What are the Black Mirror season 6 episodes ranked? Charlie Brooker’s done it again, giving us another selection of stories that expose our nihilistic behaviors and unhealthy relationship to technology.
Black Mirror season 6 presents some classic scenarios, as well as some curve-balls that prove why it’s still one of the best Netflix series available. Stars like Kate Mara, Aaron Paul, Salma Hayek Pinault, and more are on board for this round of the sci-fi series, putting themselves through some really horrifying subject matter.
There are one or two candidates for the best Black Mirror episodes, and a couple that missed the mark. To tell you which is which, we’ve composed a full Black Mirror season 6 episodes ranking for you. Plenty to think about before the Black Mirror season 7 release date!
The Black Mirror season 6 episodes ranked:
- ‘Mazey Day’
- ‘Joan is Awful’
- ‘Loch Henry’
- ‘Demon 79’
- ‘Beyond the Sea’
5. ‘Mazey Day’
Paparazzi and the vapid world of gossip reporting are prime subjects for takedown on Black Mirror. ‘Mazey Day’ presents an inhumane, immoral scenario, but just doesn’t go deep enough. The thrust, involving a photographer (Zazie Beetz) chasing a lucrative commission only to find the subject needs help, not more press, succumbs to silly schlock that undermines the purpose.
Blood and guts are frequently hallmarks of good entertainment, but in this instance the final sequences seem like a crutch. A worthwhile concept that doesn’t have that nihilistic oomph, that feeling of complicity and hopelessness that makes Black Mirror so riveting. You can read more in our Black Mirror season 6, episode 3 ending explained.
4. ‘Joan is Awful’
Netflix becomes the target of Black Mirror’s ire, as a woman finds out her data’s being chewed up by the almighty algorithm to create an AI-generated dramatization of her life. The resulting Joan is Awful swiftly becomes the new hotness, pushing Joan to extreme measures to defeat Streamberry’s invasive methods.
On paper: great, funny, and relevant. Annie Murphy and Salma Hayek Pinault are perfectly cast, and the comedic tone works for the subject matter. But ‘Joan Is Awful’ fails to explore its own ramifications meaningfully, and a head-scratching metatextual twist inspires bemusement more than anything. You can read more in our Black Mirror season 6, episode 1 ending explained.
3. ‘Loch Henry’
Figuring out a mystery before time doesn’t always rob it of its power, however in the case of ‘Loch Henry’, the structure deflates when you notice the upcoming bend. A young couple, Davis and Pia, look into the tragedy of Davis’s hometown, eventually learning a long-dormant secret.
Our collective true crime obsession takes some heat, but the fire isn’t hot enough. An enthusiastic, content-obsessed producer seems like the way into a more boiling take on the collective industry. Like many Black Mirror installments, the last shot casts a shadow all the same.
2. ‘Demon 79’
Now we’re talking. Black Mirror becomes Red Mirror for a fantasy-tinged morality tale that’s reminiscent of The Outer Limits. Nida, a woman working in a clothing store, suffers constant derogatory attitudes from colleagues and customers.
She finally gets a chance to vent these frustrations by awakening a demon who reveals she has to make three human sacrifices in three days or the end is nigh. Gradually, Nida finds her targets, struggling all the while with committing violence and visions of the future supplied by her new companion.
Brooker incorporates a genuine love for classics of the best horror movies, pushing the long-running show into new creative areas. Some fine editing and dialogue keep us centered on the moments and the characters. There are nods to previous episodes, and when it all comes to a head, there’s some real comfort. A different speed, and a welcome one. You can read more in our Black Mirror season 6, episode 5 ending explained.
1. ‘Beyond the Sea’
In space, nobody can hear you scream. Aaron Paul’s character, Cliff, discovers this the hard way when his co-pilot on a years long space mission, Josh Hartnett’s David, commits an atrocity on his family.
The pair can visit home using ‘replicas’, in an alternative version of 1969. David’s family gets murdered by an anti-tech cult, so Cliff shares his replica to help him grieve. Tension mounts and mounts in what becomes a slow-crawl romance broiling with paranoia and chauvinism. Paul’s multi-faceted performance, portraying two characters within two separate realities, serves as a reminder of his excellence.
Hartnett’s not far behind, complemented by Kate Mara’s vulnerability. They take a simple yet clever script from Brooker and stab right at some of our biggest fears. Black Mirror loves a good existential prison, and the cage presented in ‘Beyond the Sea’ will haunt your quiet moments for years. You can read more in our Black Mirror season 6, episode 3 ending explained.
Those are the Black Mirror season 6 episodes ranked. Check out our new on Netflix guide to see what else has arrived to the platform, and our lists of the best Netflix movies and best Netflix anime will give you more prime choices for your viewing pleasure.