Black Mirror
Black Mirror
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Black Mirror

"The future is bright."

8.3
Yr 2011
Status Returning Series
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

Twisted tales run wild in this mind-bending anthology series that reveals humanity's worst traits, greatest innovations and more.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 86 /100

Black Mirror has earned widespread critical acclaim as a mind-bending, satirical anthology series that serves as a modern, tech-obsessed rendition of The Twilight Zone. Critics consistently praise its sharp writing, high-concept storytelling, and cerebral cautionary tales that explore humanity's worst impulses alongside modern technological advances.

While reviewers acknowledge that the show's grim tone and bleak view of humanity can make for an uncomfortable or harrowing viewing experience, it is widely regarded as thrilling, unpredictable, and deeply thought-provoking across its runs. Even as later seasons have prompted discussion over genre evolution, critics broadly consider the series a brilliantly produced triumph.

“Black Mirror is a mind-bending series that reflects our tech-driven fears in the most creative and haunting ways.”

“Brooker's dim view of humanity doesn't seem to have thawed, and while it's rarely a cheerful watch, it's never boring or especially predictable, either.”

“It's a well-written and brilliantly produced high-concept show, and while some episodes make their point better than others, all present interesting ideas.”

“Black Mirror is a treat for TV and a show that Netflix should pin to its front page with pride.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Netflix
US • UK • CA
Netflix Standard with Ads
US • CA • UK
Why fans love it

Black Mirror presents a sequence of anxious, near-future scenarios that examine the friction between human behavior and rapid technological change. As an anthology, each episode resets the world, allowing for a sharp dissection of societal habits through the lens of irony and satire. The writing favors cynical outcomes, where advancements in digital connectivity often amplify existing personal neuroses rather than solving them.

The show holds a mirror to current trends in privacy and social media, presenting outcomes that feel uncomfortably plausible. Acting performances like that of Hayley Atwell ground these high-concept premises, ensuring the stakes remain deeply personal even when the setting shifts to cold or clinical environments. It functions as a speculative cyber thriller that remains invested in the potential for moral corruption. The tone is consistently nervous and detached, positioning itself as a critique of how people integrate machines into their private lives.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 75
Longest run 2 eps
Show 67 more
Michael Smiley as Baxter 1 episode Wyatt Russell as Cooper Redfield 1 episode Daniel Rigby as Jamie Salter 1 episode Douglas Hodge as Rolo Haynes 1 episode Claire Keelan as Naomi 1 episode Sinéad Matthews as Sarah 1 episode Julia Davis as Judge Charity 1 episode Ashley Thomas as Judge Wraith 1 episode Alice Eve as Naomi Blestow 1 episode Cherry Jones as Susan Taylor 1 episode Tuppence Middleton as Jem 1 episode Ian Bonar as Damien 1 episode Elisabeth Hopper as Knife Woman 1 episode Nick Bartlett as Welder Guy 1 episode Nick Ofield as Iain Rannoch 1 episode Alex Lawther as Kenny 1 episode Jerome Flynn as Hector 1 episode Susannah Doyle as Blackmailed Woman 1 episode Frankie Wilson as Tom 1 episode Jimmy Roye-Dunne as Red 1 episode Hannah Steele as Melissa 1 episode Sarah Beck Mather as Restaurant Mother 1 episode Malachi Kirby as Stripe 1 episode Madeline Brewer as Raiman 1 episode Ariane Labed as Catarina 1 episode Sarah Snook as Medina 1 episode Michael Kelly as Arquette 1 episode Kola Bokinni as Lennard 1 episode Francis Magee as Parn Heidekker 1 episode Kelly Macdonald as Karin Parke 1 episode Faye Marsay as Blue Colson 1 episode Benedict Wong as Shaun Li 1 episode Jonas Karlsson as Rasmus Sjolberg 1 episode Jon Hamm as Matt 1 episode Joe Armstrong as Nick Shelton 1 episode Rafe Spall as Potter 1 episode Oona Chaplin as Greta 1 episode Natalia Tena as Jennifer 1 episode Janet Montgomery as Beth 1 episode Rasmus Hardiker as Harry 1 episode Chloe Pirrie as Gwendolyn Harris 1 episode Jason Flemyng as Jack Napier 1 episode Rosemarie DeWitt as Marie 1 episode Brenna Harding as Sara 1 episode Owen Teague as Trick 1 episode Jesse Plemons as Robert Daly 2 episodes Cristin Milioti as Nanette Cole 2 episodes Jimmi Simpson as James Walton 2 episodes Milanka Brooks as Elena Tulaska 2 episodes Osy Ikhile as Nate Packer 2 episodes Paul G. Raymond as Kabir Dudani 2 episodes Monica Dolan as CS Linda Grace 2 episodes Daniel Lapaine as Max 2 episodes Joshua James as Chris Holligan 2 episodes Michaela Coel as Airline Stewardess 2 episodes Anjana Vasan as Space Cop 2 episodes Kenneth Collard as Doctor Dmitri Babich 2 episodes Hannah John-Kamen as Selma Telse 2 episodes Aaron Paul as Gamer691 (voice) 2 episodes Billy Magnussen as Karl Plowman / Valdak 2 episodes Wunmi Mosaku as TV Joan's Lawyer 2 episodes Beatrice Robertson-Jones as Restaurant Daughter 2 episodes Jay Simpson as Rod Senseless 2 episodes Kavé Niku as Villager 2 episodes Tessa Wong as Streamberry Receptionist 2 episodes Danielle Vitalis as Fatima Klaas 2 episodes Rebecca Ozer as Carol (voice) 2 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Art Department Trainee
Art Department Assistant
Standby Art Director
Supervising Art Director
Assistant Set Decoration
Property Buyer
Standby Property Master
Graphic Designer
Assistant Art Director
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Black Mirror overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

technology dystopia satire anthology dark comedy punishment social satire alternative reality humanity cyber thriller near future social sci-fi horror crime disturbed thoughtful inspirational critical
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
December 04, 2011
Status
Returning Series
Origin
GB
TMDB Votes
6,278