Did ‘Black Mirror’ reclaim its dystopian glory in Season 7?

CEBU, Philippines — After lukewarm receptions toward its previous two seasons, critics and fans felt that “Black Mirror” had returned to its roots in its latest seventh season, released April 10 on Netflix.

Straying from its more experimental and comedic tones in favor of familiar story beats from earlier seasons, Charlie Brooker’s dystopian anthology series proves that the show, which has aired since 2011, still has many stories to tell about humanity in an era where technology is tightening its chokehold on society.

Of the new six episodes, which one defines this season’s best? Which one fails to stand out as much? Here are the episodes, ranked from least to best:

6. Bête Noire

Maria (Siena Kelly) has her sanity put to the test when her high school classmate Verity (Rosy McEwen) applies for a job at her company. An outcast in school, the now-adult Verity makes a strong impression among her workmates, including their boss, but Maria believes that Verity has hidden motives.

“Bête Noire” focuses on the concepts of gaslighting and the so-called Mandela Effect, taking viewers on an unsettling journey where certain details change midway for Maria and even for the viewers – making Verity appear in a more positive light.

It’s confirmed that Netflix viewers have differing versions of the episode, with two different spellings of a chicken shop – an intentional creative choice meant to create its own Mandela Effect. But even with a clever gimmick, a stellar cast, head-turning plot twists, and a nice touch of a Beyoncé reference, the episode falls apart when it introduces the tech behind the concept.

While most tech featured in the show feels distant yet realistic, here, it is too far-fetched and theoretical to exist. It seems Brooker focused too much on the concept rather than creating cohesive tech that could ground the story.

5. Eulogy

Considered the saddest episode of the season, Oscar-nominated actor Paul Giamatti plays Phillip, an American asked by the family of his English ex-girlfriend Carol to send contributions of his memories for a technology that creates an immersive memorial service recounting her life.

Hesitant at first due to their relationship ending on bad terms, he eventually agrees by looking through old, albeit shoddy, photos of themselves. He begins to relive the memories of a lover whose face he can barely remember and realizes there was more to their breakup than he initially thought.

Giamatti brings so much gravitas to the role that you feel for him even as his unlikable traits surface, revealing why their relationship fell apart. Brooker’s strong writing also allows the tech to feel like an important plot device, making “Eulogy” a fitting, emotional penultimate episode with a message about how lifelong grudges can cloud judgment over what actually happened.

4. Common People

If you want to see why people felt “Black Mirror” had returned, look no further than this dark season opener starring Rashida Jones and Chris O'Dowd, who play a couple, Amanda and Mike, trying for a baby.

Their plans come to a halt when Amanda is diagnosed with a brain tumor that puts her into a coma. Originally irreversible, Mike gets a pitch from Gaynor (Tracee Ellis Ross), a sales representative for a startup called Rivermind, which offers to replace the damaged tissue with synthetic material powered by their servers.

With free surgery and a monthly subscription fee to keep Amanda alive, Mike agrees to the plan. They soon discover that the service’s pricing model is exploitative, and their current plan reduces Amanda’s quality of life – including adding advertising messages into her daily speech that threatens her job security as a teacher – forcing Mike to find unconventional ways to keep up with the service’s increasing tiers.

This episode is a sharp critique of the current subscription model systems in online products including streaming platforms like Netflix, as well as the healthcare system where families must pay expensive fees to keep their loved ones alive. Its hard-hitting realism makes “Common People” an emotional, dark love story that feels classic “Black Mirror.”

3. Hotel Reverie

Unsatisfied Hollywood A-lister Brandy Friday (Issa Rae) is recruited to star in an AI, real-time remake of the titular classic Hollywood film, which originally starred Dorothy Chambers (Emma Corrin), with Brandy now cast as her lead in an apparent sapphic remake.

When the story begins to diverge from the original script, events in the film become unpredictable, and Brandy finds herself unable to leave the movie until she says her final line, which would cue the end credits. Otherwise, her physical body will die if her consciousness remains stuck inside.

Amidst this, Dorothy begins to gain agency over herself, and viewers discover the tragic truths about her life and death at the height of her fame. “Hotel Reverie” is one of the season’s bittersweet episodes where comedy and drama are balanced well, supported by performances from Rae and Corrin.

While the use of AI in Hollywood is a hot topic, the episode doesn’t spend its time demonizing the tech. Instead, it tells a heartbreaking story of two actresses from different eras seeking liberation from their underwhelming lives behind the camera.

2. USS Callister: Into Infinity

“Black Mirror” breaks away from its anthology format to deliver a sequel to one of its most popular episodes, “USS Callister.”

Set a few months after the 2017 original where they escaped the tyrannical rule of Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons), life in the main “Infinity” game is far from happily-ever-after for the digital selves of Nanette (Cristin Milioti), James Walton (Jimmi Simpson), Karl (Billy Magnussen), Nate (Osy Ikhile), and Elena (Milanka Brooks), as their existence is illegal, forcing them to loot from real players after losing Shania (Michaela Coel) before the episode began.

Things aren’t much better in the real world, as Nanette and James still grapple with Robert’s death when they discover he had been using their DNA samples to recreate their digital selves in his modded version of the game, where he could control them, especially Nanette.

Because the tech behind their duplication is illegal, Nanette and James’ contrasting views on how to handle the situation put them at dangerous odds, while the digital selves must cooperate with them to survive against a horde of 30 million players.

The risk of breaking away from the anthology format pays off with grand, entertaining storytelling that doesn’t lose the dystopian aspects of the show – seeking new themes while continuing some from the original. It’s a strong continuation that leaves viewers wanting a third, and possibly final, story of the USS Callister gang.

1. Plaything

Unlike “Into Infinity,” “Plaything” is not considered a direct sequel despite being set in the “Bandersnatch” timeline and featuring the return of Colin Ritman (Will Poulter) and Mohan Thakur (Asim Chaudhry).

The main character here is former video game journalist Cameron Walker (Peter Capaldi), who is arrested for shoplifting in a near-future society and is later found to be the murderer of an unidentified corspe years before.

He recounts his life story to the good cop/bad cop duo, explaining how he (his younger self, played by Cameron Walker) believed the characters in Colin’s unfinished simulated video game were actual lifeforms that should be cared for like humans, leading him to nurture them over the years before his arrest as the digital creatures evolved under his care.

This episode is more of a slow-burn and philosophical compared to the others this season, but its exploration of equating humanity to evolving software showcases some of Brooker’s best writing.

While it ends on an ambiguous note, it provides insightful commentary that leaves viewers guessing and engaged. It’s an episode that truly feels like “Black Mirror” has returned to its finest form. — (FREEMAN)