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Now that Season 4 of Black Mirror has finally been released, it’s time to rank every episode in the season and decide which was the best. This can be a tough decision, considering that so many of the episodes are top-notch. And it’s easy to bet that the episodes critics liked the best won’t necessarily match up with what viewers liked the best. Critics seem to love USS Callister more than any other episode in Season 4, and early critics were really talking down about Black Museum. (But I personally loved Black Museum and thought it rivaled White Christmas in many ways.) Take the poll below and let us know what you think. This post is going to have major spoilers for Season 4, so don’t read on and don’t take the poll until you’ve seen all the episodes in the new season.
USS Callister, an episode that critics and viewers alike absolutely love, featured a stunning contrast between an immersive game that mirrored a 1960s Star Trek episode, and real life. Although people in real life were, in general, happier, they were shrouded in grayer colors and muted tones. This episode also featured a dark character that we started out rooting for, causing us to change our minds completely in just a few minutes.
ArkAngel, directed by Jodie Foster, was a cautionary tale about going too far in the world of helicopter parenting. It also explored the invasion of privacy that comes from technology and just how much privacy children should be given. The episode also looked at why protecting a child too much can actually be a bad thing.
Crocodile, the third episode, was filmed in Iceland and was absolutely stunning to view. But the darkness in this episode was so gritty that it almost became frustrating at times. You wanted the good guys to win, and you wanted to yell out at the screen, but no one was going to hear you.
Hang the DJ might be one of the best “less-dark” episodes we’ve seen yet in Black Mirror. Although the love story won’t rival the story in San Junipero that so many people fell in love with, the ending will still leave people talking for months into the future. This one might get some nominations, but it won’t be the only one.
Metalhead is the shortest episode in the season. In fact, it’s so short compared to the rest of the season that you might be a little startled when it ends and feel a little cheated. But once you have a chance to sit back and really think about the episode, you’ll realize the brevity is masterful.
And then there’s the finale episode, Black Museum. This is the episode that teaches us that many of these Black Mirror episodes happen in the same universe. There’s so much packed into this episode, it’s going to take a long time to work through it all.
Which episode was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below. And before you leave this story, take a second and let us know which season of Black Mirror you enjoyed the most.