgettably sick to your stomach.

Read more: What Even Is Black Mirror Anymore?

“White Christmas” (S2, E4)

The first feature-length episode of Black Mirror finds Matt (Jon Hamm, the first major star to be in the show) spending time with Joe (Rafe Spall) in a remote cabin on Christmas. The pair share stories, and Matt discusses his work history, prompting Joe to open up about his past. As he does, “White Christmas” explores some of the most viscerally upsetting uses of technology imaginable; one of the most memorable is a real-life “block” function, where you can effectively erase someone from your life on a whim. If that wasn’t enough, there’s a major twist that will break your heart. Merry Christmas, indeed.

“Nosedive” (S3 E1)

The Season 3 premiere of Black Mirror felt alarmingly plausible, in part because its concept is already embedded in gig economy companies like PostMates and Uber. In this universe, everyone gets a rating from one to five stars based on every social interaction, and that number determines your social standing. Lacie (a sensational Bryce Dallas Howard) is utterly obsessed with improving her rating: it means a better job, a better home, and hopefully, a better life. And when her childhood friend wants her to be maid of honor at her wedding, she has the chance to get the rating she’s always wanted. "Nosedive" is a whipsmart social critique and wickedly funny.

“San Junipero” (S3 E4)

Audience opinions on most Black Mirror episodes are often drastically divided. The one episode with near-universal adoration is “San Junipero,” and it's easy to see why. It’s a gorgeous, space-and-time-defying love story with dynamite performances from Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis. Remarkably uplifting, “San Junipero” is a visually gorgeous reflection on love, aging, and loneliness with a message that is atypically encouraging about technology’s future. You may never be able to hear Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth” without crying ever again, but it’s worth it.

“Hated in the Nation” (S3 E6)

When far-right writer Jo Powers (Elizabeth Berrington) is found dead after receiving a barrage of online hatred, detective Karin Parke (Kelly Macdonald) investigates the case. The investigation proves vastly more complicated than expected, upon the discovery of an ADI, a robotic drone to help the near-extinct bee population, installed in Powers’ brain. “Hated in the Nation” has proven to be one of the more divisive episodes, perhaps ironically due to its focus on anonymous hatred online. At 89 minutes, it’s the longest episode in the series, but it's wonderfully cinematic and an expertly executed white-knuckle procedural thriller. 

“USS Callister” (S4 E1)

The inventor of the massively popular game Infinity, Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons) is ignored and neglected by his colleagues. But at home, his life is very different: He’s illegally cloned his co-workers inside the game, wherein he can exert complete control over them, treating them however he pleases. “USS Callister” is a visually adventurous epic that feels like a bold step forward for the series. Plemons and Cristin Milioti (who plays Nanette, a new addition to the company) are a joy to watch as their circumstances place them increasingly at odds. The episode is both a glorious throwback to classic science fiction (especially Star Trek) and a thrilling look forward into the questions the digital world raises around personhood and agency. It also bears the distinction of being the first episode to get a sequel, debuting with Season 7.

“Metalhead” (S4 E5)

Another highly divisive episode, “Metalhead” stands out by being the only episode shot entirely in stunning black and white. While most Black Mirror stories relish in world-building, “Metalhead” throws you into a bleak, unsparing world with no context whatsoever. Three people, including Bella (Maxine Peake), enter a factory to get something, but they’re stopped by a “dog,” a small, vicious killing machine. The shortest episode in the series, “Metalhead” trims the fat, reveling in a brutal fight for survival in unforgiving circumstances. It’s the ultimate battle of man vs. machine, stripped of details and pumped full of nerve-shredding intensity.   

“Joan is Awful” (S6 E1)

A true nightmare scenario: Joan (Annie Murphy) arrives home to find her life has become a show on popular streaming service Streamberry (which bears an uncanny resemblance to Netflix). She unwittingly signed her rights away in the streaming platform’s terms and conditions, so her only hope is to get the actress playing her (Salma Hayek as herself) on her side. But Salma isn’t actually in the show—it’s her digital likeness. “Joan is Awful” ideally balances an amusing, thoughtful concept with a disturbing prescience that makes for an all-time great Black Mirror episode. It’s a pitch-perfect satire that grapples with our deeply uneasy relationship with AI and art, which has only intensified since the episode premiered.

“Demon 79” (S6 E5)

The biggest outlier in all of Black Mirror, Season 6’s “Demon 79” isn’t about our relationship with technology. Presented as a “Red Mirror” film, it’s an exciting and wildly entertaining dive into supernatural horror. In 1979, Nida (Anjana Vasan) works in the shoe section of a department store. She’s meek and unassuming, but harbors violent fantasies toward her racist colleague. Her life turns upside down when she inadvertently unleashes a demon named Gaap (Paapa Essiedu), who gives her a proposition that will change her life forever. A great genre exercise with brilliant performances from Vasan and Essiedu, “Demon 79” keeps the trademark wit and darkness of Black Mirror while offering up something totally different.