Black Mirror Season 3 Review

Black Mirror is one of my favorite shows of all-time. So when Netflix announced they were making a season 3 (the previous 2 seasons were on BBC), I was very excited but a bit nervous that Netflix’s episodes wouldn’t be as good as those on BBC. Netflix proved me wrong.

Black Mirror is like a modern day Twilight Zone, with each episode being it’s own self-contained story. Most of the episodes take a look at the morality of modern and advancing technology. Each episode is thought provoking, fascinating, totally unpredictable and usually a bit scary. It is one of the smartest shows on television and this season, did not disappoint.

Season 3 of Black Mirror is just as good as before. All of the episodes are extremely interesting but certain ones stand out and will certainly go down as some of the best in the series. My favorite episode of the season was San Junipero. This episode is the only truly heart-warming one in the whole series. I am not usually a fan of happy endings but this episode earned it. Using the concept of time-travel it slowly wove a love story that blew my mind and had me rooting for the characters the entire time. Another great episode from this season was the finale, Hated in the Nation. This episode starts as a simple murder mystery, but slowly gets more complex and like any good Black Mirror, involves self-reflection and scary technology. Another great episode, Playtest, is one of the scariest in the series and involves virtual reality. It is directed by 10 Cloverfield Lane’s Dan Trachtenberg. Nosedive, the first episode in season 3, takes place in a future controlled by how people are evaluated on social media is extremely interesting and had a lot to say about today’s society. Nosedive stars Jurassic World’s Bryce Dallas Howard and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this year.

The two episodes this season that weren’t as strong were still entertaining enough. Shut Up and Dance will keep you on the edge of your seat as it’s about a teenager who is secretly recorded from his laptop and blackmailed to run errands for a mysterious group. The episode Men Against Fire focuses on the advancement of technology in the military and the morality of war. While these episodes aren’t as strong in comparison to the high bar set by Black Mirror, they still make for very entertaining television.

Season 3 of Black Mirror, like the other seasons before it, continues to keep audiences on their toes with their mind-blowing concepts and thought provoking, self reflective storylines. The show is truly a masterpiece. Here’s hoping they continue to make it for years to come. A

Black Mirror is created and written by Charlie Brooker

Here is my ranking of every Black Mirror episode: (best to worst):

1. White Christmas (2.04) A+

2. San Junipero (3.04) A+

3. Be Right Back (2.01) A

4. Hated in the Nation (3.06) A

5. The Entire History of You (1.03) A-

6. White Bear (2.02) B+

7. Playtest (3.02) B+

8. Nosedive (3.01) B

9. Shut Up and Dance (3.03) B

10. The National Anthem (1.01) B

11. Men Against Fire (3.05) B-

12. Fifteen Million Merits (1.02) C

13. The Waldo Moment (2.03) D