17 Best ‘Black Mirror’ Episodes, Ranked According to IMDb

One of the best TV shows of the 21st century has to be the sci-fi anthology Black Mirror. The series draws on ideas and technology from the real world and spins them into intelligent (and often terrifying) scenarios. In this regard, it’s the true heir to The Twilight Zone, more so even than the 2019 reboot.

Like much of the best sci-fi, Black Mirror uses the near future to poke at the present. Black Mirror‘s best episodes explore the impact of today’s dominant technologies – smartphones, social media, virtual reality, drones – but extrapolate them to their logical endpoint. The result is one of the best-written horror shows ever made, which does for computers and the internet what Jaws did to the beach.

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Updated on June 21, 2023, by Hannah Saab:

Black Mirror Season 6 has unsurprisingly been trending among fans online. With the buzzy 6th season of the series stirring discussions and altering rankings on IMDb, it’s time to binge-watch the top Black Mirror episodes that highlight the very best that the twisted anthology series has to offer.

17 “Men Against Fire”

Season 3, Episode 5 (2016)

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

“Men Against Fire” portrays a spine-chilling future where soldiers are regularly sent to kill enemies called “roaches,” which are supposedly dangerous mutated creatures. It focuses on the soldier Stripe (Malachi Kirby), who begins to question the level of brutality used against these enemies, going as far as questioning how moral their methods really are. Soon, a shocking twist reveals that it’s a neural implant in the soldiers that causes them to perceive the enemies as heinous creatures, when they’re actually just people who are part of a marginalized group.

The episode is a powerful parallel to real-world military conflicts, and it takes an unflinching stance against government propaganda and warfare. Its implications about how improving technology could also affect the way war is waged are terrifying, especially considering how relevant its message is today.

16 “Beyond the Sea”

Season 6, Episode 3 (2023)

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

“Beyond the Sea” was one of the most highly-anticipated episodes in Black Mirror‘s 6th season, as it featured some incredible talents. Set in an alternative 1969, it features two astronauts – Cliff Stanfield (Aaron Paul) and David Ross (Josh Hartnett) – on a vague but highly dangerous mission in deep space. Meanwhile, back on earth, they have replicas they can control to essentially take breaks from the mentally taxing isolation and reality they face daily as they travel further from home.

Its lengthy runtime may be off-putting for some viewers, but it more than makes up for it with stylistic visuals and meticulous attention to detail. Aaron Paul’s post-Breaking Bad performance is the real star of the episode, as he ends up playing a dual role when his character’s companion in space needs to access his replica after losing his to a horrendous tragedy.

15 “Joan Is Awful”

Season 6, Episode 1 (2023)

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

When a mostly average woman discovers that a global streaming platform (much like Netflix) called Streamberry has taken events from her life and created an uncanny adaptation of it, things begin to fall apart around her. With each new episode chronicling her actions through deep fake technology and, weirdly enough, Salma Hayek’s likeness playing her, Joan (Annie Murphy) must find a way to stop the corporation behind her suffering.

In what feels more like the typical Black Mirror episodes from previous seasons, “Joan Is Awful” leaves audiences with warnings about AI, deep fakes, and the dwindling access to privacy the average individual has. While its supposedly mind-bending twist can be underwhelming for some, it does manage to be humorous overall, thanks to fantastic performances from Murphy, Salma Hayek, and, briefly, Michael Cera.

14 “The National Anthem”

Season 1, Episode 1 (2011)

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

Black Mirror cemented itself as one of the best dystopian shows to look out for with its first ever episode, “The National Anthem,” which stirred discussions and debates about the controversial yet intriguing new series. The episode revolves around the Prime Minister Michael Callow (Rory Kinnear), who is put in a difficult situation after a member of the royal family is kidnapped. He’s forced to do something publicly humiliating to save the victim.

Throughout the whole decision process, Callow and his team deal with public scrutiny and a fast-growing media frenzy that inevitably affect the choice they make. What’s remarkable about this particular storyline is that it doesn’t present technology that’s ridiculously out of reach, ruminating instead on what can already make scenarios like this possible – social media and the court of public opinion.

13 “White Bear”

Season 2, Episode 2 (2013)

IMDb Rating: 8.0/10

In “White Bear,” Victoria Skillane (Lenora Crichlow) wakes up with no idea where she is or why she’s there. The only thing she knows for sure is that other people seem to be recording her for entertainment, all while a group of individuals dressed like slasher movie villains relentlessly pursue her. She soon realizes that this isn’t the first time this has happened.

The episode ends with a revelation of the surprising heinous nature of what Victoria is being punished for, which leaves audiences feeling conflicted because the protagonist was presented as the victim all this time. It boldly asks viewers to judge if this type of punishment fits the crime, and to what extent should criminals be punished in this way.

12 “Be Right Back”

Season 2, Episode 1 (2013)

IMDb Rating: 8.0/10

A scarily accurate Black Mirror episode, “Be Right Back” centers on the story of Martha (Hayley Atwell), who is struggling with grief after her boyfriend Ash’s (Domhnall Gleeson) sudden death. When she finds a service that allows her to use artificial intelligence to create a new version of Ash based on his online activity and their past messages, she decides to give it a try. Soon, the AI version of Ash almost becomes indistinguishable from the real person – it becomes far too unsettling.

This highly-rated episode is more bone-chilling today considering recent advancements in AI. While the world isn’t likely to see humanoid duplicates of loved ones anytime soon, a Futurism article reveals that having AI emulate dead people by studying message patterns is already something that creators are working on.

11 “Fifteen Million Merits”

Season 1, Episode 2 (2011)

IMDb Rating: 8.0/10

Featuring a stellar performance from Daniel Kaluuya as Bing, “Fifteen Million Merits” takes place in a world where people ride exercise bikes all day every single day to generate energy and earn credits. When Bing meets Abi (Jessica Brown Findlay), his daily routine is interrupted by the sudden desire to help her earn enough credits to participate in a talent show and become famous.

A tale of the danger of obsession and fame with a healthy dose of irony, the episode doesn’t pull any punches with social commentary that obviously references current talent shows and even social media platforms like Instagram. Bing’s ultimate fate is a brilliant reminder that even after escaping his small room, he becomes trapped in a bigger one that helps make the consumerist system more oppressive and inhumane.

10 “Playtest”

Season 3, Episode 2 (2016)

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Wyatt Russell stars in this episode as a man who gets paid to test an augmented reality video game that taps into the player’s worst fears. The game soon turns more frightening than intended, and the lines between reality and simulation blur. The episode is one of the best straight-up psychological horror pieces in the Black Mirror canon, reminiscent of a terrifying David Cronenberg film.

As usual, the fact that the technology is not that far off is what elevates the episode. The Oculus Rift and HoloLens are already here, although they are still in their infancy. “Playtest” raises interesting questions about using technology to escape reality and the effects this will have – is having – on our psychology.

9 “USS Callister”

Season 4, Episode 1 (2017)

IMDb Rating: 8.3/10

Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons) is a bitter software developer who feels that his co-workers don’t give him the respect he deserves, so he uses their DNA to create avatars inside a Star Trek-esque game. Robert dominates these digital clones inside the game until one of them (Cristin Milioti) attempts to mutiny against him.”

“USS Callister” is one of the most purely entertaining and surprisingly not depressing Black Mirror episodes. The performances are great (especially Plemons’s impression of Captain Kirk), and the send-ups of sci-fi shows are spot on. It also ends surprisingly optimistically, with the villain finally receiving his comeuppance.

8 “Nosedive”

Season 3, Episode 1 (2016)

IMDb Rating: 8.3/10

Charlie Brooker skewers social media and status games in this pastel-colored nightmare of an episode directed by Joe Wright, the filmmaker behind Atonement and Darkest Hour. It takes place in a world where people use an app to rate each other on a five-star scale. Your score determines your status in society and how you will be treated. Lacie (Bryce Dallas Howard) is a young woman seeking to raise her score, but circumstances outside her control conspire to ruin her score completely.

“Nosedive” is a great commentary on the toxic effects of social media, where people are constantly judged in front of the group. It also references real-world systems like the planned Social Credit System in China, which would rate all citizens and accord them advantages or penalties based on their behavior. “Nosedive” is an entertaining hour of TV and a cautionary tale about the dangers of obsessing over society’s approval.

7 “Shut Up and Dance”

Season 3, Episode 3 (2016)

IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

This bleak episode revolves around teenager Kenny (Alex Lawther), who is blackmailed by a hacker who gets hold of a video of him masturbating. The hacker instructs Kenny to carry out a series of bizarre criminal acts. Kenny meets a middle-aged man (Jerome Flynn) who is also being blackmailed, and the hacker orders them to commit a robbery.

“Shut Up and Dance” is probably the most unforgiving and darkest Black Mirror episode. It could have collapsed into a nihilistic mess, but the episode hangs together thanks to solid performances from Lawther and Flynn. They deserve praise for pulling off these difficult roles.

6 “Hated in the Nation”

Season 3, Episode 6 (2016)

IMDb Rating: 8.5/10

This spin on a police procedural follows two detectives (Kelly Macdonald and Faye Marsay) investigating a string of murders. The victims all turned out to be people who were the targets of abuse online. And the murder weapon? Swarms of tiny robot bees were created to pollinate flowers as the real bees teeter on the brink of extinction.

“Hated in the Nation” is a hard hitter, exploring ideas like social media mobbing, environmental collapse, and nanotechnology. Its unique take on the great fear of the internet age – online shaming – turns it into a Black Mirror episode that can throw fans for a loop (especially during the shocking climax).

5 “The Entire History of You”

Season 1, Episode 3 (2011)

IMDb Rating: 8.5/10

Ubiquitous phones have made it easier for people to record more and more of their lives, and this episode takes that idea to its logical conclusion: a technology has been invented that can record everything a person sees and hears. Lawyer Liam (Toby Kebbell) suspects his wife Ffion (Jodie Whittaker) has had an affair, so he pores over all his recorded memories for any signs of infidelity.

“The Entire History of You” was the show’s first episode not to be written by Brooker. Instead, the script is by Jesse Armstrong, the writer behind acerbic British comedy Peep Show and HBO’s Succession. As a result, it’s smaller in scope than usual but no less sharp in its observations. It’s a clever exploration of memory and self-deception.

4 “Black Museum”

Season 4, Episode 6 (2017)

IMDb Rating: 8.6/10

This episode follows Nish (Letitia Wright), a woman who visits the Black Museum and hears stories about some of its most intriguing artifacts. However, Nisha secretly has unfinished business with the museum’s curator.

The episode supposedly includes Easter eggs and references to every Black Mirror episode made up to that point. Items on display at the Museum include a robot bee from “Hated in the Nation,” the tablet from “Arkangel,” and the bathtub from “Crocodile,” among others.

3 “San Junipero”

Season 3, Episode 4 (2016)

IMDb Rating: 8.6/10

San Junipero is a beach resort town inside a simulated reality created for the elderly, where users can live through younger avatars. The story follows the shy Yorkie (Mackenzie Davis) and the extroverted Kelly (Gugu Mabtha-Raw), who meet in San Junipero and fall in love.

The performances and cinematography are excellent, as is Brooker’s dialogue. “San Junipero” is unique among the best episodes of Black Mirror because it features an uplifting narrative and warm-hearted characters. It’s probably the most moving one, too.

2 “Hang the DJ”

Season 4, Episode 4 (2017)

IMDb Rating: 8.7/10

“Hang the DJ” revolves around a dating app that matches people together for a fixed amount of time. Frank (Joe Cole) and Amy (Georgina Campbell) are matched but promise not to check the app’s expiration date for their relationship. Things escalate from here, with Amy believing that they are trapped inside a simulation conjured up by the app.

The episode is a romantic comedy and Black Mirror‘s take on online dating. It’s reminiscent of Yorgos Lanthimos‘s film The Lobster, also a sci-fi story about people being matched with partners, sometimes against their will. It’s not the Black Mirror‘s most mind-blowing premise, but it succeeds thanks to touching performances from Cole and Campbell.

1 “White Christmas”

Season 2, Episode 4 (2014)

IMDb Rating: 9.1/10

“White Christmas” is Black Mirror‘s 2014 Christmas special, although at 74 minutes long, it’s almost a feature. Considered the best Black Mirror episode by many, “White Christmas” stars Jon Hamm and Rafe Spall and tells three interconnected stories. The key technologies in the episode are “cookies” – digital replicas of people stored inside an object and used as personal assistants – and “blocking,” where somebody can block a person in real life so that they cannot hear that person, and they only see them as a gray, distorted silhouette.

Like most Black Mirror episodes, “White Christmas” weaves in horror elements, turning these intriguing innovations into sources of abuse and terror. For example, the digital replicas inside the “cookies” can be made to experience several months in a few seconds, an undeniably brutal form of torture. The concept of “blocking” is also well-executed and haunting, with Hamm’s character unable to communicate with his ex-wife or daughter. Fundamentally, the episode is about human connection and the lead characters’ frightening failure to find it.

NEXT: Every ‘Black Mirror’ Season 6 Episode, Ranked From Worst to Best