The much-beloved Black Mirror returns to Netflix for its sixth series. From the weird and wonderful mind of Charlie Brooker, the British dystopian anthology show has produced some of the most interesting television of the last decade, be that a world where social media status rules, what would happen if you could replay all of your memories, as well as an interactive film where the viewer decides the outcome of the story.
It's been an experimental phenomenon that has exploded in popularity every time a new season drops. Starting out in 2011 on Channel 4, Netflix then acquired the distribution rights from 2016 onwards and never looked back. Now four years on, since Black Mirror made an appearance, a lot has changed. Brooker knows this, not wanting to repeat the same efforts as before with a commitment for the show to "keep reinventing itself" – and that's certainly true for many aspects of the latest season.
Like many of you out there, I immediately binged watched all five episodes of Black Mirror season six over its launch weekend, eager to see what dark, twisted tales of tech, human nature, and more were planned. The good news is that it does not disappoint. Every episode is enjoyable, still cementing Black Mirror as one of the best Netflix series to this day. Naturally, some episodes are better than others and that's why this ranking, like all of them, is subjective. So try not to take it too seriously. With that in mind, here's every episode of Black Mirror season six rankled from worst to best.
Warning: Spoilers for Black Mirror Season 6
5. Demon 79
Potentially bad timing on this one but Demon 79 felt lacklustre after recently seeing Knock at the Cabin Door in cinemas. Set in 1979, we follow sales assistant Nida who faces discrimination on a daily basis, only to then discover a talisman containing a demon that threatens the end of the world unless she kills three people over the next three days. Paying homage to classic horror with its very own unique intro in that very style, the episode quickly becomes a paint-by-numbers affair that never really tackles anything new or takes advantage of its lead actors: Anjana Vasan and Paapa Essiedu.
I'm surprised that stop motion wasn't a factor in some way considering how it begins and Brooker's known love of the genre. Maybe a test for a horror/supernatural spinoff series of its own under "Red Mirror" films, it's a shame season six ends on a low rather than a high.
4. Mazey Day
Mazey Day is an interesting one. At a runtime of 40 minutes, no time is wasted as paparazza Bo (played by Zazie Beetz) deals with the ethics of celebrity privacy. The twist is what will make or break this episode for you, as actress Mazey Day who checks into rehab after supposedly killing someone, actually turns out to be a goddamn werewolf. Being pretty impossible to predict going off the show's history, this definitely aligns with Brooker's intention to reinvent the series. It's new for Black Mirror, just not for the wider entertainment landscape.
3. Loch Henry
While Monica Dolan gives a riveting and eerie performance as the grieving Janet McCardle, a lot of Loch Henry feels bleak for the sake of it. A better example would be Shut Up and Dance from season three, which lands its final blow in fantastic fashion, making the viewer question their misplaced affection for the entire duration. Loch Henry provides a somewhat guessable twist – in Davis' parents being involved in the kidnappings – before a depressing ending that doesn't particularly justify its existence, aside from the spotlight on Netflix's obsessions with murder documentaries.
Like Joan is Awful (which we'll come onto), I appreciate the irony of Netflix agreeing to put this scrutiny of its own actions on its own platform, yet there feels like there was a level above that could have been hit to really cement its merits in the top-tier of Black Mirror. Still, the comedic charm of Daniel Portman (Podrick from Game of Thrones) as Davis' childhood friend Stuart King was more than welcome, for sure.
2. Joan is Awful
This is Black Mirror through and through. A new technology that holds up a dark reflection to society and why you should always read the T&Cs of any contract. Joan is Awful provides a thrilling 56-minute that is clever, funny, frustrating and wholly original with Schitt's Creek Annie Murphy at the centre of it all. Seeing heartless tech executive Joan's daily life dramatised for the TV app Streamberry, with Salma Hayek playing the character onscreen, provides all the twists and turns you'd expect alongside numerous familiar faces that keep things entertaining until the credits roll. Sometimes it doesn't all have to be doom and gloom.
1. Beyond the Sea
This isn't the first time Aaron Paul has been involved in Black Mirror – voicing Gamer691 in USS Callister in 2017 – and it was certainly worth the wait for his full debut as astronaut Cliff Stanfield. Alongside Kata Mara as Lana Stanfield and Josh Hartness as fellow astronaut David Ross, the threesome creates an intriguing look into grief, empathy, loneliness and jealousy.
In an alternative 1969, we pick up with both spacemen six years into a mission with their presence onboard a ship where they make routine checks. When not needed, they can utilise a replica on Earth to spend time with their family. One day this goes wrong with David's family being brutally murdered Manson-style in front of him. What then plays out over the next hour is a gripping descent into madness as Cliff allows David to use his replica to experience some normality.
This then culminates with the latter killing the family of the former, trapping both men isolated onboard the spaceship. Beyond the Sea leaves you wanting more with a second viewing only further enhancing everything that makes this Black Mirror episode work so well.
Looking for more shows to watch? Here are our top picks for the best Netflix series worth binging in 2023 as well as our recommendations for the best shows to watch on Netflix for June 2023 – including, the finale of a DC superhero series.
