In 2011 a show called “Black Mirror” was created by Channel 4, a British public service broadcaster. Now, the show is consistently one of Netflix’s most popular, and possibly most twisted, series on the streaming platform. With the release of season seven, which premiered April 10, new fans are sure to come in. While for dedicated fans every episode of “Black Mirror” is often an instant hit, the truth is that some of these episodes can sometimes be a bit too extreme for newcomers. So, if you’re new to the “Black Mirror” world but looking to get into it, here are some of the best episodes for new fans to watch.
“Fifteen Million Merits” (Season one, episode two)
If there’s one thing that “Black Mirror” knows how to do it’s give its audience some slightly disturbing commentary on capitalism and consumerist culture. “Fifteen Million Merits” was its first take on this commentary, and as only the second episode of the first season, it is one I consider to be its initial big hit. Set in a world where people must ride exercise bikes to earn “merits,” a fictional currency, the basis of the episode centers around Bing (Daniel Kaluuya) when he meets Abi (Jessica Brown Findlay). After hearing her sing one day, Bing offers to help her pursue a better life by buying her a ticket onto Hot Shot, a show that acts as a more twisted version of game shows like the UK’s “Pop Idol.” Though she performs well on the show, the judges push her into a career in the adult film industry, a decision Abi makes that ultimately leads Bing to have a mental breakdown of his own.
The episode in its entirety is dark, twisted and honestly a little depressing, but it also has that quintessential “Black Mirror” commentary on our society. At its core, “Fifteen Million Merits” is all about society's relentless pursuit of material wealth. It’s that pursuit that turns Abi into less of a person and more of a thing for others to enjoy. And it’s that pursuit that weighs heavily on Bing throughout the episode, even as he seeks justice for Abi. If you’re looking to get your first look into the “Black Mirror” universe, then I highly suggest watching “Fifteen Million Merits.”
“Nosedive” (Season three, episode one)
The importance of being liked is turned up to 100 in the “Black Mirror” episode titled “Nosedive.” The episode explores a world where everyone's social standing is determined by a rating system on a smartphone app and the life of Lacie (Bryce Dallas Howard), a woman obsessed with being liked, as she navigates that world. As the title suggests, we watch Lacie’s rating take a nosedive as her attempts to boost her status lead to mistake after mistake.
Though the world Lacie lives in is portrayed as this idyllic place where being nice to people equates to a nicer life, as you watch the episode you see that this world serves as more of a prison than anything else. There’s no room to exist freely in a world where everything you do is judged. “Nosedive” forces us to take a deeper look at the importance we place in being liked, and if you’re looking for a “Black Mirror” episode that can leave you still thinking even days later then this is the episode to watch.
“San Junipero” (Season three, episode four)
“Black Mirror” series creator Charlie Brooker makes the rare choice of giving fans a somewhat happy story in an otherwise bleak show with “San Junipero.” The episode follows Yorkie (Mackenzie Davis) and Kelly (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) who meet and begin to fall in love while visiting San Junipero, a virtual world where people can live forever after death. Yorkie, who’s been in a coma for years, views San Junipero as the chance to experience the youthful life she never got to have. However, struggling with a terminal illness and the idea of leaving her family, Kelly is hesitant about the idea of having a second chance at life.
While some may view “San Junipero” as bittersweet, seeing its offer to let people live forever as abandoning all the good and bad things that come with mortality, I personally see it differently. To me, the episode serves as a light break from the show’s bleak commentary. Yorkie and Kelly’s love for one another and its ability to carry them into the unknown is inspiring more than anything else. So, if you’re not ready to get into the nitty gritty of the “Black Mirror” universe, then “San Junipero” is the perfect first episode for you.
“Hang the DJ” (Season four, episode four)
Modern relationships and online dating aren’t safe from that classic, slightly dark “Black Mirror” twist when it comes to “Hang the DJ.” The episode is based in a world where a dating app called Coach matches people and then sets essentially an expiration date for their relationship. When Amy (Georgina Campbell) and Frank (Joe Cole) are matched on Coach they instantly connect, but despite this connection their relationship is set for an expiration date of only 12 hours. After their 12 hours are up, the two go their separate ways and experience new, often quick relationships leading them to feel as though these connections are disposable. The rest of the episode follows the two characters, primarily focusing on the difference between their feelings for these new people and how it compares to how they feel about each other.
My favorite part of this episode hinges mainly on the name “Hang the DJ.” No, neither of these characters are DJs. In fact, there is not a single DJ featured in the episode. The name comes from the 1987 song “Panic” by The Smiths, where the song ends with a repetition of the phrase “hang the DJ.” The Smith’s song is about the frustration one has living in a system that does not work for them or reflect who they are in an emotional state, and it’s that frustration that the characters of “Hang the DJ” feel. Overall, the episode is a beautiful story of rebellion against the system you feel trapped in and it’s for that reason why “Hang the DJ” is a brilliant episode for first time fans to experience.
