Netflix is like a refrigerator full of food. No matter how many options there are, or how low you may think your standards are, sometimes it feels like there’s nothing you want. I’ve navigated this ocean of mediocrity for hours trying to find that special cinematic gem, often with little success. I’m here to save you from that struggle, for I have recently discovered the best thing on Netflix. For anyone mindlessly clicking past the “because you watched Happy Tree Friends” recommendations list in search of something good to watch, Black Mirror, a British anthology series which has been called the modern Twilight Zone, is both thoroughly entertaining and profoundly impactful.
Like The Twilight Zone, each episode is based on a shift in reality, and depicts how some new technology, social hierarchy, or event morphs and twists everyday characters. The themes almost all involve some sort of dystopian future, though each episode is completely different from the last, pulling you into a new world that is drastically different from our own, yet somehow very familiar. The plots feature mind-blowing twists, tragic endings, and will leave you questioning figuratively everything.
Each installment provides its own form of social commentary, sometimes more direct than others, though each will leave you thinking in a novel way. In one, the ability to record and replay memories catalyzes a man’s jealousy, while in another, augmented reality is used to create more lethal soldiers. For a true mind blow, I recommend Season 2 Episode 4, while a viewer with a taste for a more subtle experience might enjoy Season 1 Episode 3 or Season 3 Episode 3, both of which do an excellent job depicting a dynamic protagonist who is not quite as you might expect.
Black Mirror is by no means light viewing. If you’re looking for something funny or heartwarming or good for the whole family, this show isn’t for you, unless you have a messed up idea of funny, a messed up idea of heartwarming, or a messed up family. But if you’re ready to be thoroughly provoked, you can’t find anything better.