Spoilers alert again, there are episodes of different genres to produce a varied set of stories for the final season of the dystopian anthology series named the Black Mirror.
All the episodes are more or less self-contained stories though with references to the overarching Black Mirror world.
Season seven is not bad with some excellent episodes while others are weaker in comparison.
1. USS Callister: Into Infinity
The follow-up to the much-loved 2017 episode USS Callister is worth waiting for, with a 90-minute feature-length runtime, get ready to embark on an epic journey full of twists and turns fit for a blockbuster.
USS Callister: Into Infinity packs all the drama and comedy equal to its original and an appropriate Black Mirror spin for fans.
More fine performances once again from the cast, and lots of popular culture references ranging from Castaway and Severance to Westworld and Inside Out, to boot, it’s fair to say that this is the best episode of season seven.
2. Hotel Reverie
Hotel Reverie is the spiritual heir to Black Mirror’s Emmy-winning episode San Junipero with a beautiful sapphic love affair.
This is a love letter to black-and-white films and the Golden Age of Hollywood such as Brief Encounter and Casablanca.
Where a dystopian series with some seriously sinister endings, Black Mirror’s romance episodes are the best. Hotel Reverie takes its place alongside the previously mentioned San Junipero and Hang the DJ.
3. Common People
This is typical Black Mirror with a bleak ending to accompany 40 minutes of dark viewing.
Common People comes across like one of those genius Black Mirror, Nostradamus-style episodes that’s going to be happening in the not-too-distant future and belongs to a similar category to The National Anthem and The Waldo Moment.
Going from satirising broken health systems, corrupt pharma and the increasingly costly subscriptions for streaming sites to cashing in online and a visitation into euthanasia, Common People is so densely-packed with thinking-stuff elements.
4. Plaything
Netflix now apparently has a contractual duty to Black Mirror creator and hardcore gamer Charlie Brooker to include one computer game-themed episode per season. Following the likes of Playtest, Striking Vipers, Bandersnatch and Metalhead, here we have Plaything.
A spin-off from the interactive movie Bandersnatch, Plaything transports viewers into the universe of gaming in the 1990s with some cameos by Tuckersoft’s boss Mohan Thakur (played Asim Chaudhry) and game creator Colin Ritman (Will Poulter).
Plaything boasts an excellent cast with Peter Capaldi and James Nelson Joyce leading the way, but it is too brief and devoid of much-needed substance.
Maybe it’s just a nod to the time period of video games and the leveling-up progress in the gaming world during this era, but Plaything had so much potential left unfulfilled.
5. Eulogy
If Nicholas Sparks scripted an episode of Black Mirror, Eulogy would be it.
Another love-filled tale, Eulogy induces The Notebook flashbacks as a man goes back to an old romance and realizes too late how he lost his love.
A straightforward but nonetheless pleasant story with a big surprise turn from Paul Giamatti.
6. Bête Noire
A bit too irrational but a enjoyable watch that won’t traumatise viewers, Bête Noire is an acceptable watch and a palate cleanser to make Common People easier to stomach.
Not surprisingly, in the episode running order on Netflix, it follows directly on from Common People to serve up light relief.
While Bête Noire doesn’t quite have an air of depth, it’s well within season seven’s philosophy of unlimited technological power corrupts. Verity Greene (Siena Kelly) has shades of Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons) in this one, the latest season of Black Mirror is available now on Netflix.
