From Bad to Good: Ranking Every Black Mirror Episode
25. “The Waldo Moment” (S2E3)
A crude CGI bear (Waldo), voiced by a failed comic, gains political traction. The plot is thin, and the populism satire seems superficial. The series’ weakest.
24. “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too” (S5E3)
Miley Cyrus is a music singer who is stuck in her career. The finale seems hurried, and the tone fluctuates between campy and somber.
23. “Men Against Fire” (S3E5)
A soldier uncovers a military cover-up while hunting mutants. The societal commentary (on dehumanization) is overt, and the twist is obvious.
22. “Playtest” (S3E2)
A tourist tests a virtual reality horror game that has lethal outcomes. Fun yet forgettable, with more emphasis on jump scares than content.
21. “Striking Vipers” (S5E1)
Using a virtual reality combat game, two friends investigate intimacy. Although the idea is intriguing, it is poorly executed.
20. “Arkangel” (S4E2)
A mother uses a monitoring implant to keep an eye on her daughter. The tempo is erratic, but the idea is compelling.
19. “Crocodile” (S4E3)
A lady covers up a previous accident by committing increasingly serious crimes. captivating but unduly depressing and lacking in greater significance.
18. “Metalhead” (S4E5)
A thriller about survival featuring lethal robot dogs. tense and visually arresting, yet emotionally shallow.
17. “Shut Up and Dance” (S3E3)
A teen is blackmailed into heinous acts by hackers. Some find it needlessly cruel, but others find it frightening and brutal.
16. “Bandersnatch” (Interactive Film)
This “choose-your-own-adventure” centers on a game creator who is losing his mind. The story suffers from various endings; it is inventive but gimmicky.
15. “Joan Is Awful” (S6E1)
One woman finds out that her life is a Netflix series. The satire is humorous and meta, but it lacks sting.
14. “Loch Henry” (S6E2)
Dark truths are revealed in a true-crime documentary. Strongly constructed, yet overly reliant on shock value.
13. “Beyond the Sea” (S6E3)
In a different 1969, astronauts make use of robotic replicas. Beautiful to look at, but too long.
12. “Mazey Day” (S6E4)
A paparazzo discovers the terrible secret of a famous person. Tonally inconsistent, yet a wild twist.
11. “Demon 79” (S6E5)
To avoid the end of the world, a salesperson is instructed to kill. It’s darkly humorous, but it doesn’t belong in Black Mirror.
10. “Hated in the Nation” (S3E6)
A detective looks into fatalities connected to hate speech on social media. A powerful police drama with a terrifying message.
9. “White Christmas” (Special)
Three interconnected tales of solitude brought on by technology. In this somber, provocative collection, Jon Hamm excels.
8. “Nosedive” (S3E1)
In a pastel dystopia, a lady becomes fixated on social evaluations. Bryce Dallas Howard gave a remarkable performance in this incisive satire.
7. “The Entire History of You” (S1E3)
A man uses ocular implants to compulsively relive memories. A tragic interpretation of technology and jealousy.
6. “Be Right Back” (S2E1)
A widow recreates her deceased boyfriend with AI. Grief in the digital era is explored in this emotionally painful work.
5. “San Junipero” (S3E4)
In a virtual afterlife, a love story. Stunningly beautiful, with profound themes, and unusually hopeful for Black Mirror.
4. “USS Callister” (S4E1)
A VR nightmare about a toxic game developer with a Star Trek theme. Jesse Plemons is excellent in this darkly humorous yet disturbing film.
3. “White Bear” (S2E2)
In a twisted punishment loop, a woman awakens. A devastating twist in one of the most unsettling episodes.
2. “Fifteen Million Merits” (S1E2)
In a dystopian future, pedaling bicycles earns virtual money. A biting indictment of entertainment and capitalism.
1. “Black Museum” (S4E6)
Interconnected stories are revealed during a visit of a tech horror museum. The dark, creative ethos of Black Mirror is aptly captured.
Final Thoughts
Black Mirror thrives when balancing tech paranoia with human drama. The best episodes (“San Junipero,” “White Bear,” “Black Museum”) linger in your mind long after watching, while weaker ones rely too much on shock or half-baked ideas.