Black Mirror, Netflix's sinister tech anthology, returned in 2025 with Season 7. It’s everything fans hoped for, dark, visionary, and thoroughly disturbing. Developed by Charlie Brooker, the series explores the creepy intersections of technology and human nature. The season comprises six distinctively eerie episodes, each with its own brand of unnerving creativity.
Let’s explore how the episodes compare in detail in the upcoming sections.
Best to Worst Black Mirror Season 7 Episodes
1. Eulogy
Number one on the list is Eulogy, a poignant reflection on love, memory, and loss. Paul Giamatti plays Phillip, an individual who uses to relive images of a late loved one. The episode is slow, emotional, and deeply impactful, classic Black Mirror at its finest.
2. USS Callister: Into Infinity
The follow-up. This 90-minute thrill ride brings back the original cast and continues to explore their world in a vast digital one. Cristin Milioti reprises her role as Nanette Cole and is the leader of a group of illicit clones. Blending humor, , and profound philosophical elements, it's a thrilling highlight.
3. Plaything
2034 London is the setting for Plaything, which stands out due to its complex storytelling and nods to earlier episodes such as Bandersnatch. Peter Capaldi excels as a veteran journalist trapped in a haunting loop of digital beasts. The episode skillfully combines nostalgia and gaming culture, and its plot is full of tension and complexity.
4. Bête Noire
A psychological , Bête Noire is about a candy company flavorist who believes someone is sabotaging her life. With childhood trauma and alternate realities, the episode keeps one tense. Its innovative structure provides an interesting rhythm, making it an edge-of-your-seat watch.
5. Common People
Common People mock subscription-based technology services. Rashida Jones and Chris O'Dowd play a couple who deal with an intrusive brain-backup service. While the concept is daring, the tone of the episode is dark. The emotional cost it exacts makes the episode a more difficult watch than the others.
6. Hotel Reverie
Though featuring striking images and solid work from Issa Rae and Emma Corrin, Hotel Reverie disappoints. The episode focuses on an actress stuck in a black-and-white movie with the help of AI software, but it is not fresh. Clocking in at almost 90 minutes, it's the season's longest and least effective episode.
Black Mirror Season 7 vs Previous Seasons
Season 7 of Black Mirror is more emotionally charged, a departure from the darker dystopian narratives of Seasons 1 and 2. Seasons 1 and 2 set the stage for the show's examination of technology's dark side, but Season 7 explores memory and identity, providing it with a richer emotional hook. Critics have applauded this change, but it hasn't equaled the effect of previous seasons.
Season 3 remains the greatest, boasting classic episodes such as "San Junipero" and "Shut Up and Dance." Season 5, often considered the weakest, fails to meet the quality of its earlier counterparts. The ranking overall would place Season 7 between Season 4 and Season 6. It does introduce new concepts, but it falls short of the top-rated seasons that came before it.
Conclusion
Although Season 7 is not perfect, it serves as a testament to why Black Mirror remains so popular. From examining loss via virtual memories to mocking addiction to technology, It portrays emotions beautifully. Charlie Brooker's skill at shocking and upsetting the audience remains as great as ever.
