A new season of Black Mirror soon & the darkest episodes so far
Since the show premiered in 2011, through five seasons, Charlie Brooker's sci-fi anthology has won various audiences over with surprising twist endings. Because the series has shocked viewers with every season, it wouldn’t be a waste of time to look at the darkest episode finales so far, especially if you’re reading this -- assuming you too are waiting patiently for the 6th season to start already.
Season 1, Episode 2: Fifteen Million Merits
Daniel Kuluuya plays Bing, a man who lives in a society where he rides stationary bikes to earn merits that can be used to purchase essential items. A talent show audience hears him rant about the ruthless system, and he’s offered a regular slot. His talent is then rewarded, so he is granted better living conditions. The ending portrays someone forgetting their morals in favor of a more comfortable life while satirizing entertainment.
Season 2, Episode 1: Be Right Back
The show "Black Mirror" has always predicted the future, and "Be Right Back" is just one example of that. Its story is even creepier now that we can train artificial intelligence to mimic human behaviors. Having just lost her boyfriend Ash Starmer in a car crash, Martha (Hayley Atwell) purchases technology that copies him completely. When it becomes too real and creepy, she orders the AI to jump off a cliff. As Martha's AI Ash obliges her request, he begins begging, frighteningly convincingly saying, "I am frightened, darling." In the end, we see Martha's daughter visiting the artificial Ash in the attic during weekends, an act that showcases nothing more than the show’s dark humor.
Season 3, Episode 3: Shut Up And Dance
If you’re thinking that this could be one of the most shocking episodes of Black Mirror, you’re not wrong. In this episode, Kenny (Lawther) is blackmailed into committing crimes right after his webcam security is broken. Following a fight to the death, we discover why he is keen to conceal his habits. In terms of dark endings, this one was exceptionally moving. Both Lawther's performance and Kenny's mother's parting words made for an intensely depressing conclusion.
Season 4, Episode 2: Arkangel
Almost losing her, Marie (Rosemarie DeWitt) implants her daughter Sara with the Arkangel system, one of Black Mirror's creepiest inventions, which allows her to track and filter out stressors utilizing a tablet. Sara uses the tablet to beat her mother, but the tablet's stress filter prevents her from seeing the damage she's causing. When Marie reawakens, she finds out that her daughter has been murdered. A sense of sadness accompanies the ending, because audiences can probably relate to both sides. After committing such an act, it is hard to envision Sara's future. The filter also tragically eliminated her awareness of herself and her strengths.
What to expect from Season 6?
According to Netflix, a new season of Black Mirror will begin in June, and it promises to be the most unpredictable yet. There will be at least five episodes in season 6. Netflix has officially confirmed the episode count, and it would definitely be more than season 5, which had three episodes. The latest season premieres in June and in the meantime, here’s a deep dive into the titles and some hints about the upcoming episodes of Black Mirror Season 6!
