Fans have long debated which show has been the saddest ever made. For some, like me, they run far away from tragic plots. Others are instantly hooked and enjoy a good cry. Now, that debate rages on and, via a recent thread of messages, many fans are throwing out the most obvious titles, with Chernobyl being one, while others are picking more niche shows, such as a David Tennant series. (And no, it’s not Doctor Who.) Regardless, fans are making good points.

While every Whovian knows Who has tragic moments that often feel cruel, it’s David Tennant’s detective series, Broadchurch, that fans say is particularly sad. That was just one of the answers shared after fans were recently asked for their opinions on Reddit. TV devotees also listed The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror and even their local news as the most depressing pieces of content they’ve ever seen. All in all, the fans didn't disappoint with their answers, some of which can be seen below:

• cancelthis2077: Black Mirror (well the early seasons).
• pugilist12: Oz is a safe bet for most depressing show I’ve seen. I don’t think a single genuinely good thing happens to anyone the entire run, and the majority of what does happen is horrific.
• Maddie-Moo: I just started watching The Pacific for the first time and that is a 60-minute depression sesh.
• LaosLegend: Bojack Horseman was pretty depressing to me.
• Softrockstarr: Broadchurch is up there.
• No_Tamanegi: Dark. The more you realize about what's happening, the worse it gets.

Black Mirror, in particular, is called out in the thread multiple times. Honestly, fans aren’t wrong for including the Netflix series, which is known for having dark twists, like in the episode "Hotel Reverie". This episode has one of the most haunting and heartbreaking endings in the anthology franchise's history. For those who enjoy dark shows, they can enjoy this series and more with a Netflix subscription who enjoy dark shows should probably check out the series, but it may not be for those who prefer brighter fare.

Elsewhere, several other users find shows based on real events more depressing. For this reason, many listed Chernobyl. Admittedly, I have not seen the show, but I'm aware of the historical context, and therefore have stayed away. The most upsetting part of the series is “the standalone dog episode,” according to KTOWNTHROWAWAY9001. This episode apparently left a lasting impression on fans, such as TheArtfulLlama, who said:

There are some fans who've bowed out after just watching the pilot of a show, which I can understand. I went into A Million Little Things with high hopes as it had David Giuntoli, James Roday Rodriguez and Grace Park. I’m a fan of each of those actors but, because the pilot was so depressing for me, I never made it further.

Similar feelings are true for user CrissBliss, as they had bow out of Handmaid’s Tale, saying, “I had to stop watching because every week was just one depressing thing after the next.” The Bruce Miller-created show portrays a horrific future that some feel hits a little too close to home. However, the franchise has thrived and continues with the well received spin-off, The Testaments.

Other titles mentioned include Mr. Robot with Rami Malek, Skins, Six Feet Under, Shameless and The Wire. Although these are series that have seemingly scarred fans in one way or another, some of these are also shows that have immediately hooked viewers, and some are considered to be amongst the best shows of all time. So, while these titles and others may be downers, it's hard to deny their cultural impact.

Anyone who's seeking out darker shows should look over the 2026 TV schedule to see what's coming up throughout the rest of the year.

There are some shows in the annals of TV history that have become wildly popular due to writing, setting, character development and just general approachability for a large core audience. However, some shows that ultimately have grown popular on TV and streaming have done so despite being polarizing, cringe-worthy, tough to watch, and sometimes very dark in concept. Luckily, people who don’t get these shows are not afraid to talk about it.

There Are A Lot Of Popular Shows Some TV Fans Just Can’t Get Through

In a recent Reddit thread, not only did a slew of people share great shows they couldn’t get through, they also took things a step further. The takeaway I particularly liked about this thread was that most people explained the “why” behind why they couldn’t get through a certain show, despite it being a series that was ripe for watercooler conversation.

Here is a rundown of some of the best takeaways, with the exception of the one I agree with most. Intriguingly, the list includes both comedies and dramas. They also include projects like Game Of Thrones, which started strong, but had fans bummed by the ending. (And led to comments from Benioff and Weiss about hiding out.) Shows like Ted Lasso, on the other hand, remained critically-acclaimed throughout. Some of these shows also got more popular streaming over time.

• "Schitt’s Creek. Everyone says to get through the first season and it gets better but I just can’t."
• "Yellowstone. People talk about it like it's the best show of modern times, but I don't get it at all."
• "The Bear. Not because I can’t get into it, but as a former line cook who has been in that kind of environment, it’s TOO REAL to the point where it triggers PTSD in me or something and brings back horrible memories."
• "Ted Lasso. Every scene is so fucking contrived. Every character is a one-note parody of themselves."
• "Game of thrones. People wouldn't shut up about it for years and years. Finally I watched the first episode and was bored to tears. Everyone says it gets better, but I shouldn't have to choke down my entertainment. Boy did I feel justified when it all went belly up."
• "Black Mirror, this serie is just plain boring to me, I don't get the high praise."
• "The Wire. Finished first season and I was stuck going this is wtf people are going crazy over. Made it 4 episodes into season 2 and just decided I wasn’t the target audience."

It's a pretty bold list, right?

Honestly, I’ve watched a lot of these shows. I’m actively obsessed with The Bear, despite it being stressful and never really going anywhere. (Though I will note the individual commenter above is not the first person in the restaurant industry to say they can't watch.) However, there’s one series on this list that cropped up several times that I also have tried watching more than once and could never get through. Now, I’m wondering if this is a common theme for anyone else?

Whomever Said Breaking Bad Was My Kindred Spirit

A few of the comments in the thread mentioned Breaking Bad as a TV series they found anxiety-inducing. Now, people are really speaking my language. I never finished Breaking Bad and I don't regret it. In fact, watched the entire first season of Breaking Bad, and couldn't handle it in any way, shape or form. I didn't like the characters. I didn't like how bleak and violent it was. I didn't even really enjoy the Albuquerque setting. It all depressed me, and I stopped punishing myself a couple of episodes into Season 2.

While I wouldn't wish a dependence on prescription drugs on anyone, this post mostly felt like it could have been written by me:

One thing all these shows have in common is they are acclaimed, and yet many haters still exist. I really have to wonder if there's a large smattering of popular shows with under-the-radar haters out there that weren't listed in this thread, as well.

To me, though, the most interesting thing about this thought experiment is that all the posters (presumably) watched episodes of all of these shows and just could not get into programs ranging all the way from Ted Lasso to the highly-violent political intrigue Game Of Thrones. The shows on the list have a few things in common, but certainly not everything, and it's so interesting to me that standout shows don't gel sometimes for many different reasons.

For me, Breaking Bad was ultimately just too bleak. I have a hard enough time just getting through day-to-day life to want to watch a show about being in the drug industry for fun. Others just don't want to be bored or deal with cringey moments. Sometimes shows just lose their way over time, too. We're all wired differently as fans. The good news? That's why there are plenty of different types of TV to choose from.

There are a lot of fictional inventions in movies and TV shows, mostly in the sci-fi genre, that have since become real things. Often, it's not exactly what we saw in the movie or television show, but it's very close. Others might not be 100% possible today, but we are very close to seeing those things become a part of everyday life in the 21st Century. This is a list dedicated to all of those inventions that seemed unrealistic or fanciful to many, except the geniuses who dreamed them up in Hollywood.

Artificial Intelligence (2001: A Space Odyssey)

The HAL-9000 was a warning to all of us. A warning that we still might not heed. The computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey turns against its human creators and users to take control of the space station at the heart of the first half of the movie. It spins things into a trippy adventure for the viewer, but now, more than 50 years later, we might need to start paying attention to what director Stanley Kubrick was trying to tell us.

Lasers (The War Of The Worlds)

In the original 1953 adaptation of H.G. Wells' seminal sci-fi novel, War of the Worlds, Martians attack humanity with a type of technology that had been theorized both in sci-fi and in real life, lasers. Of course, the lasers we have aren't quite on the level of the iconic alien ships in the movie, but they've been around for decades now.

Holograms (Forbidden Planet)

1956's Forbidden Planet makes use of holograms, which at the time were completely unheard of, except in science fiction. While we don't have true holograms like this movie and many since have used, we have seen a version of holograms at concerts like Coachella and elsewhere in live entertainment. We still can't send a message like Princess Leia yet, but that can't be too far off, right?

Autonomous Vehicles (Total Recall)

Self-driving cars have been talked about for years, and in Total Recall and other science fiction, they've kind of been a staple for decades. As everyone knows now, they do actually exist, and even more are on the way in the coming years. It's not crazy to think that every car will at least have the option to be self-driving in the not-too-distant future.

Smartwatch (Dick Tracy)

Wearable tech is all the rage these days, and while Google Glass was a unmitigated commercial failure, smartwatches, like Apple Watches, are a huge hit. In fact, mine is telling me to stand up for a couple of minutes as I've been sitting here working on this list for most of the last hour. Dick Tracy used his watch as a two-way radio decades ago.

Video Communication (Metropolis)

Video phones and other software like Zoom and Google Meet have been around for a long time now. The use of it really exploded during the pandemic, and now they are a part of almost everyone's everyday life. Of course, for decades, science fiction movies and TV shows have been predicting that this would eventually be the case. One of the earliest examples came about 100 years ago in the silent film classic Metropolis.

Space Travel (A Trip To The Moon)

Hailed as one of the earliest examples of science fiction on screen, A Trip To The Moon predicted space travel and man landing on the Moon way back in 1902. The French silent film classic envisions a very lively, even dangerous Moon, which is, of course, nothing like what it is actually like, nor did the Apollo 11 Mission actually land a rocket in the eye of the man in the moon, but hey, A Trip To The Moon did foresee at least something about the future.

Lightsaber (Star Wars)

Ok, this one is a little bit of a stretch, because it's not like everyone is chopping their onions with laser knives and we aren't fighting intergalactic battles with futuristic laser swords, but lightsabers do exist on one level. According to Guinness World Records, a builder named Alex Burkan has invented something at least somewhat similar to the legendary, elegant weapon of the Jedi in the Star Wars franchise.

Cloning (The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler)

As far as we can tell, The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler (1971) was perhaps the first movie to feature the concept of cloning. It was certainly a very early example of the idea, though the terminology used in the low-budget movie was different. We're not cloning humans (yet), and maybe we shouldn't ever be going that far, but humans are definitely cloning other species.

Androids (Alien)

Androids have been part of science fiction forever. Robots, in general, have always been dreamed up in different ways by writers and directors. One of the most iconic examples comes from the Alien franchise, starting with the original Ridley Scott movie from 1979. We don't have androids yet, to be sure, but with the combination of advancements in AI and robotics, it sure seems close.

Neuralink Brain Implants (Black Mirror)

Several episodes of Black Mirror involve a device connected directly to the brain that allows us to record everything we see or connect our consciousness to a computer program. We might be that far yet, but there does exist such a device that is implanted in a person's brain, allowing them to control a computer just by thinking up a task. Many are working on the ability to transplant our consciousness onto a hard drive, which was also the plot of a Black Mirror episode, which is a little further off, and frankly, much scarier.

Virtual Reality (Tron)

While not quite as advanced as what is depicted in the groundbreaking 1982 film Tron, immersive video games are more popular today than ever. The concept of "virtual reality" has changed quite a bit over the last few decades, with "augmented reality" taking a more prominent role. Still, at least in the gaming world, virtual reality on the level of Tron doesn't seem far off.

Personalized Marketing (Minority Report)

Personalized marketing is a reality, though it's not exactly how it is in Minority Report. This is something that has been discussed in the advertising world for decades now. My first job out of college was for a company that was trying to create personalized ads delivered to phones, and this was a decade before the smartphone was really even a thing. Still, trying to buy a pair of shoes on the web and not get bombarded with ads for more shoes.

Flying Cars (Back To The Future Part II)

Jetpacks and flying cars have been part of dozens of sci-fi stories over the years, going back many, many years. Generations of people have predicted that flying cars would be a thing by the time they become adults. We still don't have one in every driveway, but they are closer than ever, and there are definitely working prototypes.

Audio Translation (The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy)

Apple AirPods now have the ability to translate foreign languages in real time. There are plenty of examples in sci-fi of this tech, but my favorite is the Babel Fish from The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. Sure, it's not technically new "tech" in the classic books or the adaptations, but hey, they do the translating!

Hoverboard (Back To The Future Part II)

Back to the Future II was set in what is now the past, and some of the inventions are closer to reality than others. The most coveted invention in the movie is the hoverboard. There have been a few products over the years that have called themselves hoverboards, but the closest one to the film is one Tony Hawk rode back in 2015, which was, coincidentally, the year that Marty travels to in the future.

Voice User Interface (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri are just two examples of voice interfaces that have been predicted by everything from Star Trek to 2001.

Smarthomes (The Illustrated Man)

In a segment from this anthology of Ray Bradbury-inspired segments called "The Veldt," a couple finds that their parental authority is being undermined by their technologically advanced home. More recently (if the 1980s are "recent"), it was also seen in The Running Man.

Smartglasses (Back To The Future Part II)

Back to the Future II actually predicted quite a bit of tech that has become a reality. For example, Marty McFly Jr. owns a pair of glasses that allow him to watch TV anywhere. Sure, Google Glass bombed, but that won't be the tech industry's last attempt to make smartglasses work.

Synthetic Meat (Eraserhead)

Lab-grown meat, like Impossible Meat, has a long history in science fiction and other works of fiction. It made a memorable (and very bizarre) appearance in director David Lynch's debut feature, Eraserhead, in 1977.

AI-Generated Art (Her)

Spike Jonze predicted a world in which books, music, and movies would be "created" instantaneously with a computer program in Her. Even though this is one of the more recent additions to this list, the world is chock full of AI art today, for better or (mostly) worse.

Biometric Payment (Back To The Future Part II)

In Back To The Future Part II, Biff uses a thumbprint to pay his cab fare. We don't use this exact type of technology today, but we all use biometric technology to open our phones, like thumbprints and face recognition, and we use those phones to "tap" to pay for stuff on our credit cards. Combining the two is certainly possible, even if we're probably not ready to trust it.

Artificial Heart (Threshold)

The first successful artificial heart implant happened in 1982, though attempts had been made in medicine for decades. 1981's Threshold, starring Donald Sutherland and Jeff Goldblum, was still breaking ground when it predicted, albeit by just a few months, that it was now possible.

Space Stations (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Space stations, like the one seen in 1969's 2001: A Space Odyssey, were first inhabited just a couple of years later, first with the Soviet station Salyut 1 in 1971, followed shortly by the United States' Skylab in '73. There have been various versions ever since.

The Metaverse (Ready Player One)

When Mark Zuckerberg first announced the Metaverse, I couldn't help but immediately think of Ready Player One. So far, we haven't been escaping to a virtual reality, but it honestly doesn't seem that outlandish that the dystopian future the movie predicts could easily come true. Let's hope that the real version has as many Easter Eggs as Ready Player One has, at least.

Milk Engine (Phil Of The Future)

In one episode of the sci-fi Disney Channel series Phil Of The Future, Phil and Keely build a pudding-serving machine powered by an engine that runs on milk, which causes his father to fear their 22nd-century origins will be revealed since that invention will not exist for decades. However, efforts to convert lactose into ethanol fuel actually started in 2023. It's not here yet, but it's not far off, it seems.

Tablets (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Though they are called "newspads" in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the devices that the astronauts use to watch the news are basically iPads or tablets.

Robot Vacuums (The Glass Bottom Boat)

In the 1966 rom-com The Glass Bottom Boat, Bruce (Rod Taylor) owns a "gizmo" company, and one of his (many) inventions looks basically like what you expect the prototype of a Romba to look like. It's a little robot vacuum that seems too silly to be true, but we know there is nothing silly about them these days! Well, they are a little silly, but they sure are convenient!

Bionic Limbs (The Empire Strikes Back)

Here's one that everyone remembers, Luke Skywalker's bionic arm in The Empire Strikes Back. Of course, similar arms (and other limbs) exist today, though they don't look as real as Luke's does.

Digital Billboards (Blade Runner)

In Blade Runner, the future looks very much like the present in at least one way: billboards. Giant digital billboards were still not the norm back when the movie was released in 1982. Today, they are everywhere from Times Square to highways in Iowa. They are everywhere. And they are annoying as they are in Blade Runner.

Commercial Space Travel (2001: A Space Odyssey)

2001: A Space Odyssey sure got a lot of stuff right when Kubrick made it in the late '60s. Commercial space travel, for example, was the norm in the movie. While we are not quite at the same level today as they were in the movie (and Pan Am is long gone), we do have space tourism these days, so long as you're a tech billionaire or Katy Perry. One day, the rest of us might be lucky enough to do it too!

Self-Tying Shoes (Back To The Future Part II)

Once again, Back To The Future Part II comes through with an invention that we have today; this time, it's self-tying shoes, or as Marty calls them in the movie, "power laces." They actually come from Nike, too! All in all, it's impressive how many times old sci-fi movies managed to predict the future. Mostly in good ways, too.

SPOILER WARNING: This article gives away a few plot details from Thunderbolts*. While the film’s post-release marketing has not shied away from revealing one major spoiler already, I still recommend that you proceed with caution before you read on if you have not yet seen the new Marvel movie.

When it comes to my reaction to Thunderbolts* (or The New Avengers, I suppose I should say now), I feel I am somewhat in the minority. To be clear, I do agree with the comic book film’s positive critical reception, but, as someone who has been something of a supporter of the more recent and more widely scrutinized Marvel movies in order, I do not necessarily feel it is the breath of fresh air many say the franchise has needed.

One issue I had with Thunderbolts* is actually related to one of my favorite things about the new superhero movie. The cast includes the stars of an episode from one of my favorite series of all time, the acclaimed sci-fi TV show, Black Mirror, but it did not quite give me the reunion I wanted to see. Allow me to explain…

Wyatt Russell And Hannah John-Kamen Previously Co-Starred In Playtest

Among the star-studded Thunderbolts* cast, we have Wyatt Russell as John “U.S. Agent” Walker and Hannah John-Kamen as Ava “Ghost” Starr. It was not until I was in the theater contributing to the film’s opening weekend box office win that I remembered I had seen these two actors appear together in one of my favorite Black Mirror episodes, “Playtest.” The terrifying Season 3 favorite stars Russell as an American touring Europe who has a romantic connection with John-Kamen’s English video game reporter before volunteering for a VR simulation test that proves too real to handle.

This realization had me more excited to see this particular collection of MCU characters team up, as it offered the chance to see more of Russell and John-Kamen’s chemistry creating magic on the big screen. However, while I do like the way the script arguably improved the character of John Walker, it never gave him much of a chance to interact with Ava one-on-one, which was a little disappointing as a fan of the horror anthology TV show, if I am being honest. Then again, I am even more disappointed by the way the script treats Ava in general.

I Wish Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost Played A Larger Role

I do not believe anyone would disagree with my belief that Ghost, who was introduced in 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, is one of the most sympathetic superhero movie villains, and not just in the MCU. Being cursed with a nearly uncontrollable phasing ability and the need to thrive on quantum energy sounds like a nightmare. Thus, I was excited for John-Kamen’s long-delayed return to the role in Thunderbolts*, and to see her with more agency over her powers and in action as a true hero.

Unfortunately, the film barely gives her much time to shine in that regard, or even gives her a standout dramatic moment. I think it was especially a missed opportunity not to see her affected by Bob’s (Lewis Pullman) mysterious power that entrances people in their traumatic memories, because, given her background, she clearly has plenty of those. There is no doubt that Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster was done dirtiest by getting killed after mere minutes of screentime, but among the Thunderbolts* characters who survive, I’d say Ghost gets the shortest end of the stick.

All I can say now is that I am glad Hannah John-Kamen is confirmed to reprise Ghost in the stacked cast of Avengers: Doomsday. I realize a highly anticipated event such as that comes with the challenge of juggling an insane amount of characters at once, but I still hope she will have a better chance to earn her own memorable hero moment… and, maybe, more time to interact with her former Black Mirror co-star.

What makes anthology TV shows some of the best television out there is that no two episodes are the same. These types of series continuously deliver new stories that challenge the mind, scare you to death, or even warm your heart.

The question is, which of these diverse tales is the most essential, thought-provoking, and overall entertaining from each of TV's best anthology series? Well, the answer is truly up to you, but these are the picks that we came up with.

Black Mirror - "San Junipero"

Everyone has a different choice for the best Black Mirror episode, many of which posit a tragic take on technology's ever-increasing influence on society. However, topping the list for many fans of Charlie Brooker's Netflix exclusive hit is the Emmy-winning "San Junipero," which is an uplifting romance following two young women (played by Mackenzie Davis and Gugu Mbatha-Raw) in the 1980s... or so it seems.

Are You Afraid Of The Dark? - "The Tale Of The Dead Man's Float"

Nickelodeon's own original horror anthology TV show, Are You Afraid of the Dark? may have been conceived with a young audience in mind, but never held back from delivering genuine thrills. One of the scariest stories the Midnight Society ever told was "The Tale of the Dead Man's Float," which makes the ridiculous idea of a haunted pool effective with its ghostly antagonist.

Modern Love - "When The Doorman Is Your Main Man"

For people who cannot get enough of romantic-comedy movies, Amazon Prime's Modern Love gives you multiple stories about the ups and downs of contemporary romance. However, one of the most acclaimed episodes does not follow a romantic relationship, but a friendship between a New Yorker (played by Cristin Milioti) and her building's doorman (played by Laurentiu Possa), who offers her advice on everything from her dating life to her career.

Room 104 - "Mr. Mulvahill"

Mark and Jay Duplass' Room 104, which could technically count as one of the best horror TV shows on Max, presents a series of distinct standalone tales that each take place in the same motel room. Topping many fans and critics' list of its best episodes is the dark and wildly subversive story about a troubled man (played by Rainn Wilson) who invites his third grade music teacher, Mr. Mulvahill (Frank Birney), to meet, and grows desperate to get him to remember a life-changing encounter they once shared.

The Outer Limits - "Demon With A Glass Hand"

The arguably scarier and undeniably weirder counterpart to The Twilight Zone was The Outer Limits, which lasted a memorable two seasons in the early 1960s. The episode often credited as its crown jewel is "Demon with a Glass Hand," in which the fate of the human race rests on the shoulders of an amnesiac with a bizarre mechanical appendage.

Love, Death & Robots - "Bad Traveling"

Curiously, the one tale most often cited as the best Love, Death & Robots episode has nothing to do with two out of the three titular themes that define the Netflix original animated anthology series. Directed by David Fincher, "Bad Traveling" is a bleak, paranoia-driven story about a sailing crew torn apart (sometimes literally) by a vicious creature that makes itself at home on its ship.

Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities - "The Autopsy"

Widely considered the best episode of Cabinet of Curiosities is director David Prior's "The Autopsy," starring Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham as a coroner asked to examine the victims of a freak mining accident. The discovery that there is more than meets the eye with one of the bodies leads to one of the most shocking moments in the unsettling fantasy series from creator Guillermo del Toro.

Amazing Stories - "The Mission"

The aim of Amazing Stories was never to scare but to explore the fantastic possibilities of human imagination, and few episodes demonstrate that better than "The Mission." Series co-creator Steven Spielberg helms this story of a gunner (played by Casey Siemaszko) for a World War II-era B-17 crew (also including Kevin Costner and Kiefer Sutherland) who gets trapped in the turret ball underneath the plane after an accident, which also destroys the plane's landing gear.

Goosebumps - "The Haunted Mask, Parts 1 & 2"

R.L. Stine's Goosebumps is a series of creepy children's novels that was later made into an anthology series. The first book adapted for the show, resulting in one of its scariest episodes, was "The Haunted Mask," in which a bullied girl makes the horrifying discovery that her new Halloween costume is causing her to undergo a physical and behavioral transformation

The Twilight Zone - "Time Enough At Last"

The quintessential anthology series would have to be creator and narrator Rod Serling's highly imaginative and always undeniably chilling The Twilight Zone, which would go through several iterations over six decades. One of the most iconic episodes of the original late '50, early '60s run, "Time Enough at Last," stars Burgess Meredith as a bookworm who is finally given the chance to read as much as he wants after becoming the sole survivor of a cataclysmic event. However, the shocking twist sees his luck change on a dime.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents - "Breakdown"

The director of classic cinematic thrillers like Psycho and Vertigo would also bring his expertise in suspense to the small screen with Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Hitchcock directed 17 episodes of the anthology, including a masterclass in simple stories with spine-tingling executions called "Breakdown," which follows a film producer fighting for his life after a car accident leaves him paralyzed.

What If...? - "What If... Zombies?!"

The Marvel Cinematic Universe canon already diverges from the original comics' main timeline in many ways, but Marvel Studios' animated Disney+ series, What If...? explores additional variants of those characters existing in the Marvel Multiverse. One of the most exciting interdimensional tales, however, takes inspiration from the popular Marvel Zombies series, in which surviving vigilantes are forced to fight reanimated corpses of their colleagues following the outbreak of a horrifying virus.

Tales From The Crypt - "Yellow"

HBO's Tales from the Crypt, hosted by the decrepit and kooky Cryptkeeper, was so popular that it inspired a few feature-length spin-offs, including 1995's Demon Knight, which some believe is, technically, the best tale the series ever produced. However, one of its most acclaimed official episodes is "Yellow," which is a World War II-set story from director Robert Zemeckis about a general (played by Kirk Douglas) who attempts to help his son (played by Eric Douglas) avoid death by firing squad.

Documentary Now! - "Waiting For The Artist"

From creators Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, and Seth Meyers, Documentary Now! is a collection of short films inspired by (and poking fun of) some of the most renowned examples of non-fiction filmmaking. For instance, 2012's Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present was parodied in the show's most acclaimed installment, "Waiting for the Artist," which features a stirring, and quite hilarious, performance by Cate Blanchett as a renowned performance artist with over-the-top ambitions.

Creepshow - "Public Television Of The Dead"

Imagine if Ash Williams from the Evil Dead movies pursued a career in hosting a low-budget TV show about painting, a la Bob Ross. The result would have looked a lot like "Public Television of the Dead," which is easily the most fun episode of Creepshow, Shudder's series adaptation of the classic horror anthology movie from director George Romero and writer Stephen King.

Night Gallery - "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar"

Rod Serling's follow-up to The Twilight Zone was Night Gallery, which was also plenty high on otherworldly themes and creepy tones, but far shorter on episodes that concerned themselves with social commentary. That must be why Serling's favorite episode was one of its most poignant, "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar," in which a widowed business executive (played by William Windom) finds himself immersed in memories of his past after learning his favorite hangout spot is being demolished.

Lore - "Unboxed"

Before there was Chucky, or Annabelle, or other creepy characters from scary doll movies of the like, there was Robert – a stuffed, child-like toy resembling a sailor that is on display at East Martello Museum in Florida, according to the Key West Art and Historical Society. The infamous legend of its supernatural abilities served as the basis of "Unboxed," which is one of the highest-rated episodes of Amazon Prime's fact-based horror anthology series, Lore.

Monsterland - "Port Fourchon, Louisiana"

One of the best horror TV shows on Hulu is Monsterland, which is adapted from the short story collection North American Lake Monsters by Nathan Ballingrud. The first episode, "Port Fourchon, Louisiana," is anchored by a stellar performance by Kaitlyn Dever as a restaurant server and single mother struggling with poverty when she encounters a stranger with a peculiar talent.

Tales From The Darkside - "Seasons Of Belief"

Horror master George Romero created his own spooky anthology TV show called Tales from the Darkside, which ran from 1983 to 1988 and even inspired a cinematic spin-off in 1990. One of its most revered episodes, also considered one of the scariest Christmas episodes of any show, is "Seasons of Belief," which involves a couple who attempt to scare some Christmas spirit into their children by telling the terrifying story of "The Grither."

Monsters - "The Waiting Game"

The title of the late '80s horror anthology, Monsters, mainly referred to the suburban family of otherworldly creatures tuning in to see the next creepy story, but also teased what each episode had in store. For instance, one of the most acclaimed episodes is "The Waiting Game," in which survivors of a nuclear disaster discover that the dead are rising from their graves.

Dimension 404 - "Cinethrax"

Hulu tried its hand at a Black Mirror-style sci-fi anthology, but with a less earnest and more overtly supernatural edge, with Dimension 404, which is narrated by Mark Hamill. One episode that seamlessly blends its elements of horror and comedy is "Cinethrax," starring Patton Oswalt as a movie buff who takes his niece, played by Sarah Hyland, to see a new blockbuster in an experimental theatrical format that must be seen to be believed.

Two Sentence Horror Stories - "Tutorial"

Creator Vera Maio used the Reddit thread, "Two Sentence Horror Stories," in which users craft something spooky out of just a handful of words, as inspiration for a CW series of scary half-hour tales. One of the most engaging, "Tutorial," is shot in the style of a found footage movie and follows a young internet influencer (Aleyse Shannon) whose makeup tutorial video is interrupted by events that hint at an intruder. However, nothing is quite what it seems.

Star Wars: Visions - "The Ninth Jedi"

The ever-growing universe of the Star Wars saga was further expanded upon in multiple directions with the release of the animated series, Star Wars: Visions. One of its most revered tales is "The Ninth Jedi," which follows the daughter of a lightsaber maker who is pursued by dark forces.

Electric Dreams - "Autofac"

One of the most prolific writers in science fiction history is Philip K. Dick, whose work inspired Amazon Prime's Electric Dreams. Janelle Monae stars in an episode adapted from his 1955 novelette, "Autofac," which follows a rebellion taking form in a dystopian society in which humans are forced to give up their basic human rights for the freedom of consumerism.

Accused - "Val's Story"

Accused is a collection of stories told from the perspective of people on trial for a crime. One of its most powerful episodes, "Val's Story," stars How I Met Your Mother cast member Cobie Smulders as a divorced mom who becomes the top suspect in the investigation of her ex-husband's murder.

American Horror Stories - "Dollhouse"

While American Horror Story tells a different bizarre story every season, American Horror Stories takes things one episode at a time. It kicked off its second season with the fan favorite, "Dollhouse," starring Kristine Froseth as a doll factory employee hopeful who is kidnapped and made to be a part of a toy maker's collection of women dressed as dolls.

The Guest Book - "Story Eight"

TBS' The Guest Book does have an overarching story taking place at the same cottage, but each episode focuses on a different guest. One of the more memorable guests, coming from the first season's eighth episode, is a medical researcher (played by Jenna Fischer) who brings an Alzheimer's patient (played by Orson Bean) to the cottage, hoping to help regain his memories.

Oats Studios - "Rakka"

Neill Blomkamp made extraterrestrial visitors victims of oppression in his 2009 breakthrough feature, District 9, but flips the script for the first installment in his collection of shorts films, available on Netflix, named after his own Oats Studios. Featuring Sigourney Weaver in a major role, "Rakka" peers into the lives of the last remaining humans amid a brutal alien invasion.

Freddy's Nightmares - "It’s My Party And You’ll Die If I Want You To"

In 1988, the menacing villain from one of the classic horror movies, A Nightmare on Elm Street, was given his own show in which he haunted the dreams of various other characters. Often cited as the top episode of Freddy's Nightmares is "It’s My Party and You’ll Die If I Want You To," in which Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) possesses a fake psychic and seeks revenge on an old prom date.

Creeped Out - "The Many Place"

Netflix's own answer to Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps is a (somewhat) kid-friendly horror anthology TV show called Creeped Out, which boasts a genuinely creepy episode that deals with cross-dimensional travel and borrows from the "Backrooms" creepypasta. In "The Many Place," pushing every button on a hotel elevator sends three vacationing siblings to an endless labyrinth of hallways and rooms, but the only way home may be impossible to find.

Soulmates - "Watershed"

In 2020, AMC aired an anthology series called Soulmates, set in a near future where there exists a test that can match someone with the true person they are meant to be with, with 100% accuracy. One of the highest-rated stories involving how this test has affected people follows a woman (played by Sarah Snook) who secretly takes the test without the knowledge of her husband (played by Kingsley Ben-Adir).

Bloodride - "Lab Rats"

Most of the episodes of Netflix's Norwegian horror anthology, Bloodride, have a supernatual element. However, arguably its strongest story, "Lab Rats," is a grounded crime thriller in which a pharmaceutical company owner subjects his dinner guests to a night of humiliation and ruthless interrogation when he suspects one of them stole the prototype for a new product.

Warning: Spoilers for Black Mirror Season 7, Episode 3 “Hotel Reverie” are in play.

There are always going to be opposing opinions in the world, whether the 2025 TV schedule is the battlefield or not. With an anthology series as polarizing as Netflix’s Black Mirror, those viewpoints tend to collide even more forcefully, especially when you’re talking about something like “Hotel Reverie’s” heartbreaking ending in Season 7.

After actor Issa Rae shared her feelings on what that conclusion means to her, I totally agree with her sentiment. In fact, I think she's provided me with the ultimate argument against another Black Mirror ending that fans love to credit as being the "happiest."

I Totally Agree With Issa Rae’s Read On ‘Hotel Reverie’s’ Bittersweet Twist

If you haven’t watched Black Mirror’s Season 7 spin on deep fakes and Casablanca, this is your last chance to jump out. Thankfully, myself and other the journalists on hand for the recent roundtable experience celebrating this Netflix subscription booster saw the episode, and used that knowledge to cut to the heart of those final moments in “Hotel Reverie.” As far as Issa Rae is concerned, she didn't hold back when addressing CinemaBlend and more about how she sees that tear jerking finale:

The short short version of what happens in “Hotel Reverie’s” climax is as follows. After Hollywood star Brandy Friday (Rae) falls for a computer simulation of Dorothy Chambers (Emma Corrin) in the titular film, the ending to this Hollywood classic is altered. With Chambers’ in-universe character dying in the picture’s last reel, a new tragic ending is introduced within this Black Mirror riff on a cinematic classic.

While Brandy Friday returns to the real world, her heart is still with the representation of Emma Corrin's tragic starlet that resides solely in the machine world. However, since this is the world that created a device as sinister but as desirable as “The Nubbin,” the white button-shaped device that threads together several of Charlie Brooker’s dystopian tales, there’s one final twist.

A copy of Dorothy’s digital model is sent to Brandy herself, allowing her to talk to Dorothy whenever she wants. Which feels happy when it first happens, but it then starts to take a darker turn if you look at it the right way - just like the ending to another Black Mirror classic.

"Hotel Reverie" Further Proves That "San Junipero" Isn’t Black Mirror’s "Happiest" Ending

Frequently considered one of the best Black Mirror episodes, Season 3’s “San Junipero” is a story I see cropping up just as often when it comes to discussing the few “happy” endings in the overall anthology. It’s true that Gugu-Mbatha Raw and Mackenzie Davis’ star-crossed lovers do technically wind up together at the end, but the method by which that takes shape is where Charlie Brooker’s dystopian tendencies color it in a different light, for me at least.

Which leads me to the final part of Issa Rae’s interpretation of the ending to “Hotel Reverie,” as I believe she hit the nail on the head when it comes to my feelings on the matter. Drawing from her previously expressed feelings above, Rae provides a caveat that paints a potentially happier picture:

Envisioning a scenario where Brandy Friday takes those feelings and uses them in her actual life is something that almost makes this Black Mirror story quite optimistic. Also, considering that the episode I do think has the happiest ending, Season 4’s romantic romp “Hang the DJ,” has a spiritually similar solution, I can see it happening. Meanwhile, the ending to “San Junipero” is still bittersweet, but in a totally different way.

Those final moments of “elder Kelly” (Denise Burse) letting her human form go, while arriving eternally in her forever youthful spot on TCKR System's servers, are still absolutely chilling. It's only made worse to watch these events play out against the tune of Brandie Carlyle’s “Heaven Is a Place on Earth.”

While Kelly did get some time with Yorkie in the real world, it was to expedite her request to be euthanized - which was already a controversial point of order with her family. That’s a bittersweet ending to be sure, but one with the final message that this romance was only ever really given a chance in virtual reality.

As always, I concede that the court of public opinion may rule that I’m wrong in this scenario; and that’s part of the fun with Black Mirror. One person’s bittersweet finale is another viewer’s depressing sign that technology has truly won.

I’m sure some people out there think that “Common People’s” ending is somehow cheery; but that should be an admittedly small pool. Whatever your outlook may be, you can catch all of Season 7, as well as previous seasons, through Netflix’s streaming library. Nubbin sold separately… for now.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched Black Mirror Season 7’s installment “Bête Noire” with a Netflix subscription.

In each of Black Mirror previous six seasons came at least one moment when I as a viewer wanted to crawl inside myself and only emerge once the applicable episode’s tech advancement had been eradicated from thought. Within the sci-fi thriller’s highly anticipated Season 7, that moment rang truest during the second installment, “Bête Noire,” a hyper-paranoid exploration of mistaken memories and the Mandela Effect, as well as the unpredictable ramifications of high school bullying.

On the whole, one’s mileage regarding this episode will vary as much as it will with any of Black Mirror’s other high-minded cautionary tales, but as someone who is intrigued by the inconsistencies of human memory, and who loves a good reality-warping plotline, I thought it was an enjoyably stressful trip to the office. And what I really loved was that it introduced a rather devious villain (or villains?) whose megalomaniacal behavior gave off Lex Luthor vibes.

Verity Is Quietly One Of Black Mirror's Scariest, Lex Luthor-iest Villains

Rosy McEwen's Verity, despite having a highly contextual name, does not seem like much of a threat upon her introduction at the Ditta offices where Siena Kelly's Maria and others aim to create universally beloved confectionary treats. Her wallflower demeanor plays into her own high school backstory as a largely ignored computer whiz who fell victim to scandalizing rumors involving a teacher. But hell hath no fury like a brainy woman scorned.

Rather than facing her perceived enemies with a show of brute force or any kind of direct entanglement, Verity works her magic without drawing attention to herself. And with only the lightest amount of prodding, she turns Maria from a respected and successful employee to a distrusted and seemingly troubled paranoiac.

It'd be one thing if her entire plan of offense was just mental, but Verity legitimately crafted a device that can shift reality to whatever parallel universe the user desires, which is absolutely as powerful an attribute (if not more so) than anything other nefarious Black Mirror characters have going for them. Verity could have been the queen of whatever universe she desired, and apparently was for a short while, but the same way Lex Luthor is never able to stop himself from antagonizing Superman, it wasn't enough.

I mean seriously, her power was strong enough to affect the episode itself, which appears differently for different viewers in regards to certain details. (Okay, so that was probably more the creative team's decision than that of a fictional character.)

Verity's Quantum Compiler Could Literally Rewrite The Entirety Of Black Mirror

Honestly, Verity's quantum compiler seems like the ultimate piece of weapon-esque technology imaginable. (Kudos to ep writer Charlie Brooker for not offering a single iota of information about how the thing was crafted.) Not only did it give her the ability to change anything she wanted about her own life, but she could almost too quickly alter the entire course of human history.

Which obviously also means that her small-scale remotes offer the ability to adjust and rewrite everything that's happened in any of the show's seven seasons. Which would be a less believable notion if "Bête Noire" truly existed in a vacuum and wasn't inter-connected with other Black Mirror episodes.

But as we know, quite a few of this anthology series' episodes share characters, locations, and other details. It was just one episode prior, in "Common People," where Rashida Jones specifically referenced Maria and Verity's employer Ditta, in reference to its Honey Nugs.

The similarities aren't exact or anything, but in my mind, the quantum compiler is easily most analogous to DC's all-powerful Anti-Life Equation, in that the entity in charge of it as close as possible to godliness. So if by the end, Maria wanted to put all of her coworkers into the egg-shaped personal-assistant tech seen in the episode "White Christmas," or to set "Bête Noire" in a world where no one was alive outside of the Ditta offices, it's not like there would be a Batman or Superman around to stop her.

Maria Could Be An Even Scarier Villain Now That She Has The Power

Verity brought her natural intelligence and years of hard work and dedicated effort into making her quantum compiler a reality - and in a way that seemingly didn't result in the the rest of the world being destroyed - with a quiet rage inside that festered for enough years that she had to act on it. But she perhaps too close to the power to impulsively go too far without realizing it.

Meanwhile, Maria put forth nothing to achieve any of Verity's accomplishments, and straight up stole it in a most violent and cruel way. So she doesn't have the innate respect of the science that might naturally limit how over-the-top she might go with her changes to the world. And the episode ends with her in a lofty Queen of the Universe-esque position, despite Verity downplaying the advantages of such a fate.

Plus, Maria's sense of angry vengeance is far fresher than Verity's decades-old displeasure, and it's easier to imagine the former letting such still-bitter feelings guide her into making some less-than-desireable choices for how reality should work.

And then the only thing left to do would be to turn herself into a bald, white man who's absolutely obsessed with taking down the Man of Steel. If there's a scene in James Gunn's Superman where Siena Kelly pops up with a certain-shaped remote around her neck, don't say I didn't warn you.

Warning: Spoilers for the Black Mirror Season 7 episode “Common People” are in play.

Every time a new season of Black Mirror arrives, fans are left with an assortment of endings that either get really emotional or extremely cryptic. Upon the most recent episodes debuting amid the 2025 TV schedule, I crowned “Common People” as the bleakest Black Mirror story in Charlie Brooker’s canon to date. However, after watching stars Rashida Jones and Tracee Ellis Ross piece together an even darker interpretation of that tale’s final act, I think I may have previously understated that point.

Amanda’s State Of Mind In “Common People’s” Sad Ending Raises Some Huge Questions

As part of the promotion of Black Mirror Season 7, Netflix invited a group of journalists to take part in a roundtable experience with some of the stars. For “Common People,” both Jones and Ross were on hand, with the discussion eventually prompting a keen question. The query centered around whether Amanda (Rashida Jones) asking her husband Mike (Chris O’Dowd) to end her life was a request made in a sound mental state.

CinemaBlend was on hand to hear Rashida Jones share these thoughts about that aforementioned moment:

Further explaining her views on how this Netflix subscription booster left the matter, the Parks and Recreation vet offered some more details from that scene that built her case of context. The garden setting, with a clear view of the woods, is a setting that Ms. Jones cites as a clear signal of Amanda’s desire to “see [herself] as a part of nature."

It’s a literal moment where our character sees the forest for the trees, as her Serenity setting is maxed out through the influence of Rivermind Lux. “Common People” co-star Tracee Ellis Ross later went on to say that she was up for watching the episode again, in order to answer this question a bit clearer.

That’s a decision that I definitely tip my hat toward, as this Black Mirror episode hit pretty close to home for me. After digging deeper into what we think happened to Chris O’Dowd’s Mike in those final moments, that feeling has only grown stronger.

Rashida Jones And Tracee Ellis Ross’ Discussion Of “Common People's" Ending Seals Mike's Fate

Admittedly, this segment of Black Mirror’s “Common People” makes it sound like we’ve seen something as beautifully heart-wrending as “Hotel Reverie’s” ending. Which is why the final moment with Chris O’Dowd closing a door, with a boxcutter in his hand, is so important to the final result.

The one silver lining I can pull from this dour parting shot is the fact that I got to watch Rashida Jones and Tracee Ellis Ross put it all together, in real time. However, before I share that moment, here are some further comments Jones provided to highlight Mike’s mental state after ending his wife’s life:

While this doesn't actually solidify the conclusion that Chris O’Dowd’s character takes his own life, this sentiment felt like a key that unlocked the door that allowed both Ms. Jones and Ms. Ross to get to that thought themselves. As a result, that gave us this moment of clarity and levity from the Black Mirror roundtables:

• Rashida Jones: "No! That is it! That's what he does!"
• Tracee Ellis Ross: "He livestreams his death."
• Rashida Jones: "He says ‘I'm doing a specialty thing later, ‘which is pretty dark."
• Tracee Ellis Ross: "Pre-tty dark."

Leave it to Black Mirror to put the devil in the details, just as we’ve seen in this “Common People” discussion. As Mike stands at the door for us to see one last time, his career as a humiliated Internet personality appears to be reaching its grand finale.

That makes me even more thankful that this was the first story in Season 7’s lineup, as I don’t think any of the ones that follow are any bleaker than what we’ve discussed here. Though, in terms of tears shed per moment, critical reactions to the Paul Giamatti episode "Eulogy" would suggest that title as the royal tearjerker.

Of course, that’s up for interpretation - and with all six episodes now streaming on Netflix, you can decide for yourself which is the most upsetting example of Charlie Brooker and his crew making us all feel like we need to step away from technology at once.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Black Mirror Season 7 episode "USS Callister: Into Infinity." Stream it with a Netflix subscription and read at your own risk!

Black Mirror is back with another twisted set of episodes showing how terrifying modern technology can be, but one was of particular interest to Star Trek fans. I guess it's fair to say there was a lot of general hype for the sequel episode to the Emmy-winning "USS Callister" episode, but more so if you were a fan of the franchise it parodied. Unfortunately, "USS Callister: Into Infinity" isn't quite the Trek homage the first episode was, but there are two big connections I enjoyed regarding the acting and direction.

While the episode is great and an amazing follow-up to the original, those hoping to scratch that itch they're feeling while waiting on upcoming Star Trek shows may wind up disappointed. This whole episode feels more like a nod to Fortnite than Captain Kirk, but is worth a watch all the same, for the two reasons I get into below.

Jimmi Simpson Plays A Villain Just Like In Star Trek: Prodigy

I've been a huge Jimmi Simpson fan across his career, and love the range he's displayed in doing everything from Westworld to It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Even so, I was shocked when he was listed amongst the voice cast for Star Trek: Prodigy, and even more shocked when I heard him voice the Drednoks in that dark and gravelly tone.

It would be disingenuous to call Simpson's appearance in "USS Callister: Into Infinity" a cameo, considering he was in the original episode that aired before Prodigy was even conceived. What's different, however, is that we get more with Simpson as the real James Walton, who is far less noble and way more nefarious than his virtual clone. We also get him looking about the scruffiest I've seen the actor since he last played Liam McPoyle, but the villainous part is what made the Trek fan in me smile.

The Episode's Director, Toby Haynes, Is Working On An Upcoming Star Trek Movie

Trek fans feeling like they should skip out on the Season 7 Black Mirror episode should reconsider, considering the director attached to it. If the name Toby Haynes sounds familiar, it's because he was listed as the director for the upcoming Trek prequel film that is in development and allegedly heading to theaters. I say allegedly because Paramount had zilch to say about it during its CinemaCon 2025 presentation, so let's cross our fingers and hope it still exists.

While Black Mirror has its own cinematic style, watching this episode could be a glimpse of what we can expect from Haynes helming a Trek movie. I have to say that I liked what I saw during the space battle segment and the general sci-fi elements of it all. Now, if he can just get Cristin Milioti in this Trek project, I think this movie would be one of her best must-watch movies.

Ultimately, "USS Callister: Into Infinity" was one of my favorite episodes of Black Mirror Season 7, with maybe "Common People" coming in at a close second, thanks to how it hits close to home. I recommend all Star Trek fans check the new season out, especially since we won't have Strange New Worlds Season 3 back until this summer.

When the cast list for Season 7 of Black Mirror -- which is finally streaming now on Netflix -- was announced, I immediately clocked the episode starring Paul Giamatti. I’m a huge fan of the actor and his movies, so I knew he would hit this out of the park. He does. That wasn’t surprising when I watched the fifth episode of the season, titled “Eulogy.” What surprised me was that it might be the first time I actually want a fictional device featured on an episode of the notoriously technophobic dystopian anthology show.

A Rare Case That A Black Mirror Episode Didn’t End In Dispair

If you’re a fan of the show, I don’t have to tell you that Black Mirror episodes usually leave you with a pit in your stomach and a genuine desire to turn back the clock on technology. “Eulogy” is the rare example of an episode of the show that actually ends on a good note. Some of the best episodes of Black Mirror, like “San Junipero” in Season 3, end like that, for example. Most episodes of Charlie Booker-created series twist your psyche into a pretezel and have you swearing off screen time forever (though it always sucks you back in).

“Eulogy” has a happy ending, and critics are praising the episode, calling it the best of the season. Giamatti’s character, who has been angry at his ex-girlfriend for years, blaming her for all the bad in his life, finally finds peace with himself and their relationship. It’s all due to a little device called simply “eulogy” that allows him to step into old photos and relive the moment almost as if he was back in time and in the place where the photo was taken. He rediscovered what he loved about his ex and how a single moment of miscommunication changed everything for them as a couple.

I Really Want This Device, It Could Be So Cool

I’ve written a lot about nostalgia. As I get older, I find myself naturally getting more nostalgic. I don’t want to relive my past, nor do I want to turn back time, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to remember a lot of things in my life with more clarity. As we get older, we forget more; that’s just the way life is. It gets to a point when even some of the most consequential moments, good and bad, become fleeting memories.

The device in the episode doesn’t let Giamatti’s character relive moments, but it opens up the floodgates to unlock the memories of those moments as if they were yesterday. That’s exactly how I want my memories to be. I don’t need to change the bad stuff, and I don’t want to hide in the good stuff. I just want to remember what those moments felt like and recall details I’ve surely forgotten. What were the smells? How did I feel? Those aren’t things you get from a simple photo, but they are more important than the color of the shirt I was wearing, which you can get.

Nostalgia is a powerful emotion, and the way the series plays with it here is amazing. Season 7 of Black Mirror continues to prove that the show is one of the most bingeable shows on Neflix, especially when it digs into an emotion that isn’t just fear or dread.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains some light spoilers from the Black Mirror Season 7 episode, “Plaything.” If you have not yet seen the installment, just remember there is no turning back after you choose to read on.

Black Mirror Season 7 was one of the most anticipated seasons of the acclaimed horror anthology TV show yet, especially because it includes a sequel to the Emmy-winning Season 4 episode, “USS Callister.” However, it is not the only sequel in the Netflix original series’ latest collection of technophobic tales.

“Plaything” exists in the same universe as the show’s interactive spin-off movie, Bandersnatch (or in one of the choose-your-own-adventure story’s many potential timelines, more accurately), with the return of Will Poulter as video game developer Colin Ritman serving as the connective tissue. The character’s appearance is certainly an intriguing way of introducing the plot, but an ultimately disappointing aspect of the episode for me, if I am being honest. Allow me to explain…

Bringing Back Will Poulter's Bandersnatch Character Is Pointless

The main story of Black Mirror Season 7’s fourth episode, “Plaything” (now available to stream with a Netflix subscription) kicks off when isolated video game reviewer Cameron Walker (played in the ‘90s by Lewis Gribben and as an older man by Peter Capaldi) is invited by Colin Ritman to preview his new creation, Thronglets. It is not actually a game, however, but a platform that houses a race of living, sentient digital creatures that Walker soon becomes dangerously obsessed with preserving.

Save one other mention of Ritman later in the episode, this scene is all we see of the character, which begs the question of why he was involved in the first place. I mean, I do understand why: it is yet another attempt for Charlie Brooker and co. to connect the dots between the best Black Mirror episodes and through a cameo by an actor who has increased in notoriety since his last appearance in the role. However, by the end, the character becomes inconsequential and could have easily been swapped out for any other eccentric game developer.

Colin Ritman Was Far More Interesting In Bandernsatch

Do not get me wrong: I am a fan of Will Poulter and his movies and was genuinely excited to learn that the English actor was coming back as Ritman. I think most would agree that he was one of the most memorable and engaging aspects of Netflix’s interactive film from 2018, but I would not say the same about “Plaything.”

There is, unfortunately, not much about Poulter’s performance in his one scene that stands out in any memorable way, other than the fact that he is a well-known actor playing a familiar character from one of Netflix's most popular TV shows. Of course, I don’t believe that Poulter is at fault here, but that Brooker’s otherwise entertaining and modestly fascinating teleplay offers nothing interesting for him to do with the role like his Bandersnatch screenplay did. I admire the intention behind including Ritman, but not the execution.

There are plenty of other ways to see a great, new Will Poulter performance right now, though, including his scene-stealing turn in Death of Unicorn and his devastating portrayal of a U.S. soldier in another new A24 movie, Warfare. Still, I would say it is worth it to stream Black Mirror on Netflix, as “Plaything,” overall, proves that one of my all-time favorite TV shows is still going strong.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for the Black Mirror Season 7 episode “Hotel Reverie.” If you haven’t watched it yet, please turn back and check it out with your Netflix subscription before proceeding any further.

Since its debut more than a decade ago, Black Mirror has given viewers some of the darkest episodes of TV ever, a few dozen unforgettable stories about the pitfalls of technology, and shocking endings none of us will soon forget. And it looks like that trend is continuing with the show’s seventh season, which just premiered on the 2025 TV schedule. And while I haven’t had a chance to dive into all six of the new tales like “Common People” or “USS Callister: Into Infinity” (that will change soon enough), I did spend some time with “Hotel Reverie,” a transfixing (and extensive) story about an actress recreating a classic black-and-white film.

Let me tell you, I’ve watched my fair share of the best Black Mirror episodes over the years, but “Hotel Reverie” has what could be one of the most haunting and heartbreaking endings the show has ever created. And yeah, I have to talk about it…

So, What Happens At The End Of Hotel Reverie?

Those who have watched the episode know that it centers on frustrated actress Brandy Friday (Issa Rae) as she is hired by an AI company and a struggling film studio to remake a classic black-and-white film, Hotel Reverie. After being placed in the film as the gender-swapped male lead, Brandy becomes trapped in the program (only hours for those in the real world, but weeks for her). During that time, she forms an intense romantic relationship with the digital reconstruction of the movie's main character, Clara Ryce-Lechere, who's played for the fictional actress, the late Dorothy Chambers’ (Emma Corrin).

After a series of missed cues and wrong lines, the program begins to fall apart and deviate from the original film, with Clara being shot and killed at the end instead of surviving until the credits roll. Brandy is brought out of the program before she gets trapped in it forever and is given a special phone by Redream representative Kimmy (Awkwafine) to reconnect with Dorothy, or at least a digital version of the late actress.

Brandy Getting To Reconnect With The AI Version Of Dorothy Was Romantic, But It's Like Talking To A Digital Ghost

While I will admit that Brandy getting to reconnect with Dorothy using that wild rotary phone was romantic and offered some closure (and maybe a hint at her future), I must point out that this is utterly haunting and heartbreaking. It’s like she is talking to a digital ghost, but there’s also something more tragic to it all.

It’s pointed out early in the episode of the 2025 Netflix show that the real Dorothy had a tragic ending to her life after being chewed up and spit out by the Hollywood machine more than a half-century earlier. This isn’t Brandy speaking with Dorothy or falling in love with her, but instead a digital recreation of her, like some AI girlfriend whose sole purpose is to fulfill the emotional (and maybe physical) needs of the user. And I think maybe that’s the point…

And In A Way, That's More Haunting And Heartbreaking Than Being Trapped In A Computer Program

I’m not saying being trapped in a digital recreation of a black-and-white movie wouldn’t be a terrible fate, but Brandy’s relationship with Dorothy moving forward seems even more haunting and heartbreaking. At least in Hotel Reverie, the actress was able to see and touch the woman she loved; she now can only talk to her over the phone, and even then it’s another digital ghost that has no memory of their time together or their experiences.

But this is the bittersweet and haunting ending that makes “Hotel Reverie” so much fun to think about. Brandy survived, but she came back to a world that is vastly different than the one in which she lived only a few hours earlier.

Now that the entirety of Black Mirror Season 7 has been added to Netflix, all I can do is watch the remaining five episodes from the great anthology series and see if they impact me in this way.

Warning: SPOILERS for Black Mirror Season 7, Episode 1 - “Common People,” are in play.

Netflix’s Black Mirror isn’t exactly the cheeriest show on the market. While creator Charlie Brooker’s dystopian anthology does have some upbeat episodes in its canon, it’s mostly known for shocking morality plays that highlight our modern preoccupations with technology. So for Season 7 to arrive on the 2025 TV schedule with a story so upsetting that it’s a good thing it was put into the debut slot is saying a lot.

Brace yourselves, especially if you thought “Beyond The Sea’s” chilling ending from Season 6 was a heartbreaker. Thanks to what I saw in Black Mirror Season 7’s premiere, “Common People,” the annoying habit of streaming providers raising their subscription rates has now been translated into a more terrifying and potentially deadly concept.

Common People May Be Black Mirror’s Bleakest Hour

The short, short version of Black Mirror’s Season 7 premiere sees Mike (Chris O’Dowd) and Amanda (Rashida Jones) colliding with the modern miracles of science. Thanks to a medical emergency that leaves Amanda with severe brain damage, “Common People” sees her loving husband engage in the services of the tech firm Rivermind.

Their promise is too good to pass up: a cloud-based implant that mimics the function of that area of the brain. As corporate rep Gaynor (Tracee Ellis Ross) describes in the segment of her pitch that closes the deal:

Since this is the same universe that has made us fear social media, robotics and video games, you can pretty much call where this story is going. However, that’s what makes “Common People” such a heartbreaking journey to undertake.

Each obstacle that raises the stakes is clearly going to see Amanda getting worse, and Mike becoming even more desperate. It gets to the point where a segment of the plot I thought was going to become a conflict, the couple's traditional anniversary trip to "The Juniper," didn't even pan out.

With each change to Rivermind’s services politely laid out in recurring consultations with Gaynor, the cost goes up - and the service’s offerings decrease. So instead of a bland blow-up over a routine that Amanda clearly isn't that into anymore, we something sadder.

The high cost of Rivermind is something that leads to a huge reason why I’m surprised this Netflix subscription booster was allowed to go as hard as it does. In re-reading that quote provided above, it dawned on me that one could easily draw the parallel to the Netflix story.

A fledgling by-mail rental service trying to break into the world of streaming, with free trials and affordable rates as the lure. Sure, it's not overtly built into the episode's story; but the connotation is heavily hinted at with the trivial example of subscription services scaling up prices while gating off features.

Black Mirror Season 7’s Preoccupation With Subscription Models Hits Hardest Here

While Season 6’s round of anthological storytelling naturally mocked its home platform’s business model, “Common People” uses that lens on a very essential field: the healthcare industry. Through all of this Black Mirror premiere’s pitfalls, Amanda’s quality of life declines.

One big example of that at work, which was shown off in Season 7's cryptic trailer, sees Rashida Jones’ character eventually finds herself becoming an advertising platform. Momentary, unpredictable blackouts see Amanda lose time, in which she shills everything from coffee to religious family counseling.

If she wants to have anything resembling a normal life, she needs to upgrade from Rivermind Common (the OG plan) to the ad-free/extended coverage tier known as Rivermind Plus. That leads Mike to consider increasingly desperate means to pay for this medical “miracle,” which goes in a direction that is reminiscent of Black Mirror's first season reality TV sendup "Fifteen Million Merits."

And that's before we even get to the horror that is Rivermind Lux! I'll let you discover the perils of that plan on your own, but I will recommend you pause the medical ad parody that's included in the pitch. You need to read that fine print carefully, as it's a subtle, much needed laugh in the middle of a seriously dour affair.

That example probably has you recalling Netflix’s controversial ‘Basic Tier’ removal. Even the gripes connected to Amazon Prime’s introduction of ads for subscribers who didn't even change their plan are reflected in a moment of anger for Chris O'Dowd, as Michael criticizes a plan change for not keeping in mind those patrons who helped build Rivermind's foundation.

In a way similar to how Season 6’s “Joan is Awful” criticized Netflix’s production and release methods, “Common People” takes the rising cost of entertainment and applies that methodology to a person’s health. I don’t know about you, but as a neurodivergent Type 1 diabetic, I would hate for my quality of life to be impeded by compulsory ad breaks when I try to take my meds.

A comparatively trivial matter has been given a very real face in Black Mirror’s Season 7 premiere. Sadly, while this round of speculative fiction is still not a commonplace reality, as you'll see in this article from IEEE Spectrum, writers Charlie Brooker & Bisha K. Ali are closer to the truth than most would realize.

At its heart, “Common People” is a classic example of how Charlie Brooker and his writers have continued to break our hearts through fiction, so that it does not easily become fact. So having this be the premiere and “USS Callister Into Infinity” serve as the finale makes emotional sense.

With a trio of powerful performances from Rashida Jones, Chris O’Dowd and Tracee Ellis Ross, the subject matter walks a line between humor and heartbreak - until the latter becomes too overwhelming to ignore. In a world where being “common” becomes a disadvantage, everything feels a bit crueler and colder.

But you don’t need to take my word for it, as all six episodes of Black Mirror's Season 7 are now streaming on Netflix - no matter what tier you’re subscribed to. And get used to those subscription price jabs, as they're a running thread throughout this season.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched Black Mirror Season 7’s installment “Bête Noire” with a Netflix subscription.

For longtime fans, it should probably come as no surprise that Black Mirror Season 7’s take on the Mandela Effect was crafted in such a way that it would incite the same feeling within viewers both while and after watching the episode. Yet despite being just such a fan of the show since its first season was available, the second installment “Bête Noire” still managed to upend my lofty expectations, and had me legitimately questioning what was real.

Whether “Bête Noire” goes on to become on of Black Mirror’s best episodes so far is up for debate, but I think it is perhaps the most cleverly designed of any installment that isn’t the choose-your-own-adventure standalone Bandersnatch and its myriad endings. However, I might not have even realized HOW clever if I had not talked to a coworker about it soon after we’d both watched.

Netflix Turned Me Into Maria After My Coworker Brought Up The Bernie's / Barnie's Scene

One of the more maddening scenes in the episode came when Maria and one of her colleagues got into an increasingly angsty debate about whether a local chicken joint was called Bernie's or Barnie's. I just knew Maria was going to be wrong in the moment, given the discomforting tone, and sure enough, her strong arguments for the restaurant's name being Barnie's imploded after she Googled it and found her colleagues were correct.

The episode featured an earlier moment where viewers could clearly see a cap from the restaurant that Maria's boyfriend still had from when he worked there. Anyone watching the ep could "cheat" and go back right then to see what it said, and that person would discover that it was indeed the way that Maria said it was.

That's precisely what my coworker did, and I spent the next few minutes of this conversation wondering if she was jokingly gaslighting me as a reference to everything Verity does to Maria in the ep. I eventually asked her directly if she was trying to make me question my sanity, which led to both of our minds being blown open, because WE WATCHED TWO DIFFERENT CUTS OF THE SAME EPISODE!

Sure enough, we both watched essentially the same episode, but featuring two different versions of those scenes and reveals. So it wasn't just a case of different website graphics and a single shot of a different hat. Both the early scene with the hat and the entire in-office argument about which name was right were filmed in two different ways. And those are just the two we know of!

Who's to say there aren't another two versions of "Bête Noire" out there where the chicken restaurants are named Bornie's and Burnie's? Probably not likely, but not impossible, clearly.

We didn't come across other major differences between the episodes, but we also didn't talk out every single detail, either. So there may indeed be more to discover. Just be careful to choose your viewing snacks carefully when watching Cristin Milioti in the "U.S.S. Callister" sequel and other episodes , since you may or may not now have a nut allergy (not allegory) that you may or may not have had previously.

After nearly two years, Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror has returned to the 2025 Netflix schedule, complete with six new chapters of cautionary tales and explorations into the world of technology. Critics had the opportunity to screen Black Mirror Season 7 ahead of its release to the 2025 TV calendar, and many agree which episode every fan should be sure to check out.

Like the seasons that came before it, Season 7 boasts an epic cast that includes Peter Capaldi, Issa Rae, Emma Corrin, Paul Giamatti, Tracee Ellis Ross and more, seemingly proving that Black Mirror has the best casting. Where will the seventh offering fall in the ranking of Black Mirror seasons? See what critics are saying about the season as a whole — streaming now with a Netflix subscription — and its most notable episodes.

Jenna Scherer of AV Club gives the season a B+ overall, calling “Common People” a punch straight to the gut that kicks off the more-relevant-than-ever season. However, it’s “Eulogy” starring Paul Giamatti that should be a priority for fans. The critic says:

Samantha Nelson of IGN rates Season 7 a “Great” 8 out of 10 and agrees that “Eulogy” is the season’s high point. Nelson says there’s not a dud in the mix, and also mentions the scathing rebuke of those who find desperation entertaining in “Common People,” as well as “USS Callister: Into Infinity” giving us our first true Black Mirror sequel in this love letter to Star Trek. Of “Eulogy” the critic says:

Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence thinks Season 7 holds some of the best and worst episodes of the series, making for an uneven experience. At the top of the list, though, is “Eulogy,” Miller says:

Chris Evangelista of SlashFilm also is less impressed by the season as a whole, rating it 5 out of 10 and suggesting Charlie Brookers is out of ideas. “Eulogy” depicts a man being able to revisit the past by stepping into old photographs, and while the plot is predictable, the two-time Oscar nominee is great, according to the critic, who writes:

Daniel D’Addario of Variety calls Paul Giamatti in “Eulogy” one of the series’ best acting performances ever as a man using A.I. to reconstruct a defining romantic relationship. The critic continues:

As noted above, there are some other episodes that stand out to critics. Matthew Creith of The Wrap says “Common People” is a “fascinating look at how technology has bound humanity to devices (and people) we need while also clouding our judgment on affordability.”

Meanwhile, “Plaything” revisits the world of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch in a welcome continuation of the 2018 interactive movie. However, in the end it’s the cast that makes Season 7 worthwhile, especially the performances like Cristin Milioti’s in “USS Callister: Into Infinity.” In Creith’s words:

It’s only natural that the episodes of Black Mirror will affect their viewers in different ways, but it’s hard to argue with all the talk that Paul Giamatti is getting for “Eulogy.” Will that or any others from Season 7 be considered amongst Black Mirror’s best episodes? You can form your own opinions, with all six episodes available to stream on Netflix now.

Some weeks are better than others when it comes to new streaming content, and then thare weeks like this one that aren’t just better; they’re incredible. This week brings something of note to virtually every major streaming platform. There’s so much good stuff ithat t’s difficult to keep it all in one list.

Four different high-profile series debut this week from four different major streaming services. On top of that we have a documentary look at one of the great cult classics in animated movie history and a high-octane action movie. It’s a little something for everybody.

Not Just A Goof - April 7 (Disney+)

It’s been 30 years since Disney released A Goofy Movie in theaters, and somehow, three decades later, the popularity of the film has yet to subside. Not Just a Goof debuted at last year’s D23 event and now the documentary film on the enduring legacy of A Goofy Movie will be available with a Disney+ subscription.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Sixth & Final Season Premiere - April 8 (Hulu)

The adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale has been insanely popular since it first debuted, and more than two years after the previous season 5, your Hulu subscription can finally bring you the end of the story as the finale season arrives to complete the story.

Black Mirror, Season 7 April 10 (Netflix)

Netflix’s anthology of the strange and surreal hasn’t been seen for nearly two years, but Black Mirror finally makes holding on to your Netflix subscription worthwhile. This season includes appearances from Awkwafina, Will Poulter, Paul Giamatti and more. It also will include a sequel double episode to the “USS Callister” episode, possibly the most popular episode of the series to date.

G20 April 10 Prime Video

Viola Davis received critical raves for her starring role in The Woman King, which showed everybody just how good the actress could be as a powerful action-heroine. Now, in the new movie G20, available with a Prime subscription, Davis takes on the bad guys once again, this time as an ass-kicking President of the United States who must save her family after terrorists take over the G20 summit in South Africa.

Doctor Who, Season 2 Premiere - April 12 (Disney+)

Disney scored a major coup when it became the home for all things Doctor Who, and after a strong Freshman outing for Ncuti Gatwa’s version of The Doctor, he returns with a new companion and brand new adventures throughout time and space.

The Last Of Us Season 2 - April 13 (Max)

Season 1 of The Last of Us was arguably one of the best adaptations of a video game ever put on screen, and now, with Season 2, the show will attempt to do it all over again. The Last of Us Part II had a lot to live up to as a video game, and the HBO series (which is available with a Max subscription) will be following in equally significant footsteps.

If somehow, there’s nothing quite for you on this list, worry not. The rest of April will continue to drop some great shows and movies. Something made for you should be coming along shortly.

Rather than Lanterns, the DCU’s Green Lantern-focused series, being a sprawling cosmic adventure, we’ve been hearing a lot about how it will be more grounded. The show’s premise of Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart investigating a murder in Nebraska is channeling the same kind of feel that True Detective does. But it’s not the only source of inspiration for this upcoming DC TV show, with director James Hawes mentioning Slow Horses and Black Mirror while opening up about Lanterns’ vibe.

Hawes has worked on both those shows, and his other TV credits include Doctor Who, Penny Dreadful and Snowpiercer. Now he’s been tapped to director the first two episodes of Lanterns, which began filming in February. In an interview with Collider, the director started off discussing this DCU entry by focusing on its humor, saying:

Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof worked with DC Comics writer Tom King to put Lanterns together, with Mundy serving as the showrunner. Even though Lanterns isn’t shaping up to be the kind of show that many Green Lantern fans (myself included) thought it would be, I am pleased to hear that this won’t be a completely serious affair. The humor in Slow Horses and James Hawes’ Black Mirror episodes might not be laugh-out-loud funny, but there are at least moment of amusement sprinkled throughout the darker beats, and Lanterns will deliver that as well.

At its core though, the Green Lantern property isn’t just rooted in the superhero genre, but also science fiction. After all, beings from all over the galaxy are recruited into the Green Lantern Corps and given rings that allow users to fly and create physical constructs using their imagination and willpower. Hawes went on to say that the science fiction element will still be there, it’ll just be handled in a way that’s more rooted in realism. As he explained:

In case you need extra assurance that Lanterns won’t shy away from the fantastical, don’t forget that Ulrich Thomsen is playing Sinestro, the Guardians of the Universe will appear, and we may even see Sinestro leading his group of Yellow Lanterns, a.k.a. the Sinestro Corps. Fans are also theorizing that Garret Dillahunt’s character, William Macon, could be the show’s version of Black Hand. So while the Lanterns vibe won’t be something along the lines of what we’ve gotten from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy or the Star Wars universe, at least it’s not shying away from its sci-fi origins as much as possible.

Lanterns debuts on HBO sometime in early 2026, and episodes will be available to stream afterwards with a Max subscription. Coming much sooner to the DCU is the James Gunn-written and directed Superman, which opens in theaters on July 11 and features Nathan Fillion playing Guy Gardner, a fellow Green Lantern.

In any television show out there, some episodes genuinely take the cake for their dark themes – or rather, just being dark overall. Some shows are darker than others, but there's always an episode that genuinely makes people sit there for a moment and contemplate what they just watched – those are the kinds of dark episodes we are going to get into today.

Oh, and also, spoiler alert!

'The Rains Of Castamere' (Game of Thrones)

I mean, of course, I have to put "The Rains of Castamere" here. It's one of the most shocking Game of Thrones moments ever, when we watch basically a third of the Stark family get taken out by traitors. And yes, I will still never forgive the Boltons or the Lannisters for what they did.

'The Day Will Come When You Won't Be' (The Walking Dead)

It would be a sin for me not to put "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" here. It features Glenn's demise, one of the most heartbreaking The Walking Dead deaths, and really shows the entire group that we have come to love for six seasons straight get absolutely blasted with the arrival of Negan and his Saviors. It's still a dark episode, one I skip on any The Walking Dead rewatch.

'Ozymandias' (Breaking Bad)

There are some fantastic Breaking Bad episodes, but oftentimes, most of them are pretty dark, and "Ozymandias" is one of those. Considered one of the best television episodes ever by many critics, this episode really capped off the damage that Walt had done to his life when he watched Hank, his brother-in-law and DEA agent, get shot dead.

'To You, In 2000 Years - The Fall Of Shiganshina: Part 1' (Attack On Titan)

There are plenty of great dark anime out there that I could steal episodes from to put on this list, but I have to say the winner must be "To You, in 2000 Years—The Fall of Shiganshina: Part 1." I mean, you really can't get darker than having your mom get eaten in the first episode of your series—right in front of you as you're being dragged away. No wonder Eren was so messed up.

'Pretty Much Dead Already' (The Walking Dead)

For a time, The Walking Dead was the show out there that everyone talked about each week, and one of the darkest episodes of that time was "Pretty Much Dead Already." It was the first midseason finale for the show and featured a stumbling Sophie coming out of the Greene farm when everyone had been looking for her for several episodes already. Breaks your heart every time.

'The Hellfire Club' (Stranger Things)

I don't really consider a lot of Stranger Things dark, but I will say that as the series has progressed, these episodes have gotten a lot scarier, and the first that comes to mind is "The Hellfire Club." The episode starts off well enough—including the introduction of Stranger Things Season 4 All-Star Eddie. But then Vecna makes his first appearance at the end of the episode, and it is a horrorfest that instantly turns the entire thing darker than ever.

'Phoenix' (Breaking Bad)

Walter White has done some pretty horrible things as a human being, and one of his darkest moments, for sure, in Breaking Bad, was in "Phoenix." We already knew that Walter didn't like Jane, but standing there, watching her overdose right next to Jesse, was another level of darkness that I didn't think he was capable of.

'Heaven's Half Hour' (Daredevil: Born Again)

There are many moments in the original Daredevil series that I could point to, but I have to give it to a recent entry, Daredevil: Born Again, and the premiere episode. We literally open up with Matt and his friends just getting a drink, and BOOM, Foggy is shot, and Matt literally hears him die by the sound of his heartbeat. Darkness to the brim.

'The Dance Of Dragons' (Game Of Thrones)

While "The Dance of Dragons" isn't a super dark episode in itself, it's a moment in it that makes it super dark. One of the most heartbreaking Game of Thrones deaths happens here when Stannis burns his daughter alive because of Melisandre's ridiculous nonsense about a king's blood sacrifice. And then we watch her die. It's messed up in the worst ways.

'Living Doll' (The Twilight Zone)

I think The Twilight Zone is one of those shows where the episodes might not seem so dark now in comparison to what we have experienced on TV, but there are still some good ones there, and one is "Living Doll." The episode is all about a husband who is annoyed by a talking doll his stepdaughter has, but the doll begins to talk back to him, saying how much she hates him and how she wants to hurt him—it gets really dark, real quick.

'The Bent-Neck Lady' (The Haunting Of Hill House)

Honestly, every Mike Flanagan TV show has some incredibly dark episodes, but "The Bent-Neck Lady" is by far the darkest. It shows Nell finally realizes that the visions and ghosts that have been haunting her all her life are actually her. The reveal is incredibly sad and dark and one I often think about.

'72 Hours' (The Golden Girls)

I'm sure that at first glance, you would never expect me to put something like The Golden Girls on this list, but "72 Hours" is a very dark episode. Rose's doctor reaches out to her and says that her blood transfusion may have included HIV-positive blood, and now she has to wait for three days for results. It's a very harrowing episode for a show that is, at its core, a sitcom.

'Honor' (The Walking Dead)

There are plenty of moments in The Walking Dead that I could put on here, but one of the darkest episodes was "Honor." I'm sure most don't even know it because it happened in Season 8, but it was the episode where Carl, Rick's son, ended up getting bitten while trying to save a doctor for their community. It's literally one of the darkest episodes of the entire series, especially watching Rick and Michonne wait for the gunshot that signals Carl's death.

'Bullets Over Bel-Air' (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was an iconic sitcom for many reasons, but it also wasn't afraid to go dark in some of its episodes. One of which was "Bullets Over Bel-Air," in which Will is shot by a robber and then Carlton goes out and buys a gun to try and be safe. It's an entire episode focused on gun violence.

'ABQ' (Breaking Bad)

There are plenty of Breaking Bad episodes out there that are genuinely dark, but one I always think of is ABQ, which is the finale of season 2 of the show. While most of the episode isn't necessarily super dark, the ending moment is where Walt watches as two planes crash above his home, sending debris to the ground, because the air trafficker's daughter just died – you know, the daughter that Walt watched overdose and didn't do anything about it.

'Bad News' (How I Met Your Mother)

At first, we all think that the "Bad News" in this episode is going to involve a fertility test with Lily, but the bad news is suddenly broken to Marshall that his father has suddenly passed from a heart attack. It's so out there that it creates a devastating episode in this sitcom.

'Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken' (Game Of Thrones)

The episode 'Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken' isn't necessarily dark itself, but rather the ending scene. After Sansa is forced to marry Ramsay Bolton, he forcefully assaults her on their wedding night. Meanwhile, Theon (Reek at this point) is just standing over there forced to watch. My god.

'To The Lost' (Boardwalk Empire)

Boardwalk Empire wasn't afraid to venture into dark territory, and one of its darkest episodes was "To The Lost," mainly because of the death that happens when Nucky shoots Jimmy, a protege of his, because he failed to start a feud. The moment is shocking, considering that throughout the series, these two have basically been side by side, and now, all of a sudden, it was over.

'Coda' (The Walking Dead)

I will never forgive The Walking Dead for what they did to Beth in "Coda." One of the darkest episodes of the series, it shows the group reuniting with Beth only for her to get shot in the head when she stands up for herself. She didn't even get to reunite with her sister again. Talk about awful.

'Long Term Parking' (The Sopranos)

The Sopranos cast is filled to the brim with epic talent, which only means there will be epic episodes that tend to lean a little darker. When Silvio finds out that Adriana's slipping info to the FBI, she's taken out. It was dark and scary and showed just what happened when you crossed the Soprano family.

'Connor's Wedding' (Succession)

With how talented the Succession cast is, I wouldn't be surprised if they made half of their episodes darker, but the darkest I could point to was "Connor's Wedding." At first, it feels like just a normal episode, but all of a sudden, Logan Roy drops dead, and we, as well as the kids, are left to deal with the fallout of what occurred as the episode progresses.

'Two Storms' (The Haunting Of Hill House)

First of all, this episode is an absolute unit of cinematography. It's shot beautifully. But aside from me geeking out about how amazing it looks, "Two Storms" is dark because it's so creepy, and we keep seeing Nell's casket repeatedly getting moved or messed around with.

'Hardhome' (Game Of Thrones)

The first half of "Hardhome" is pretty tame, honestly. It's all about watching Jon and the Wildlings try to come to a compromise to, you know, survive. But then the White Walkers come and literally destroy it all, and the number of deaths that occur makes it one of the most brutal episodes for me to watch ever.

'Please Remain Calm' (Chernobyl)

I. Can't. Stand. This. Episode.

At all.

As someone who recently rewatched Chernobyl, I find this to be the darkest episode of the miniseries. Watching those three brave souls go into the factory to drain the radioactive water and try and stop this madness was terrifying, but seeing their lights go out at the end? Good god. The entire episode is shot beautifully, but man, is it dark in many instances.

'Endure And Survive' (The Last Of Us)

As someone who is one of the biggest fans of The Last of Us franchise, this episode took it out of me, both mentally and physically. I already knew that Henry and Sam (from The Last of Us cast) would die from playing the game but man, they made this episode twenty times darker with the ending and it still makes me jump and look away each time I've watched it.

'Papa's Got A Brand New Excuse' (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has some serious moments that often lead to darker episodes, and one of those was definitely "Papa's Got A Brand-New Excuse." Will's father shows up out of nowhere, but, of course, by the end, he gives an excuse not to spend actual time with Will. We get an entire monologue from Will about how he doesn't need his father before he breaks down. It's so sad.

'Alone Again, Natura-Diddly' (The Simpsons)

There are some side characters on The Simpsons that you might have forgotten about, but one was taken out in the darkest possible way. In "Alone Again, Natura-Diddly," Ned Flander's wife, Maude, is struck in the head by a t-shirt and then knocked to her death. Yes, this happens in real-time on The Simpsons. This is an actual episode from Season 11.

'Too Far Gone' (The Walking Dead)

You want to talk about dark episodes of The Walking Dead? "Too Far Gone" is up there. The episode is the midseason finale for Season 4 and shows the all-out war that happens at the prison. But before then, we also watch The Governor completely snap and kill Hershel, who was hands down the group's moral compass for a long time.

'Teddy Perkins' (Atlanta)

This episode is just creepy, man. It's creepy in all the right ways. Aside from the social commentary that every episode of Atlanta seems to have, seeing Donald Glover dressed up in full prosthetics and makeup and creeping out Lakeith Stanfield is an episode I will never quite get over.

'Playtest' (Black Mirror)

There are plenty of dark episodes on Black Mirror, but one that I always think of is "Playtest," specifically for its ending. There are so many twists and turns that it's hard to keep up with it, and then the main subject, Cooper, is just killed because everything was all in his head and nothing was real—it's just too much and too dark so quickly.

'Chikhai Bardo' (Severance)

Severance is an excellent Apple TV+ show, and usually, I don't think I'd put an episode here, but "Chikhai Bardo" is a dark episode because we find out what really happened to Gemma and how she's essentially a slave for Lumon, forced to carry out multiple Severance scenarios for whatever grand design they are planning. It's messed up in so many ways.

'The Female Of The Species' (The Boys)

As someone who loves Kimiko in The Boys, the first episode, where we really see her and get to know her, is one of the darkest of the series. We see just how violent and terrifying she really is. She is not for those who have a weak stomach, but man, I love it.

What are some dark episodes that you would think of? I need to go watch some of the best rom-coms as a palette cleanser now. Goodness gracious.

There are tons of great shows to binge-watch on Netflix, but perhaps the darkest and most messed up series to stream on the platform has long been Black Mirror. It’s one of the greatest horror anthology series we’ve ever seen, and it’s set to return for a seventh season on the 2025 TV schedule. However, when the first look of Cristin Milioti in the next season dropped, fans had a lot of the same negative thoughts to shout into the void.

The First Look At Cristin Milioti’s Return To Black Mirror Is Here

As we’ve previously learned, Black Mirror Season 7 will include a sequel to one of the most beloved episodes from the series so far. Season 4’s “USS Calister”, which won four Emmys in 2018, will have a follow-up. Netflix dropped this first look at the episode (via Discussing Film). Check it:

“USS Callister” was one of the best Cristin Milioti performances we’d seen when it came out (and before her incredible role in last year’s The Penguin). After she was announced to be part of the cast of Season 7, we have a peek of the actress, presumably once again as Nanette Cole.

In the original episode, Nanette is a new programmer at a company called Callister Inc. However, things at her job go sideways when her consciousness is uploaded as a digital clone on board the Star Trek-like USS Callister, where she is imprisoned to answer to her boss’s commands. The episode ends with Nanette leading the crew, and per the first look, it seems like the sequel episode will pick up where we left off.

But, A Lot Of Fans Have Similar Criticisms About Black Mirror Nowadays

While the return of a character from what’s thought to be one of the best Black Mirror seasons should be exciting, tons of reactions on X are criticizing the direction the series has gone in across the past few seasons for the same reason.

Check out some of the comments:

• “I’ll never forgive Americans for what they did to Black Mirror” - @BodegaaCat
• “I can’t lie make Black Mirror British again” - @Jaemannmusic
• “Black Mirrors problem after Americans bought it was is that it just did this on the nose ‘ooooo what will the world be like if this app u already use was used for BAD’ when it used to be more complex ethical ideas like what if u could record and playback every second of your day” - @skyenotruby
• “Black Mirror needs to go back to that season 1-4 run” - @__EJ34
• “Black Mirror when it was just D-list British actors and £10k per episode budgets >>>>>” - @nuejaebs

Black Mirror has long been one of the perks of having a Netflix subscription because the streaming service purchased the series in 2015. However, the Charlie Brooker-created show got its start on the UK’s Channel 4 with much lower-profile beginnings. A ton of fans are apparently missing the original Black Mirror, especially after the show itself is employing a sequel to one of its famous episodes.

There’s just a ton of comments blaming Americans (or Hollywood) for messing with the series and perhaps commercializing it too much. In the upcoming season of Black Mirror, there’s certainly a stacked cast of American actors, like Paul Giamatti, Issa Rae and Awkwafina. There are also famed British actors in the season, like Peter Capaldi, Emma Corrin and Chris O’Dowd.

However, that uber-talented cast hasn't totally waned the worries of fans, as many are up in arms about the anticipated sequel episode:

• “What I enjoy about Black Mirror is that it's an anthology series, so once the episode ends then that's it. Why on earth are they now doing sequels? 😭” - @nessabosman
• “Rip Black Mirror, the sequel industrial complex got you too :/” - @niamhbrownie

Hey, perhaps the sequel episode will literally speak to the ongoing sequel problem we see in Hollywood?

You never know what’s going to happen on a Black Mirror episode, but it sounds like the series is becoming more divisive as it enters its seventh season. Which honestly makes me even more fascinated to watch.

Sometimes, you get to a point where you need a new show to binge – and thankfully, there are plenty of great dramas out there that are readily available. Whether it’s some of the best shows to binge on Netflix or some of the best HBO shows out there, there are so many dramas that you can dive right into. Here are some of the best that I would recommend.

Yellowstone (2018 – 2024)

Running for five seasons, Yellowstone is one of those neo-Western dramas that just exploded when it first came out. The series follows the lives of those who live on a large cattle ranch – the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch – as well as the Broken Rock Indian reservation and the land developers who want to take it all away. I can literally think of no other drama to dive headfirst into other than this one.

Narcos (2015 – 2017)

Narcos, a Netflix series with three seasons, follows the story of Pablo Escobar, a real-life drug lord, and how he became the legend we all know him as. Season 3 follows the aftermath of his defeat. As someone who loves a good crime drama, I think this show is one of the best to sink your teeth into.

Game Of Thrones (2011 – 2019)

There is no better cast out there than the Game of Thrones cast, and you will think the same thing once you watch this series. The legendary HBO show is based on the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin. It follows the story of several influential individuals who all look for one thing – to rule Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms, as well as the lives that are taken in the process. With eight seasons, it’s an easy binge.

Outlander (2014 – Present)

Based on the novels of the same name, Outlander takes romance and history and makes it into the steamiest drama that you’re going to love. The series follows the story of a World War II military nurse who is sent back in time to the 1700s and falls in love with a Highland warrior. Yes, this is a legit series, and it takes so many twists and turns that you’ll love every second of it.

The Wire (2002 – 2008)

The Wire is considered one of the best HBO shows of all time, and for good reason. The crime drama is set in Baltimore, Maryland, and each season discusses a new part of the city and how it’s related to the legal system there, from education to drugs. While it’s shocking that the series never won Best Drama at the Emmys, it’s still an incredible show, one that deserves so much praise.

Stranger Things (2016 – Present)

While plenty see Stranger Things as sci-fi (for good reasons), it is, at its core, a fun drama that features some really cool mysteries. The series begins in the 1980s with Will Byers going missing and his mother and friends trying to find him in a town full of secrets. The series itself is one of Netflix’s biggest hits, so it’s certainly worth the time to watch.

The Bear (2022 – Present)

I legitimately don’t care what people say. This show is way more drama than comedy, and I stand by that. The Bear follows the story of a young chef who travels back to Chicago in order to save his brother’s restaurant after he passes and tries to turn it into a fine-dining restaurant. The series has an incredible The Bear cast and is constantly nominated for so many awards. It’s so good.

Ozark (2017 – 2022)

Over four seasons, Ozark follows a married couple as they move to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri to launder money for the Mexican drug cartel. However, as they arrive, they run into trouble that turns their lives upside down. The series was a huge hit on Netflix and earned plenty of praise during its run.

Silo (2023 – Present)

One of the best Apple TV+ shows will have you on the edge of your seat. Silo, which is based on the trilogy of novels Wool, Shift, and Dust, follows the story of a community that somehow lives in a vast underground silo that has 144 levels and the conflicts that arrive in this dystopian world.

Lost (2004 – 2010)

When we think of dramas, Lost certainly tops the list. The series, which aired for six seasons, follows the lives of plane passengers who survive a crash on a distant island. However, they start to realize that this place is not a typical island and that there are deadly forces at work. While the Lost finale is highly discussed as one of the worst out there, the rest of the series is great to watch.

House Of The Dragon (2022 – Present)

If you love Game of Thrones, chances are you’ll enjoy House of the Dragon as well. The series, based on the novel Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, focuses on the story of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and how she fights for the throne in the legendary Dance of Dragons when her half-brother takes it. It’s undoubtedly one of the best fantasy shows right now.

Peaky Blinders (2013 – 2022)

Starring Cillian Murphy as the iconic Tommy Shelby, Peaky Blinders is a period crime drama that follows the lives of the Peaky Blinders crime gang and their rise to power in Birmingham after World War I.

Bridgerton (2020 – Present)

If you’re looking for a romantic drama to dive into, then Bridgerton is the one for you. With three seasons (so far), the series follows the lives of the Bridgerton children back in the 1800s in England, with each season focusing on a new romance filled with scandalous drama and steamy moments.

Squid Game (2021 – Present)

Squid Game is hands down the biggest Netflix show of all time, and for good reason. This drama, hailing from South Korea, tells the story of a group of competitors who all play children’s games in order to win a large amount of money – but the competition takes a deadly twist when people are literally eliminated from life when they lose the games.

The Walking Dead (2011 – 2022)

The Walking Dead was, at one point, one of the biggest shows on television, and as someone who has watched all eleven seasons of The Walking Dead, I still think it’s a great series to dive into. Based on the comics of the same name, the show mainly follows Rick Grimes, a former cop, who leads his group of survivors as zombies – known as “walkers” – take over the world.

Yellowjackets (2021 – Present)

Yellowjackets is hands down one of the best Showtime shows, and I will always recommend it to anyone who wants to dive right into it. The series follows two timelines—one in which a high school soccer team must survive in the Canadian wilderness when their plane crashes over the mountains and do whatever it takes to make it out alive, and the other decades later, where the survivors are still dealing with the consequences of their actions.

The Last Of Us (2023 – Present)

If you want to talk about the best video game adaptations out there, I can think of nothing better than The Last of Us. Based on the video game franchise of the same name, The Last of Us follows Joel Miller, a survivor of a zombie outbreak, who is tasked with getting a teenager across the United States because she might be the cure for the rest of the world.

The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

I only put one miniseries on this list, but trust me when I say The Queen’s Gambit is the best miniseries to dive into. The series, based on the novel of the same name, follows the story of a young woman named Beth Harmon in the 1950s and 60s as she rises to fame as a chess player but also deals with substance abuse. The series was a huge hit and was a career-changing role for star Anya Taylor-Joy.

Barry (2018 – 2023)

I could go on about Barry for years. The series follows the life of a former U.S. Marine who takes on a new job as a hitman, but when he goes to California for a job, he finds himself drawn to the life of an actor and questioning his role in his life. The Barry cast is so talented, and all four seasons are so intense you’ll want to binge it for hours.

Alice In Borderland (2020 – Present)

Japan has always had some amazing dramas to dive into, and one that I love is Alice in Borderland. The series, based on the manga of the same name, follows the lives of two young people who work together to survive dangerous games in Tokyo. If they don’t succeed, they are killed by lasers shot from the sky. Yes, this is an intense drama, but it’s worth every second watching.

Breaking Bad (2008 – 2013)

I have to put Breaking Bad on this list. The famous AMC series follows the life of a high school science teacher who turns to a life of crime in order to provide for his family after his sudden cancer diagnosis. Considered one of the best dramas of all time, Breaking Bad is worth every second watching – and of course, the Breaking Bad cast is incredible as well.

Better Call Saul (2015 – 2022)

If you’ve seen Breaking Bad, then Better Call Saul is the subsequent drama that you should dive into. The series, which is a spinoff of Breaking Bad, follows the beginning years of the iconic lawyer, Saul Goodman, who originally began as Jimmy McGill. But throughout six seasons, we see him fall into a life of crime.

This Is Us (2016 – 2022)

This Is Us is one of those dramas that only comes once in a lifetime because, I swear, there is something that we can all connect to with this show. The series mainly revolves around the lives of three siblings and their connections to each other from across the United States, as well as seeing flashbacks of their past to growing up with their parents. It doesn’t sound like it would be dramatic, but trust me when I say you’ll find something to cry about with this show in the first episode.

The Sopranos (1999 – 2007)

The Sopranos is another great drama that I think everyone thinks of when they hear the word “crime.” The series, which comes from HBO, tells the story of Tony Soprano, a mobster from New Jersey, and how he deals with his personal and professional life with the mob and the problems he runs into.

Black Mirror (2011 – Present)

There are some excellent anthology shows out there, but Black Mirror is the type of drama that will have you on the edge of your seat. The series has different episodes each season, and all of them display some strange dystopian concepts in a not-so-far future that will truly shock and entertain you, from strange afterlives to how we view social media.

All Of Us Are Dead (2022 – Present)

South Korea has some of the best horror shows out there, and one that I will always recommend is All Of Us Are Dead. The series follows a group of high school students who must survive when a zombie outbreak begins within their walls and how they try to communicate to the outside world that they need help.

You (2018 – Present)

Oh, hello there, you. Yes, you, reading this, because surely, you’ll end up being the next thing Joe Goldberg is obsessed with. You is a drama that follows Joe, a seemingly normal man who falls in love way too quickly – and when he loves, he loves hard and will take out whoever threatens that relationship or your life.

Black Doves (2024 – Present)

Starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw, Black Doves is the latest spy thriller that will have you on the edge of your seats. The series follows a young woman whose identity is revealed, putting her life in danger. Her employers send an old friend to keep her safe, sending them on a whirlwind espionage adventure.

The Haunting Of Hill House (2018)

There are plenty of Mike Flanagan TV shows to check out on Netflix, but I always recommend The Haunting of Hill House before any of the others. The series alternates between two timelines: one of a family moving into a seemingly normal house with a dark past, and the next day, the family comes back together to face the darkness they had once encountered in their new home.

The Crown (2016 – 2023)

The Crown, which detailed the life of Queen Elizabeth II, had six seasons that followed her rise to become the monarch we all knew her as and how her reign changed as the decades progressed. The series earned several awards and nominations over its six-season run.

Dexter (2006 – 2013)

While plenty of people talk about the Dexter finale, the series itself is still a great drama to drive into. Following the titular character, Dexter is a blood splatter analyst by day and a serial killer by night, who uses his job to find horrible people and take them out as a way to suit his dark urges. But when one other killer starts to challenge him, he decides to take matters into his own hands and end them.

Succession (2018 – 2023)

HBO has been a huge producer of dramas for years, and Succession is hands down one of the best in the last decade. The series follows the Roy family, a hugely successful family that owns an entertainment conglomerate. Their lives are thrown upside down thanks to a health scare from their patriarch. Now, the question of who will own the company after he passes causes drama.

These are just some of the best dramas out there to check out – all of which are great ways to spend a weekend. I think it’s time for another binge. Who’s up for a marathon?

Well, I would say it is about time that an actor as talented as Cristin Milioti finally gets the attention she deserves. All it took was a role on one of the best 2024 TV shows, The Penguin, as Sofia Falcone. Let’s start there as I highlight my picks for the best Cristin Milioti movies and TV shows so far.

The Penguin (2024)

Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz

What it’s about: Oswald “Oz” Cobb plays opposite ends of the criminal underworld against each other, hoping to become the top gangster in Gotham City.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti TV shows: Set after the events of the 2022 live-action Batman movie, The Batman, The Penguin is an addictive crime drama that sees Cristin Milioti giving a chilling performance in the show-stealing role of the ruthless Sofia Falcone.

How to watch The Penguin

• Stream The Penguin on Max
• Buy The Penguin on Amazon

The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Jonah Hill

What it’s about: Manhattan stockbroker Jordan Belfort works his way up the corporate ladder by unethical means.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti movies: For one of her first major movie roles, Milioti scored big with a small but memorable part in one of the best Martin Scorsese movies, The Wolf of Wall Street, as Jordan Belfort’s first wife, Teresa Petrillo.

How to watch The Wolf of Wall Street

• Stream The Wolf of Wall Street on Paramount+ with Showtime add-on
• Rent or buy The Wolf of Wall Street on Amazon
• Buy The Wolf of Wall Street on Blu-ray on Amazon

How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)

Starring: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan, Cristin Milioti

What it’s about: In the future, Ted Mosby tells his children the story of how he became acquainted with the love of his life, which is supplemented with stories of his wild adventures in New York with his friends.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti TV shows: The identity of “The Mother” was finally revealed after Milioti joined the How I Met Your Mother cast for the ninth and final season of the clever and often insightful hit sitcom.

How to watch How I Met Your Mother

• Stream How I Met Your Mother on Netflix
• Stream How I Met Your Mother on Hulu
• Buy How I Met Your Mother on Amazon
• Buy How I Met Your Mother on DVD on Amazon

It Had To Be You (2015)

Director: Sasha Gordon

Starring: Cristin Milioti, Dan Soder

What it’s about: The sudden marriage proposal of her longtime boyfriend forces a young woman to consider what she truly wants from he future.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti movies: Following the end of How I Met Your Mother, Cristin Milioti got to lead her own funny love story as the star of the charming and smart romantic comedy movie, It Had to Be You.

How to watch It Had to Be You

• Stream It Had to Be You on Starz
• Rent or buy It Had to Be You on Amazon
• Buy It Had to Be You on DVD on Amazon

Fargo: Season 2 (2015)

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Patrick Wilson

What it’s about: A shooting in a Midwestern diner has life-changing effects on a cop, a young married couple, and a local crime organization.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti TV shows: The second season of Noah Hawley’s astonishing anthology TV show Fargo, loosely inspired by Joel and Ethan Coen’s Oscar-winning crime drama, features Cristin Milioti in the recurring role of Officer Lou Solverson’s ailing wife, Betsy.

How to watch Fargo: Season 2

• Stream Fargo: Season 2 on Hulu
• Buy Fargo: Season 2 on Amazon
• Buy Fargo: Season 2 on Blu-ray on Amazon

Black Mirror: U.S.S. Callister (2017)

Starring: Jesse Plemons, Cristin Milioti

What it’s about: A lonely computer programmer escapes into his own virtual world inspired by a classic sci-fi TV show where things are not quite what they seem.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti movies: Cristin Milioti would reunite with her Fargo Season 2 co-star Jesse Plemons in one of the best episodes of Black Mirror, “U.S.S. Callister,” in which she brings some irreverent and charming humor to the typically bleak horror anthology TV show from creator Charlie Brooker.

How to watch Black Mirror: U.S.S. Callister

• Stream Black Mirror: U.S.S. Callister on Netflix

Palm Springs (2020)

Director: Max Barbakow

Starring: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons

What it’s about: A disillusioned man and woman meet at a wedding and soon form an unlikely bond over a bizarre situation.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti movies: The less you know about Palm Springs the better, but I would say it is one of the best movies on Hulu for its refreshing take on a familiar concept, stellar wit, and a wonderful performance by Milioti.

How to watch Palm Springs

• Stream Palm Springs on Hulu

Death To 2020 (2020)

Director: Al Campbell, Alice Mathias

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Hugh Grant, Cristin Milioti

What it’s about: A look back on some of the uproarious and disastrous moments that befell the United States and the United Kingdom in the year 2020.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti movies: The actor appears as “self-described regular soccer mom” Kathy Flowers in Death to 2020 – a mockumentary-style satire reflecting on one of the most chaotic years in recent memory.

How to watch Death to 2020

• Stream Death to 2020 on Netflix

Death To 2021 (2021)

Director: Jack Clough, Josh Ruben

Starring: Hugh Grant, Lucy Liu, Cristin Milioti

What it’s about: A look back on some of the uproarious and disastrous moments that befell the United States and the United Kingdom in the year 2021.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti movies: Things do not appear to get much better for the world, as evident by the moments captured in the mockumentary sequel, Death to 2021, in which Milioti reprises her role as Kathy Flowers, who comments on her participation in the January 6th Insurrection.

How to watch Death to 2021

• Stream Death to 2021 on Netflix

The Resort (2022)

Starring: Cristin Milioti, William Jackson Harper

What it’s about: A couple stumbles upon a 15-year-old case of a mysterious disappearance while celebrating their wedding anniversary at a seemingly idyllic vacation spot.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti TV shows: Created by Andy Siara, one of the best TV shows on Peacock, The Resort, is an engaging mystery with a wild finale that will keep you in suspense and in awe of Milioti’s eclectic performance.

How to watch The Resort

• Stream The Resort on Peacock

Hit-Monkey (2021-2024)

Starring: Fred Tatasciore, Jason Sudeikis, Cristin Milioti

What it’s about: The ghost of an American assassin acts as a mentor to a Japanese snow monkey seeking revenge on Tokyo’s criminal underworld.

Why it is one of the best Cristin Milioti TV shows: Based on the Marvel comic, Hit-Monkey is a wild animated crime thriller series that sees the star join as Bryce McHenry’s estranged daughter, Iris, in Season 2.

How to watch Hit-Monkey

• Stream Hit-Monkey on Hulu

If we never see a Season 2 of The Penguin, at least we know we will see more of Cristin Milioti in the animated upcoming 2025 movie, In Your Dreams, and in Black Mirror Season 7, which will include a follow-up to “U.S.S. Callister.”

Say it ain’t so! We’re near the end of the year, meaning we only have a few 2025 Netflix movies and TV shows coming to our TVs, smartphones, and tablets.

If you want to know about all the 2025 movies, eagerly awaited upcoming TV shows, various comedy specials, live sports, and more documentaries than you can handle, then you have come to the right place. Below you will find all the 2025 Netflix movie and TV show release dates for originals that will soon be available for anyone with a Netflix subscription. Please note, all release times are at 3:01 a.m. ET unless noted, and all new series are listed in ALL CAPS.

December Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

The day fans have been waiting for (and dreading) for years will come at the end of December when Stranger Things airs its final episode. However, it's not all tears, as Netflix has some other promising movies and shows coming out before the end of 2025, including Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.

Monday, December 1

All the Empty Rooms (Documentary)
LOVE IS BLIND: ITALY (Series)
My Next Guest with David Letterman and Adam Sandler (Series)
Troll 2 (Film)

Wednesday, December 3

My Secret Santa (Film)

Friday, December 5

Jay Kelly (Film)
The New Yorker at 100 (Documentary)
The Night My Dad Saved Christmas 2 (Film)
Owning Manhattan Season 2 (Series)

Thursday, December 11

Lost in the Spotlight (Film)

Friday, December 12

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Film)

Friday, December 19

Breakdown: 1975 (Documentary)
The Great Flood (Film)

Monday, December 22

Elway (Documentary)

Wednesday, December 24

Goodbye June

Thursday, December 25

Christmas Gameday: Cowboys vs. Commanders (Sports)
Christmas Gameday: Lions vs. Vikings (Sports)
Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 (Series)

Tuesday, December 30

Cover-Up (Documentary)
Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story (Documentary)

Wednesday, December 31

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 3 (Series)

2025 Netflix Movie And TV Release Date TBD

While the list of Netflix original movies and TV shows features a lot of ironed-out dates, there are a number of announced projects that have yet to receive a release date at the time of this writing. With shows like Black Mirror, Wednesday, and the final season of Stranger Things all slated to hit at some point in 2025, we have a lot to look forward to in the coming months.

• The Choice (Series)
• The Undertow (Series)
• Mystery (Film)
• The Witness (Series)

January 2025 Netflix Movie And TV Release Dates

The new year kicked off with quite a bang when WWE's flagship show, Monday Night Raw, moved to Netflix. But that wasn't the only big premiere for January 2025, as Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, new docuseries, and the return of The Night Agent became available.

Wednesday, January 1
MISSING YOU (Series)

Thursday, January 2
Cunk on Life (Film)
Stranded with my Mother-in-Law Season 2 (Series)

Friday, January 3
Bandidos Season 2 (Series)
LOVE IS BLIND: GERMANY (Series)
SHAFTED (Series)
SELLING THE CITY (Series)
Umjolo: My Beginning, My End! (Film)
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Film)

Saturday, January 4
WHEN THE STARS GOSSIP (Series)

Monday, January 6
My Happy Marriage Season 2 (Anime)
WWE Raw (Live Sports Entertainment)

Tuesday, January 7
THE BREAKTHROUGH (Series)
Gabriel Iglesias: Legend of Fluffy (Comedy Special)
JERRY SPRINGER: FIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION (Docuseries)

Wednesday, January 8
Dubai Bling Season 3 (Series)
Fake Profile Season 2 (Series)
HOUND'S HILL (Series)
I am a Killer Season 6 (Series)
SUBTERAN (Series)

Thursday, January 9
AMERICAN PRIMEVAL (Limited Series)
ASURA (Series)
I AM ILARY (Series)
The Upshaws Season 6 (Series)

Friday, January 10
Ad Vitam (Film)
Alpha Males Season 3 (Series)

Saturday, January 11
SAKAMOTO DAYS (Anime)

Tuesday, January 14
Ari Shaffir: America's Sweetheart (Comedy Special)
Single's Inferno Season 4 (Series)

Wednesday, January 15
PUBLIC DISORDER (Series)

Thursday, January 16
Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 (Series)
LOVERS ANONYMOUS (Series)
XO, Kitty Season 2

Friday, January 17
Back in Action (Film)
Incognito (Film)
Young, Famous & African Season 3 (Series)

Sunday, January 19

Love Is Blind: Germany: The Reunion (Special)

Wednesday, January 22
W.A.G.S TO RICHES (Series)

Thursday, January 23
The Night Agent Season 2 (Series)

Friday, January 24
The Sand Castle (Film)
SHAFTED (Series)
THE TRAUMA CODE: HEROES ON CALL (Series)

Monday, January 27

MS. RACHEL (Series)

Tuesday, January 28
Liza Treyger: Night Owl (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, January 29
THE HOOLIGAN (Series)
Six Nations: Full Contact Season 2 (Series)

Thursday, January 30
Mo Season 2 (Series)
The Recruit Season 2 (Series)
The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse Season 2 (Anime)

Friday, January 31
High Tides Season 2 (Series)
Lucca's World (Film)
The Snow Girl Season 2 (Series)

February 2025 Netflix Movie And TV Release Dates

The final part of Cobra Kai Season 6, and the conclusion of the series, premiered in February 2025, bringing an end to one of the best Netflix original series. But it wasn’t all bad news for subscribers, as we saw the return of other fan-favorites and a pair of new arrivals.

Monday, February 3

Bogota: City of the Lost (Film)

Wednesday, February 5
CELEBRITY BEAR HUNT (Series)
Envious Season 2 (Series)
Kinda Pregnant (Film)
PRISON CELL 211 (Series)
Sintonia Season 5 (Series)

Thursday, February 6
APPLE CIDE VINEGAR (Series)
THE ARE MURDERS (Series)
CASSANDRA (Limited Series)
GOLDEN KAMUY - THE HUNT OF PRISONERS IN HOKKAIDO (Series)
Sweet Magnolias Season 4 (Series)

Friday, February 7
THE GREATEST RIVALRY: INDIA VS. PAKISTAN (Series)
Pokemon Horizons: The Series Season 5 (Series)
Wrong Side of the Tracks Season 4 (Series)

Tuesday, February 11
Felipe Esparza: Raging Fool (Comedy Special)
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep (Film)

Wednesday, February 12

Death Before the Wedding (Film)
Honeymoon Crasher (Film)

Thursday, February 13
Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 3 (Series)
Dog Days Out (Film)
The Exchange Season 2 (Series)
La Dolce Villa (Film)

Friday, February 14
I AM MARRIED... BUT! (Series)
Love is Blind Season 8 (Series)
MELO MOVIE (Series)
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (Film)
Umjolo: There is no Cure (Film)
Valeria Season 4 (Series)

Monday, February 17

Gabby's Dollhouse Season 11 (Series)

Tuesday, February 18
COURT OF GOLD (Series)
OFFLINE LOVE (Series)
Rosebud Baker: The Mother Lode (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, February 19
MY FAMILY (Series)

Thursday, February 20
ZERO DAY (Limited Series)

Sunday, February 23
The 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (Awards Ceremony)

Tuesday, February 25
Full Swing Season 3 (Series)

Wednesday, February 26
Miss Italia Musn't Die (Documentary)

Thursday, February 27
Demon City (Film)
RUNNING POINT (Series)
TOXIC TOWN (Series)
The Wrong Track (Film)

Friday, February 28
AITANA: METAMORPHOSIS (Series)
Squad 36 (Film)

March Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

With long-awaited Netflix originals like The Electric State, all kinds of series from the United States and abroad, and a documentary about one of the biggest natural disasters in America’s history, there’s a lot going on.

Saturday, March 1

THE POTATO LAB (Series)

Monday, March 3

Hot Wheels Let's Race Season 3 (Series)

Tuesday, March 4

Andrew Schulz: LIFE (Comedy Special)
WITH LOVE, MEGHAN (Series)

Wednesday, March 5

JUST ONE LOOK (Series)
THE LEOPARD (Series) MEDUSA (Series)

Thursday, March 6

Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black Season 1 Part 2 (Series)
Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta (Documentary)
LOVE IS BLIND: SWEDEN: AFTER THE ALTAR (Series)

Friday, March 7

Chaos: The Manson Murders (Documentary)
Delicious (Film)
Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 7 (Series)
Nadaaniyan (Film)
Plankton: The Movie (Film)
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU TANGERINES (Series)

Monday, March 10

American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden (Documentary)

Wednesday, March 12

Everybody's Live with John Mulaney (Live Event)
TEMPTATION ISLAND (Series)
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY (Series)

Thursday, March 13

ADOLESCENCE (Series)
Love is Blind: Sweden Season 2 (Series)

Friday, March 14

The Electric State (Film)

Monday, March 17

CoComelon Lane Season 4 (Series)
Inside Season 2 (Series)

Wednesday, March 19

Twister: Caught in the Storm (Documentary)
Woman of the Dead Season 2 (Series)

Thursday, March 20

BET YOUR LIFE (Series)
KHAKEE: THE BENGAL CHAPTER (Series)
THE RESIDENCE (Series)
WOLF KING (Series)

Friday, March 21

GO! (Series)
High Tides Season 2 (Series)
Revelations (Film)
Little Siberia (Film)

Tuesday, March 25

Chelsea Handler: The Feeling (Comedy Special)
Con Mum (Film)

Wednesday, March 26

CAUGHT (Series)
MILLION DOLLAR SECRET (Series)

Thursday, March 27

Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn's Treasure (Documentary)
Survival of the Thickest Season 2 (Series)

Friday, March 28

THE LADY'S COMPANION (Series)
The Life List (Film)

Monday, March 31

Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer (Documentary)
Promised Hearts (Film)
Rhythm + Flow Italy Season 2 (Series)

April Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

With the fifth and final season of You premiering on Netflix this April, there’s a lot to look forward to this spring. But that isn't all, as the long-awaited Havoc action thriller starring Tom Hardy and directed by The Raid’s Gareth Evans, will finally land on the platform after years of being teased.

Tuesday, April 1

Jewel Thief - The Heist Beings (Film)
Nimesh Patel: Instant Karma (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, April 2

Banger (Film)
GARNACHAS: GLORIOUS STREET FOOD (Series)
Love on the Spectrum: U.S. Season 3 (Series)

Thursday, April 3

DEVIL MAY CRY (Series)
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Season 3 (Series)
PULSE (Series)

Friday, April 4

KARMA (Series)
Test (Film)

Monday, April 7

BLIPPI’S JOB SHOW (Series)
Kill Tony (Comedy Special)

Tuesday, April 8

THE CLUBHOUSE: A YEAR WITH THE RED SOX (Series)
How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) Season 4 (Series)
KIAN’S BIZARRE B&B (Series)
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman Season 5 Part 2 (Talk Show)

Wednesday, April 9

BAD INFLUENCE: THE DARK SIDE OF KIDFLUENCING (Series)
The Dad Quest (Film)
Unicorn Academy Chapter 3 (Series)

Thursday, April 10

Black Mirror Season 7 (Series)
Frozen Hot Boys (Film)
Moonrise (Anime)
NORTH OF NORTH (Series)

Friday, April 11

THE GARDENER (Series)
Meet the Khumalos (Film)

Saturday, April 12

RESIDENT PLAYBOOK (Series)

Tuesday, April 15

THE GLASS DOME (Series)

Wednesday, April 16

The Diamond Heist (Series)
I AM NOT MENDOZA (Series)
PROJECT UFO (Series)

Thursday, April 17

ISTANBUL ENCYLOPEDIA (Series)
RANSOM CANYON (Series)

Friday, April 18

iHostage (Film)
Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror (Documentary)

Saturday, April 19

HEAVENLY EVER AFTER (Series)

Monday, April 21

Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey (Documentary)

Wednesday, April 23

A TRAGEDY FORETOLD: FLIGHT 3054 (Docuseries)
BATTLE CAMP (Series)
Bullet Train Explosion (Film)
CARLOS ALCARAZ: MY WAY (Series)

Thursday, April 24

You Season 5 (Series)

Friday, April 25

Havoc (Film)
Pokemon Horizons Season 2 - The Search for Laque Part 2 (Series)

Monday, April 28

Chef's Table: Legends (Documentary)

Wednesday, April 30

ASTERIX & OBELIX: THE BIG FIGHT (Series)
THE ETERNAUT (Series)
Exterritorial (Film)
TURNING POINT: THE VIETNAM WAR (Docuseries)

May Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

With another addition to the Too Hot to Handle franchise (this time in Italy), the debut of Sirens, and a new Fear Street movie, May was a killer month for Netflix.

Thursday, May 1

ANGI: FAKE LIFE, TRUE CRIME (Documentary Series)
The Biggest Fan (Film)
THE FOUR SEASONS (Series)

Friday, May 2

Unseen Season 2 (Series)

Sunday, May 4

Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (Special)

Monday, May 5

Britain and the Blitz (Documentary)
Mighty Monsterwheelies Season 2 (Series)

Tuesday, May 6

The Devil's Plan Season 2 (Series)
Untold: Shooting Guards (Documentary)

Wednesday, May 7

Full Speed Season 2 (Series)
Last Bullet (Film)

Thursday, May 8

Blood of Zeus Season 3 (Series)
FOREVER (Series)
Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful (Documentary)

Friday, May 9

A Deadly American Marriage (Documentary)
Nonnas (Film)
Bad Influence (Film)
THE ROYALS (Series)

Tuesday, May 13

BAD THOUGHTS (Series)
Untold: The Liver King (Documentary)

Wednesday, May 14

AMERICAN MANHUNT: OSAMA BIN LADEN (Series)
FRED AND ROSE WEST: A BRITISH HORROR STORY (Series)

Thursday, May 15

BET (Series)
FRANKLIN (Series)
Love, Death & Robots Season 4 (Series)
Pernille Season 5 (Series)
SECRETS WE KEEP (Series)
Thank You, Next Season 2 (Series)
Vini Jr. (Documentary)

Friday, May 16

DEAR HONGRANG (Series)
FOOTBALL PARENTS (Series)
The Quilters (Documentary)
ROTTEN LEGACY (Series)

Tuesday, May 20

Sarah Silverman: Postmortem (Comedy Special)
Untold: The Fall of Favre (Documentary)

Wednesday, May 21

NEWLY RICH, NEWLY POOR (Series)
REAL MEN (Series)
SNEAKY LINKS: DATING AFTER DARK (Series)

Thursday, May 22

SIRENS (Series)
TYLER PERRY'S SHE THE PEOPLE (Series)

Friday, May 23

Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds (Documentary)
Big Mouth Season 8 (Series)
Fear Street: Prom Queen (Film)
FORGET ME NOT (Series)
Off Track 2 (Film)

Saturday, May 24

OUR UNWRITTEN SEOUL (Series)

Monday, May 26

CoComelon Season 13 (Series)
Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders (Documentary)
Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, May 28

FI: THE ACADEMY (Series)

Thursday, May 29

DEPT. Q (Series)

Friday, May 30

The Heart Knows (Film)
A Widow's Game (Film)

Saturday, May 31

Netflix Tudum: The Live Event (Live Event)

June Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

The third and final season of Squid Game debuted on Netflix in June 2025, but that wasn't the only thing that hit the platform as the summer got underway.

Tuesday, June 3

SARA - WOMAN IN THE SHADOWS (Series)

Wednesday, June 4

Criminal Code Season 2 (Series)
Eva Lasting Season 3 (Series)
POWER MOVES WITH SHAQUILLE O'NEAL (Series)

Thursday, June 5

Barracuda Queens Season 2 (Series)
Ginny & Georgia Season 3 (Series)
Tires Season 2 (Series)

Friday, June 6

K.O. (Film)
MERCY FOR NONE (Series)
Tyler Perry's Straw (Film)
THE SURVIVORS (Series)

Monday, June 9

The Creature Cases Season 5 (Series)

Tuesday, June 10

FAMILIES LIKE OURS (Series)
Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy (Documentary)

Wednesday, June 11

ANIELA (Series)
Cheers to Life (Film)
Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft. (Documentary)
Our Times (Film)
Titan: The OceanGate Disaster (Documentary)

Thursday, June 12

FUBAR Season 2 (Series)

Friday, June 13

Kings of Jo'Burg Season 3 (Series)
Too Hot to Handle: Spain (Series)

Tuesday, June 17

Justin Willman: Magic Lover (Comedy Special)
Kaulitz & Kaulitz Season 2 (Series)
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem (Documentary)

Wednesday, June 18

America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Season 2 (Series)
Rosario Tijeras Season 4 (Series)
Somebody Feed Phil Season 8 (Series)
YOLANTHE (Series)

Thursday, June 19

THE WATERFRONT (Series)

Friday, June 20

KPop Demon Hunter (Anime)
OLYMPO (Series)
Semi-Soeter (Film)

Tuesday, June 24

Steph Tolev: Filth Queen (Comedy Special)
Trainwreck: Poop Cruise (Documentary)

Thursday, June 26

The Ultimatum: Queer Love Season 2 (Series)

Friday, June 27

Pokemon Horizons Season 2 -- The Search for Laqua Part 3 (Anime)
Squid Game Season 3 (Series)

July Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

A sequel nearly 30 years in the making will finally come out in July when Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore II hits the streaming service. But that isn’t the only big movie on the way, as The Old Guard 2 is here with the next set of adventures for Charlize Theron’s band of immortal warriors.

Wednesday, July 2

The Old Guard 2 (Film)
Tour de France: Unchained Season 3 (Series)

Thursday, July 3

COUNTDOWN: TAYLOR VS. SERRANO (Series)
The Sandman Season 2 Part 1 (Series)

Friday, July 4

All the Sharks (Documentary)

Saturday, July 5

The Summer Hikaru Died (Anime)

Tuesday, July 8

BETTER LATE THAN SINGLE (Series)
Nate Jackson: Super Funny (Comedy Special)
Quarterback Season 2 (Series)
Trainwreck: The Real Project X (Documentary)

Wednesday, July 9

BUILDING THE BAND (Series)
THE GRINGO HUNTERS (Series)
UNDER A DARK SUN (Series)
Ziam (Film)

Thursday, July 10

7 Bears (Film)
Brick (Film)
Leviathan (Anime)
OFF ROAD (Series)
TOO MUCH (Series)

Friday, July 11

Aap Jaisa Koi (Film)
Almost Cops (Film)
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 (Boxing)
Tyler Perry's Madea's Destination Wedding (Film)

Monday, July 14

Apocalypse in the Tropics (Documentary)
Sakamoto Days Season 1 Part 2 (Anime)

Tuesday, July 15

Trainwreck: Balloon Boy (Documentary)

Wednesday, July 16

Amy Bradley is Missing (Documentary)

Thursday, July 17

CATALOG (Series)
Community Squad Season 2 (Series)
UNTAMED (Series)

Friday, July 18

Almost Family (Film)
DELIRIUM (Series)
I'm Still a Superstar (Documentary)
SUPERSTAR (Series)
Vir Das: Fool Volume (Comedy Special)
Wall to Wall (Film)

Tuesday, July 22

Trainwreck: P.I. Moms (Documentary)

Wednesday, July 23

Critical: Between Life and Death (Documentary)
LETTERS FROM THE PAST (Series)

Thursday, July 24

A Normal Woman (Film)
HITMAKERS (Series)
My Melody & Kuromi (Anime)
The Sandman Season 2 Part 2 (Series)

Friday, July 25

Happy Gilmore II (Film)
TRIGGER (Series)
THE WINNING TRY (Series)

Tuesday, July 29

Dusty Slay: Wet Heat (Comedy Special)
Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 (Documentary)
WWE: Unreal (Docuseries)

Wednesday, July 30

Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes (Documentary)
UNSPEAKABLE SINS (Series)

Thursday, July 31

An Honest Life (Film)
GLASS HEART (Series)
LEANNE (Series)
MARKED (Series)
The Sandman Season 2 Special Episode (Series)

August Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

At long last, Wednesday Season 2 will debut on Netflix this August. But we won't get to experience the long-awaited return in one go, as we'll have to wait until September to see how things end for Jenna Ortega's titular character.

Friday, August 1

My Oxford Year (Film)
Perfect Match Season 3 (Series)

Saturday, August 2
BEYOND THE BAR (Series)

Tuesday, August 5

SEC FOOTBALL: ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (Series)

Wednesday, August 6

Wednesday Season 2 Part I (Series)

Friday, August 8

Stolen: Heist of the Century (Documentary)

Tuesday, August 12

FINAL DRAFT (Series)
Jim Jeffries: Two Limb Policy (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, August 13

Fixed (Film)
Love Is Blind: UK Season 2 (Series)
SAARE JAHAN SE ACCHA: THE SILENT GUARDIANS (Series)
Songs from the Hole (Documentary)
YOUNG MILLIONAIRES (Series)

Thursday, August 14

IN THE MUD (Series)
Miss Governor Part 2 (Series)
Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (Anime)

Friday, August 15

The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies (Documentary)
Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser (Documentary)
Night Always Comes (Film)

Monday, August 18

CoComelon Lane Season 5 (Series)

Tuesday, August 19

AMERICA'S TEAM: THE GAMBLER AND HIS COWBOYS (Series)

Wednesday, August 20

RIVERS OF FATE (Series)

Thursday, August 21

Death Inc. Season 3 (Series)
Fall for Me (Film)
Gold Rush Gang (Film)
HOSTAGE (Series)
One Hit Wonder (Film)

Friday, August 22

Abandoned Man (Film)
LONG STORY SHORT (Series)
The Truth About Jussie Smollett? (Documentary)

Wednesday, August 27

Fantasy Football Ruined Our Lives (Film)

Thursday, August 28

Babie Mysteries: Beach Detective (Film)
My Life with the Walter Boys Season 2 (Series)
The Thursday Murder Club (Film)

Friday, August 29

TWO GRAVES (Series)
Unknown Number: The High School Catfish

September Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

A little less than a month after Wednesday Season 2 premiered on Netflix, fans got to see how the story concludes when Part 2 dropped in the early part of September.

Wednesday, September 3

Wednesday Season 2 Part 2 (Series)

Thursday, September 4

Pokemon Concierge: Episodes 5-8 (Series)

Friday, September 5

Inspector Zende (Film)
LOVE CON REVENGE (Series)

Sunday, September 7

THE FRAGRANT FLOWER BLOOMS WITH DIGNITY (Series)

Wednesday, September 8

DR. SEUSS'S RED FISH, BLUE FISH (Series)
Her Mother's Killer Season 2 (Series)

Tuesday, September 9

Jordan Jensen: Take Me with You (Comedy Special)
KISS OR DIE (Series)

Wednesday, September 10

aka Charlie Sheen (Documentary)
THE DEAD GIRLS (Series)
Love is Blind: Brazil Season 5 (Series)
LOVE IS BLIND: FRANCE (Series)

Thursday, September 11

DIARY OF A DITCHED GIRL (Series)
Kontrabida Academy (Film)
Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black Season 2 (Series)
Wolf King Season 2 (Series)

Friday, September 12

Beauty and the Bester (Documentary)
MALEDICTIONS (Series)
The Wrong Paris (Film)
YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE (Series)

Saturday, September 13

Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford (Boxing)

Wednesday, September 17

1670 Season 2 (Series)
Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen (Documentary)
Next Gen Chef (Series)

Thursday, September 18

THE BA***DS OF BOLLYWOODS (Series)
BLACK RABBIT (Series)
PLATONIC: BLUE MOON HOTEL (Series)
Same Day with Someone (Film)

Friday, September 19

BILLIONAIRES' BUNKER (Series)
HAUNTED HOTEL (Series)
She Said Maybe (Film)

Monday, September 22

Blippi's Job Show Season 2 (Series)

Tuesday, September 23

Cristela Alonzo: Upper Classy (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, September 24

THE GUEST (Series)

Thursday, September 25

Alice in Borderland Season 3 (Series)
HOUSE OF GUINNESS (Series)
WAYWARD (Series)

Friday, September 26

ANGELA: LIMITED SERIES (Series)
French Lover (Film)
Pokemon Horizons Season 2 -- The Search for Laqua Part 4 (Series)
Ruth & Boaz (Film)

Tuesday, September 30

Earthquake: Joke Telling Business (Comedy Special)
Nightmares of Nature: Cabin in the Woods (Documentary)

October Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

With an assortment of original Netflix movies on the way, as well as a growing list of new and returning shows, the platform is going to be hot as the fall weather kicks in.

Wednesday, October 1

Love is Blind Season 9 (Series)
RIV4LRIES (Series)

Thursday, October 2

DUDES (Series)
THE GAME: YOU NEVER PLAY ALONE (Series)
Rockstar: DUKI From the End of the World (Documentary)

Friday, October 3

GENIE, MAKE A WISH (Series)
MONSTER: THE ED GEIN SERIES (Series)
THE NEW FORCE (Series)
OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS (Series)
Rhythm + Flow France: After the Beat (Documentary)
Steve (Film)

Saturday, October 4

Ranma 1/2 Season 2 (Series)

Monday, October 6

DR. SEUSS'S HORTON! (Series)

Tuesday, October 7

True Haunting (Documentary)

Wednesday, October 8

Caramelo (Film)
IS IT CAKE? HALLOWEEN (Series)
NERO THE ASSASSIN (Series)

Thursday, October 9

BOOTS (Series)
THE RESURRECTED (Series)
Victoria Becekham (Documentary)

Friday, October 10

KURUKSHETRA: THE WAR OF MAHABHARATA (Series)
My Father, the BTK Killer (Documentary)
OLD MONEY (Series)
Swim to Me (Film)
The Woman In Cabin 10 (Film)

Saturday, October 11

TYPHOON FAMILY (Series)

Tuesday, October 14

Everybody Loves Me When I'm Dead (Film)
SPLINTER CELL: DEATHWATCH (Series)

Wednesday, October 15

Inside Furioza (Film)
NO ONE SAW US LEAVE (Series)
Six Kings Slam 2025 (Live Event)

Thursday, October 16

The Diplomat Season 3 (Series)
ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS (Series)
Starting 5 Season 2 (Sports Series)
The Time That Remains (Film)

Friday, October 17

27 Nights (Film)
Good News (Film)
The Perfect Neighbor (Documentary)
She Walks in Darkness (Film)
Turn of the Tide Season 2 (Series)
Turn of the Tide: The Surreal Story of Rabo de Peixe (Documentary)
The Twits (Movie)

Tuesday, October 21

Michelle Wolf: The Well (Comedy Special)
Who Killed the Montreal Expos? (Documentary)

Wednesday, October 22

MOB WAR: PHILADELPHIA VS. THE MAFIA (Docuseries)
THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE (Series)

Thursday, October 23

The Elixir (Film)
Nobody Wants This Season 2 (Series)

Friday, October 24

A House of Dynamite (Film)

Saturday, October 25

THE DREAM LIFE OF MR. KIM (Series)

Monday, October 27

THE ASSET (Series)

Tuesday, October 28

Babo: The Haftbefehl Story (Documentary)
Mo Amer: Wild World (Comedy Special)
Nightmares of Nature: Lost in the Jungle (Documentary)

Wednesday, October 29

Ballad of a Small Player (Film)
RULERS OF FORTUNE (Series)
Selling Sunset Season 9 (Series)

Thursday, October 30

Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers (Documentary)
AMSTERDAM EMPIRE (Series)
Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will (Documentary)
SON OF A DONKEY (Series)
THE Witcher Season 4 (Series)

Friday, October 31

BAD INFLUENCER (Series)
Breathless Season 2 (Series)
Rhythm + Flow France Season 4 (Series)

November Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

At long last, the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, or at least the first of three volumes, will land on Netflix this November.

Saturday, November 1

Dr. Seuss's The Sneeches (Film)
In Waves and War (Documentary)

Tuesday, November 4

Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things (Comedy Special)
Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 (Series)

Thursday, November 6

THE BAD GUYS: BREAKING IN (Series)
DEATH BY LIGHTNING (Series)
The Vince Staples Show Season 2 (Series)

Friday, November 7

AS YOU STOOD BY (Series)
Baramulla (Film)
Frankenstein (Film)
Groom & Two Brides (Film)
Mango (Film)

Saturday, November 8

Countdown: Jake vs. Tank (Docuseries)

Monday, November 10

Marines (Documentary)
Sesame Street Volume 1 (Series)

Wednesday, November 12

A Merry Little Ex-Mas (Film)
Being Eddie (Documentary)
DYNAMITE KISS (Series)
Eloa the Hostage: Live on TV (Documentary)
MRS. PLAYMEN (Series)
Selling the OC Season 4 (Series)

Thursday, November 13

THE BEAST IN ME (Series)
Delhi Crime Season 3 (Series)
HAD I NOT SEEN THE SUN (Series)
LAST SAMURAI STANDING (Series)

Friday, November 14

THE CRYSTAL CUCKOO (Series)
In Your Dreams (Film)
Letter: The Story of the Ordinarius (Film)
Nouvelle Vague (Film)

Monday, November 17

Gabby's Dollhouse Season 12 (Series)
Selena y Los Dinos (Documentary)

Tuesday, November 18

Gerry Dee: Funny You Should Say That (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, November 19

The Carman Family Deaths (Documentary)
Champagne Problems (Film)
Envious Season 3 (Series)
The Son of a Thousand Men (Film)

Thursday, November 20

A Man on the Inside Season 2 (Series)
The Follies (Film)
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays Season 8 (Series)
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Season 4 (Series)

Friday, November 21

ONE SHOT with Ed Sheeran (Film)
Train Dreams (Film)

Monday, November 24

Missing: Dead or Alive Season 2 (Series)

Tuesday, November 25

Is It Cake? Holiday Season 2 (Series)

Wednesday, November 26

Jingle Bell Heist (Film)
Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 (Series)

Friday, November 28

Left-Handed Girl (Film)
The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo (Documentary)

Expect to hear more about even more 2025 Netflix movie and TV release dates in the coming weeks and months. But in the meantime, it's never a bad idea to watch some of the best movies on Netflix or binge one or two of the best Netflix shows.

The best uses of music in movies and TV shows have typically changed the way we perceive the songs in question forever, especially if the normally jovial tune is heard during or relates to a particularly intense or disturbing scene. Because of the way the following titles used some of the happiest radio hits of all time, we can never hear them again without our hearts skipping a beat.

Zodiac ("Hurdy Gurdy Man" - Donovan)

The opening scene of Zodiac depicts a horrifying crime by the eponymous killer, accompanied by an otherwise relaxing folk ballad from 1968 called "Hurdy Gurdy Man." Coincidentally, Ione Skye, the daughter of the song's writer and performer, Donovan, makes an uncredited appearance in David Fincher's great true crime movie from 2007 as Zodiac Killer witness Kathleen Johns.

Black Mirror ("Anyone Who Knows What Love Is Will Understand" - Irma Thomas)

In one of the best episodes of Black Mirror (Season 1's "Fifteen Million Merits), Abi (Jessica Brown Findlay) auditions for Hot Shot by singing "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is Will Understand." Following this memorable scene from the sci-fi anthology series, the 1964 Irma Thomas hit would be featured in some capacity in every season since, offering plenty more reasons to feel unsettled by the feel-good romance tune.

The Silence Of The Lambs (“Goodbye Horses” - Q Lazzarus)

According to the original writer of "Goodbye Horses," William Garvey, the 1988 one-hit-wonder performed by Q Lazzarus is about “the ability to lift one’s perception above [their] physical limitations." In that case, its inclusion in the terrifying Best Picture Oscar winner, The Silence of the Lambs, as serial killer Jame “Buffalo Bill” Gumb (Ted Levine) embraces his femininity through dance is a perfect match.

Halloween ("(Don't Fear) The Reaper" - Blue Öyster Cult)

To be fair, the lyrics to Blue Öyster Cult’s signature 1976 hit “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” are not the happiest, referencing a romance destined to end similar to that of Romeo and Juliet. However, the world might have been less receptive to its creepier themes if not for its inclusion in one of the best horror movies of all time, 1978's Halloween, as Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Annie Brackett (Nancy Kyes) are unwittingly being tiled Haddonfield’s own “reaper,” Michael Myers.

Watchmen ("The Times They Are A-Changin'" - Bob Dylan)

There is a dark thematic tone to most of Bob Dylan's earlier work, especially his 1962 breakthrough hit, "The Times They Are A-Changin'." The folk ballad's message of a society experiencing a revolution comes through effectively while playing over the opening titles of 2009's Watchmen, which traces the ups and downs of superheroes' contributions to history in the world Alan Moore's seminal graphic novel.

American Psycho (“Hip To Be Square” - Huey Lewis And The News)

Pop culture's most famous Huey Lewis and the News fan would have to be Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), who provides an impassioned analysis of 1986's "Hip to Be Square," and the Fore! album in general, as he prepares to murder his colleague, Paul Allen (Jared Leto) in his apartment. Lewis himself would pay tribute to the memorable moment from American Psycho in a Funny or Die bit in which he exuberantly analyzes the 2000 psychological thriller as he prepares to murder “Weird Al” Yankovic.

Insidious ("Tiptoe Through The Tulips" - Tiny Tim)

For years, the only creepy aspect of Tiny Tim's version of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" was that the high-pitched vocalist was actually a lanky, 6'1" man. These days, since its prominent use in the first Insidious movie from 2011, audiences cannot help but picture the demonic "Man with Fire on His Face" when the romantic ukulele ballad plays.

American Horror Story ("Tonight You Belong To Me" - Patience & Prudence)

The best-known version of writers Billy Rose and Lee David's "Tonight You Belong to Me" is by young sisterly duo Patience & Prudence, which became even more famous in 2011, thanks to American Horror Story. The playful 1956 tune about making the most of your time with a loved one appeared in four episodes of the horror anthology TV show's premiere season from 2011, taking place in a haunted house with an extensive history of murders.

Beetlejuice ("Banana Boat (Day-O)” - Harry Belafonte)

In 1988's Beetlejuice, the ghostly Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara Maitland (Geena Davis) attempt to scare off the Deetzes (Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara) by possessing them and their party guests into dancing and lip-synching to Harry Belafonte’s “Banana Boat (Day-O).” While the scene did not necessarily make the 1956 Calypso hit creepy, it would be forever entwined with the classic horror-comedy movie – a fact that Belafonte told Pitchfork he enjoyed.

Reservoir Dogs ("Stuck In The Middle With You" - Stealers Wheel)

The first of many iconic musical moments in Quentin Tarantino's movies occurs in 1992's Reservoir Dogs, when Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) puts on K-Billy's Super Sounds of the '70s (which starts playing "Stuck In The Middle With You") and proceeds to torture Officer Marvin Nash (Kirk Baltz). We doubt there is a single person who can listen to Stealers Wheel's upbeat, 1973 rock single without imagining the criminal slicing the cop's ear off, even though that moment is thankfully kept off camera.

A Clockwork Orange (“Singin' In The Rain”)

If there is one cinematic use of 1929's "Singin' in the Rain" as, if not more, iconic as Gene Kelly's performance in the eponymous 1952 musical, it would be the rendition heard in A Clockwork Orange. As Alex DeLarge, Malcolm McDowell belts out the song about happiness that even weather cannot deter during one of the most unspeakably brutal moments from the 1971 Stanley Kubrick movie.

Stranger Things ("Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" - Kate Bush)

There have been many memorable musical moments from Stranger Things but none as impactful as its uses of "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" in Season 4, which made Kate Bush's definitive track more popular than ever. The English art pop queen’s 1985 ballad first helps rescue Max (Sadie Sink) from Vecna's trance before a remixed reprise accompanies the disparate gang's multi-faceted defeat of the villain in the action-packed finale.

10 Cloverfield Lane ("I Think We're Alone Now" - Tommy James & The Shondells)

While it experienced a new life in the 1980s with Tiffany's cover, the original version of "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tommy James & The Shondells was reintroduced to modern audiences via 10 Cloverfield Lane. The cute pop tune about a couple enjoying their time on their own took on a whole new meaning when it appeared in the 2016 thriller, which takes place in an underground bunker inhabited by survivors of an unknown disaster.

Supernatural ("Carry On, Wayward Son" - Kansas)

"Carry On, Wayward Son" by Kansas would become the de facto theme for Supernatural after it was used in the season finale following the first one. In fact, the series finale of the hit series, following the adventures of paranormal hunters Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), was named "Carry On," after the 1976 rock epic.

Get Out (“Run Rabbit Run” - Flanagan And Allen)

Originally released in the late 1930s and a hit during World War II, "Run Rabbit Run" became iconic to modern horror movie audiences as the first song featured in Jordan Peele's Oscar-winning 2017 thriller Get Out. The song is heard coming from the car that sneaks up on Andre Hayworth (LaKeith Stanfield), who tries to walk in the opposite direction before getting abducted.

Halloween II (“Mr. Sandman” - Chordettes)

The second installment of the Halloween franchise from 1981 opens in an unexpected manner. Instead of John Carpenter's unmistakable score, we hear the Chordettes' endearing doo-wop hit, "Mr. Sandman," which might have had a more endurable reputation as a retroactively creepy song if not for its use in the time travel movie classic, Back to the Future, four years later.

Kill Bill Vol. 1 ("Woo Hoo" - The 5.6.7.8's)

Before blood hits the screen at the House of Blue Leaves in 2003's Kill Bill Vol. 1, things are peaceful at the Japanese eatery. One major reason why is because the guests are treated to the head-knocking rock 'n roll song, "Woo Hoo," by The 5.6.7.8's, whom Quentin Tarantino discovered while shopping in Japan and wound up casting in the violent revenge movie.

Jeepers Creepers ("Jeepers Creepers" - Paul Whiteman and His Swing Wing)

The lyric "Jeepers creepers, where'd you get those eyes?" takes on a more frighteningly literal meaning in Jeepers Creepers. The eponymous love song by Paul Whiteman and His Swing Wing plays during the final moment of the 2001 horror flick as the grotesque, villainous "Creeper" (Jonathan Breck) shows off his new "peepers," which he stole from Darry (Justin Long).

Shaun Of The Dead ("Don't Stop Me Now" - Queen)

Like most Edgar Wright films, there are many moments from Shaun of the Dead in which music plays a large role but the best takes place at the Winchester. Nearly every move Shaun (Simon Pegg) and the gang make when battling the bar's undead owner is in near-perfect sync with Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now," which randomly starts playing from the jukebox as they are desperate to stay undetected from the horde outside.

The Shining ("Midnight, The Stars And You" - Ray Noble And His Orchestra)

The final moment of Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining slowly zooms into a photo taken at the Overlook in 1921 with a man resembling Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) shown front and center. The chilling shot is accompanied by 1934's "Midnight, the Stars and You" –performed by Ray Noble and his Orchestra with vocals by Al Bowlly – which is most notable today for its inclusion in the 1980 horror classic.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe ("Open Up Your Heart (and Let the Sunshine In)" - The McGuire Sisters)

In The Autopsy of Jane Doe, the titular corpse (actually a witch capable of nearly anything but moving a muscle) likes to taunt the father-son coroners examining her by playing the McGuire Sisters' version of "Open Up Your Heart (and Let the Sunshine In)" on the radio. The otherwise "shiny" tune makes a devasting reprise near the end when Austin (Emile Hirsch) believes he is being rescued by Sheriff Burke (Michael McElhatton) who repeatedly tells him to "open up" the stuck cellar doors until he hears him belt the song's chorus, indicating his nightmare is not yet over.

The Strangers ("My First Lover" - Gillian Welch)

Sometimes turning a happy song into nightmare fuel takes a little manipulation, such as how Gillian Welch's "My First Lover" appears in The Strangers. At one point in the 2008 home invasion thriller, a record scratch causes the romantic folk ballad to repeatedly loop on the lyric, "Quicksilver girl," which is enough to create relentless tension.

Us ("Les Fleurs" - Minnie Riperton)

Sung from the perspective of a flower, Minnie Riperton's 1969 hit "Les Fleurs" is a beautiful song about spiritual renewal. However, when it begins playing as the twist from the ending of Us is revealed and reaches its invigorating crescendo during the apocalyptic final shot, it creates a chilling juxtaposition for Jordan Peele's sophomore hit.

A Quiet Place Part II ("Beyond The Sea" - Bobby Darin)

In A Quiet Place Part II, Emmett (Cillian Murphy) tells Regan (Millicent Simmonds) that he has heard a radio station playing Bobby Darin's scintillating swing hit "Beyond the Sea" on repeat. She correctly deciphers this as a code sent from an island safe haven, which she and Emmett eventually find and, unwittingly, lead a sound-hunting alien to.

Candyman ("The Candy Man" - Sammy Davis Jr.)

Some might argue that 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory has its creepy moments, but Aubrey Woods' performance of "The Candy Man" is not one of them. However, by playing Sammy Davis Jr.'s rendition of the song and slowly fading it out with the sound of buzzing bees during the production logos serves as a perfect way to set the tone for the 2021 Candyman requel.

Annabelle: Creation ("You Are My Sunshine" - Charles McDonald)

The end of Annabelle: Creation from 2017 leaves off where the rising action of its 2014 predecessor begins, revealing how Malthus entered the creepy doll. Playing over the closing credits is Charle McDonald's rendition of "You Are My Sunshine," making it the ironic defacto theme of the Conjuring Universe movie.

The House Of The Devil ("One Thing Leads To Another" - The Fixx)

Ti West's 2009 breakthrough feature, The House of the Devil, is a slow-burn horror film that waits to reveal its visceral frights with masterful pacing. During that time, he finds ways to catch you off guard with moments of levity, such as when Samantha (Jocelin Donahue) tries to distract herself from her creepy "babysitting" gig by dancing around her clients' house to The Fixx's "One Thing Lead to Another" on her tape player.

Dawn Of The Dead ("The Man Comes Around" - Johnny Cash)

Upon deeper examination, Johnny Cash's "The Man Comes Around" is a song about Jesus Christ's return to Earth on Judgment Day. Its foreboding apocalyptic message is greatly emphasized by its inclusion over the opening credits of Zack Snyder's 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead.

The Handmaid's Tale ("Cloudbusting" - Kate Bush)

Despite boasting one of Kate Bush's most cheerful melodies, "Cloudbusting" is actually one of her darkest hits, inspired by the true story of a boy whose father was taken away from him when he was abruptly arrested. However, that tale is far lighter than the story of The Handmaid's Tale, which uses the song in a scene from Season 3 in which evidence of a character's brutal murder is removed.

You're Next ("Looking For Magic" - Dwight Twilley Band)

Director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett are known for using comedy in their horror movies, including their otherwise brutal 2013 home invasion thriller, You're Next. Much of the humor comes from the ironic use of the Dwight Tilley Band's "Looking for Magic" in two scenes, due to one victim of the masked assassins putting the 1977 pop tune on repeat accidentally before his death.

Final Destination ("Rocky Mountain High" - John Denver)

The uplifting music of John Denver has been used for ironically dark purposes in several movies and the most iconic example comes from the first installment of the Final Destination movies. Any time "Rocky Mountain High" is heard in the 2000 teen thriller is a signal that Death is near.

Nope ("Fingertips" - Stevie Wonder)

To be fair, Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips" never actually appears in Jordan Peele's third feature, 2022's Nope. However, a remixed version of it provides an ominous aura for the alien invasion movie's trailer.

Even the best shows have their fan-favorite seasons. The seasons that most fans are perfect, or at least close to perfect. It's hard to judge based on reviews and even on Rotten Tomato rankings which one fans think is the creme de la creme of their favorite show, so we looked at Ranker, Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB, and other spots to nail down just which season of these classic shows fans love the most.

The Office - Season 2

Season 2 holds the top spot for The Office. That makes a lot of sense as it's really when the classic sitcom came out from under the shadow of the British show on which it was based and found its own footing. Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) separated himself from David Brent (Ricky Gervais) and the rest is history.

The Sopranos - Season 3

The Sopranos is one of the few shows that most fans agree doesn't really have any bad seasons. Some are better than others, sure, but, especially out of the first four, how do you separate them? Season 3 is as good a choice as any as Junior gets out of prison and begins his power grab against Tony, Tony's mother is at her worst, and it ends with one of the most devastating murders in the show's run.

Atlanta - Season 1

It's no surprise here that the first season of Atlanta sits on top. The show's four-season run is great, but it never quite matched the incredible impact or lofty heights of that first magical season. It won a slew of awards in the first year, something it also never matched again.

Seinfeld - Season 5

"The Puffy Shirt," "The Marine Biologist," "The Dinner Party," and "The Hamptons" are just a few of the stone-cold classic episodes of Seinfeld in Season 5. This is a show where almost any season could be the favorite as there are classic episodes in all of them, even the first. But Season 5 seems to be the one fans love the most.

Cheers - Season 4

As much as hardcore fans of Cheers love Coach (Nicholas Colasanto), it's not surprising to see the first season with Woody (Woody Harrelson) rank at the top. Season 4 is when the show really came into its own and became the ratings monster it would remain for the rest of its run on NBC in the '80s.

The Wire - Season 4

This is one choice that some fans will definitely disagree with. Not because Season 4 of The Wire is bad, because, oh boy, it certainly is great, but because Season 3 is at least as good if not better in the eyes of many fans, with a bunch of the best episodes. Still, the season following the kids in school comes out on top here, as viewers are introduced to a whole new generation of corner boys and future crew members.

The West Wing - Season 2

It's hard to pick just one season out of the first four for The West Wing. What probably puts this one over the edge is the season finale, "Two Cathedrals," which is one of the best episodes of any television show, ever. The whole season is incredibly good, but the ending is magical.

Gilmore Girls - Season 3

Season 3 of Gilmore Girls hits the top spot for the WB favorite likely pushed to the top for moments like the big reveal of Jess' father towards the end of the season and other milestones throughout the season.

The Simpsons - Season 4

This one is sure to spur some debate. The general consensus of fans of The Simpsons is that basically Seasons 2 through 8 or 9 are basically perfect. Still, it's easy to see why Season 4 won out here, with classic episodes like "Marge vs. the Monorail," "Homer the Heretic," "Duffless," "Mr. Plow," "Last Exit to Springfield," and "Whacking Day," which has a number of the best quotes from The Simpsons.

This Is Us - Season 1

It's hard to argue that the first season of This Is Us isn't the best. The first episode ends with an incredible twist and throughout the rest of the season, audiences get, well, emotionally connected, to the characters in a way that few other shows have ever matched. The tears of later seasons would have never happened without that incredible foundation.

Saturday Night Live - Season 15

How do fans choose one season of a show that has been on the air as long as Saturday Night Live? Surely every generation has its own favorite, but Season 15 is as good a choice as any with a powerhouse cast that includes the great Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey, Jan Hooks, and Mike Myers in his first season as a full cast member.

Breaking Bad - Season 5

Yet another show on this list that has multiple amazing seasons that could be in contention here. There have been very few shows that have ended as well as Breaking Bad so it tracks that its final season would come out on top here. Even the Guinness Book of World Records named it the "most acclaimed" series of all time after it ended.

Friends - Season 5

No doubt that hardcore fans of Friends will have something to say here, but most will agree that if Season 5 isn't the best, it's one of the best. The season starts with the aftermath of Ross saying "Rachel," and ends with their drunken wedding in Vegas, all while Monica and Chandler's relationship grows into more than just hooking up.

Game Of Thrones - Season 4

This one was pretty surprising as well, as most might expect Season 3, with The Red Wedding to rank at the top, but maybe the death of Joffrey at The Purple Wedding and the rise of Daenerys as a conquerer is too much to resist. Not to mention the fight between Oberyn and The Mountain. And Tyrion killing Tywin... Okay, yeah it makes sense.

Abbott Elementary - Season 1

Abbott Elementary burst onto the scene as the freshest and best network sitcom in years. It won every award it could after that first season and while it's remained consistently great, it's never matched those early heights when it was all so new and so funny.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Season 5

Sometimes it feels like It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia has been on since the dawn of time, and it kind of has. There have been many great seasons, dozens of great episodes, and even more legendary scenes and lines. For fans, it reached its zenith in Season 5, but it's not like they've turned away from it in later seasons.

24 - Season 5

The most impressive thing about 24 is how it continued to raise the stakes season after season. Just when it seemed like it couldn't get any better, Season 5 came out and blew everyone away. It cleaned up at the Emmys and it's easy to see why as it was Jack's most exciting adventure, and at times the most devastating, of his brutal career at CTU.

Slow Horses - Season 3

Slow Horses is one of the outliers on this list because the seasons are so short, only six episodes in each, but they pack a ton into those six. Every season of the show has been acclaimed, with most having scores of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, Season 3 ranks best for fans, with Season 2 right behind it.

Sherlock - Season 2

The first two seasons of Sherlock are two of the best seasons of TV ever, even if they are only three episodes each. Season 2 ended with one of the all-time great cliffhangers - or cliff-fallers as it may be. In the third and final episode, "The Reichenbach Fall," Sherlock takes a dive off a building to outwit Moriarty, and viewers are left wondering about his fate.

Lost - Season 1

Lost is one of the most dissected, discussed, and disagreed over shows in TV history. One thing that almost no one argues over though, is how great the show's first season was. From the moment Jack's eyes open in the first episode to Jack and Locke looking down at the blown-open hatch in the last scene, it's a white-knuckle ride that takes viewers on one of the greatest adventures ever.

Grey's Anatomy - Season 6

Well, of all the seasons of Grey's Anatomy, and there are many, it's easy to understand why Season 6, which ends with a cliffhanger when multiple characters were shot in a mass shooting at the hospital. It was the peak of the show.

Mad Men - Season 4

Season 4 of Mad Men is really the downward descent into booze and bills for Don Draper as he continues to struggle with who he really is. It marked a shift in the decade in which it takes place as the wholesome early sixties start to get darker, just like Don's life. Of course fans are going to love this season most.

Blue Bloods - Season 1

Despite its controversial canceling, Blue Bloods has a ton of hardcore fans. Those fans still love Season 1 the most, which is understandable as it really sets the tone for the show and for the dynamics of the Reagan family and includes all the original members, some of whom left the show years before it ended.

Black Mirror - Season 3

Yet another show on the list that is sure to have people arguing over which season really is best. The consensus seems to be that Season 3, Black Mirror's first on Netflix is the best, though that may just be because of exposure. To be sure though, it's a great season with some powerful episodes that resonate, as well as some of the more controversial ones among fans.

Downton Abbey - Season 1

Downton Abbey is not a show anyone would have expected to gain such a large and loyal following, given that it's a period drama set in Edwardian England. But fans it has and passionate they are, especially for the show's excellent first season when we meet the upstairs and the downstairs parts of the Crawley family.

House - Season 1

Medical Procedurals often go on and on, but House is a show that only works with its main character so when Hugh Laurie was ready to go, so was the show. There is no question it felt like it was just running through the motions at the end, but in the beginning, there was no other show like it and that's what makes its first Season the fan favorite.

Dexter - Season 4

Season 4 of Dexter was unquestionably the peak of the show. The race to find the Trinity Killer was in full swing and by the end of the devastating season, viewers learned that maybe there was a killer out there more resourceful, more evil, and more cunning than Dexter as it ends with one of the most tragic seasons in TV history.

Luther - Season 1

Idris Elba got everyone's attention as Stringer Bell on The Wire but he proved he was more than a one-hit wonder with Season 1 of Luther. He could play a cop with loose morals as well as he could a criminal and we loved him for it.

True Detective - Season 1

Until the fourth season of True Detective, called True Detective: Night Country, there was no question that Season 1 would be at the top of fan favorites. Even now, with the show back on its feet after a couple of misses, Season 1 still wins, at least for now.

Law & Order - Season 5

Of all the Law & Order seasons, it makes total sense that Season 5 would top the list of favorite seasons. it's when the show cast really coalesced into the characters fans really love. Most notably, Sam Waterston joined as Jack McCoy and Chris Noth took his final bow on the show.

Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season 6

Is there really a "best" season of Curb Your Enthusiasm? There are great, cringy moments in every season but Season 6 comes out on top for fans for one important reason: it introduced Leon (JB Smoove) and the rest of his family to the show and the show began to reach new heights it never would have without them.

Westworld - Season 1

This one really isn't a huge surprise, as many fans really didn't like Seasons 2 or 3 of Westworld, but Seasons 1 and 4 are so good we had to include them. Season 1, especially, is brilliant.

I’ve been playing video games for as far back as I can remember.

No lie, Tetris taught me how to do puzzles, and Dragon Warrior (A Slime Draws Near! Command?) taught me how to read. So, I hold video games very near and dear to my heart. That's why I view video game movies (especially the best ones) as genuine art, and why I'm even willing to defend the bad ones.

So, this might be the reason why one of the best Black Mirror episodes, “Playtest” resonates with me on such a visceral level. Though there are a few episodes in the popular anthology series that some might view as “scary,” “Playtest” genuinely terrifies me, and I have 5 reasons why.

Oh, and some spoilers up ahead if you haven't watched this amazing episode yet. You've been warned.

Augmented Reality Is Very Much A Thing We Have RIGHT NOW, And I Could Envision Everything In This Episode Happening One Day

Do you remember Pokemon GO? Sure, it's still around, but for a time, it felt like the biggest thing in the world.

I'd see people all over the place trying to catch some of the best Pokémon characters in the strangest places.

For example, I'd see people congregating outside of libraries (Heaven forbid that they actually went inside one of them), at zoos, and even in graveyards, swiping up on their phones in an attempt to acquire little pocket monsters that they could only see on their screens.

Pokemon GO is a perfect example of an Augmented Reality (AR) Game, and it's one of the first that made a MASSIVE splash on a global level. So, AR technology is already here. In fact, “Playtest” is one of the few examples of a Black Mirror episode that felt like it was playing catch-up with reality. That’s because Pokemon GO debuted in July of 2016, while “Playtest” debuted a few months later in October of that same year.

Now, there is some other advanced technology in the episode involving a device called a "mushroom.” It gets implanted in the back of Wyatt Russell's character’s neck, and it's meant to connect right to his brain to make the fears in his “playtest” more personal.

But, I feel like we are not that far from something of that nature, and it both excites, but also terrifies me to think about the possibilities, which I'll get into next.

I Could Only Imagine A Horror Game That Targeted Your Actual Fears

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I am absolutely terrified of centipedes. When I was younger, I used to share a bed with my older sister, and one morning, I found her face-to-face with me. But, what I saw when I woke up didn't make any sense.

Her tongue was whipping left and right between her lips, which were clamped tight. Since I was still sort of in a dream, my frazzled mind both accepted this, but also struggled to process what I was seeing. But then, my sister opened her mouth, and her tongue shot out her mouth and skittered across the bed.

I hopped up, screaming, only to realize that it hadn’t been her tongue that ran across the bed. It had been a centipede that must have crawled inside her mouth while she was sleeping, and somehow got trapped in there.

So, as I’m sure you could imagine, I've had a deeply rooted fear of centipedes ever since.

So, back to Black Mirror. In the “Playtest” episode, Wyatt Russell's character is inside of a mansion, similar to what might be found in one of the Resident Evil movies, and his deepest fears gradually present themselves to him.

First, it's a tiny spider, and then, it's a MASSIVE one (which I'll get into soon). His old bully makes an appearance, and so do other personal fears of his.

And, I could only imagine finding a room full of centipedes (or even worse, a room-sized centipede), in some VR horror game. I would quite literally die from fright if that were to happen, and this episode makes me imagine those possibilities.

The Spider Scene Legit Gave Me Heart Palpitations

I mentioned earlier how there is a giant spider in this episode, and I'm not lying. There is a GIANT FREAKING SPIDER in this episode (with a freaking face!).

If you have arachnophobia, then I highly advise that you not watch one of my favorite Denis Villeneuve movies, Enemy (trust me on this one), and I would also advise that you not watch the “Playtest” episode of Black Mirror.

Now, I don't personally have a fear of spiders. In fact, if I see one in my basement, I let it live because they eat other obnoxious bugs that I don’t like. But, even I have a problem with the one in this episode since it’s so freaking enormous.

As I mentioned earlier, the device in this episode taps into a person's deepest fears, and one of the protagonist's deepest fears is spiders. At first, there's a small one that creeps up quickly to his leg, and that's scary enough. But later, there’s a massive one that gets me every time I see it. It's disturbing to say the very least.

Wyatt Russell's Acting Feels Extremely Genuine

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and MCU star, Wyatt Russell, is one hell of an actor, which makes sense, given that he's the son of Kurt Russell.

His father is in one of the best horror movies of all time with The Thing, and it looks like Wyatt Russell wants to have a similar trajectory as his dad as he’s starred in films like Overlord, and Night Swim.

All of this is to say that Wyatt Russell can really sell fear, and he does it like a champ in this episode.

The great thing about his performance here is that it's so gradual. His character is haunted by the death of his father, and he has been avoiding his mother's calls because he’s having a difficult time processing his grief.

So, by the time he agrees to do this playtest, he's already in a very vulnerable place. And his character slowly, but surely, cracks up and gets more and more terrified throughout the episode until he eventually croaks, which I'll get into next.

The Ending, While Robbing Some Of The Episode's Impact, Does Give Me Real Fears

Okay, so if “Playtest” has any real weakness, I think it's the ending, which does a fake-out before we get the true ending.

Before our hero goes into his experiment, his phone is turned off, only for him to turn it back on again so that he could take some pictures. This will come back to haunt him later, as his mother calls him, and there's interference with the signal, which fries his brain. But before that happens, he imagines himself leaving the experiment and trying to call his mother, who doesn’t remember him.

We learn that what actually happened is that he died within seconds of the experiment due to his mother’s call, and the ending has a sort of Jacob's Ladder, it-was-all-in-his-head conclusion, where none of the events actually happened, and it was just in his dying brain.

I'm not going to lie. This ending leaves much to be desired. But, I am genuinely concerned about the future of connecting our brains to technology. Movies like Total Recall and this episode of Black Mirror give me the heebie-jeebies because I truly do think that we're heading in this direction.

Honestly, I don't want to think about it, which is why “Playtest” scares the hell out of me more than any other Black Mirror episode.

In the vast sea of knowledge still left to enrich in the 2024 TV schedule, there are still some bummers we’re constantly reminded of. Such as the fact that Black Mirror Season 7 isn’t going to air until an unknown window in 2025. However, Netflix being the generous benefactor that it is, has released the absolutely stacked cast for the next batch of dystopian satire that’ll probably make us laugh, cry, and gasp in equal measure. And thanks to this announcement, I desperately want two specific actors in this upcoming round of anthology to go head to head in the same episode.

Behold, Black Mirror’s Stacked Season 7 Cast

I’m not being overly generous with that wording either, as not only is the latest roster Netflix has announced impressive, but it’s literally stacked into a list. Amidst the names of other personnel from the Black Mirror franchise are scattered names like Tracee Ellis Ross, Chris O’Dowd, and Emma Corrin. Take a look at this cryptic video for yourself, and see how many names you can pick out:

With all of those names in the Season 7 cast list, it’s hard to not want to see every one of them in one feature-length film set in the Black Mirror-verse. At the same time, though, this is a world that’s known for mostly contained stories that still pack the star power.

It’s that vein that now has me really wanting to see newcomers Paul Giamatti and Peter Capaldi face each other in a hypothetical episode for the ages.

Why A Potential Paul Giamatti And Peter Capaldi Black Mirror Episode Excites Me

I keep thinking back to the first time I saw Black Mirror’s “Beyond The Sea” ending, and how chilled to the bone I was after watching Aaron Paul and Josh Hartnett square off. That is one of the most memorable episodes, and it's one of the best examples of how this series’ darker corners offer the biggest payoff.

So to have Peter Capaldi and Paul Giamatti engaged in a similar sort of installment is practically candy at this point. Or, conversely, there’s room for a sillier, more lighthearted comedy to put the skills of these venerated performers to work.

Though I know Giamatti’s recent Hostel series casting will feed the Academy Award nominee’s demand to get more horror action, and Capaldi has already shown his darker side in previous series like The Devil’s Hour and Criminal Record. With those highlights in the equation, I’d be willing to venture a guess that a simultaneously scary and goofy entry might not be a bad idea for this potentially perfect pairing.

In which case, we just might see an upcoming star of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and the Twelfth Doctor from Doctor Who show up in the long-teased “USS Callister” sequel that Cristin Milioti and Jimmi Simpson are presumably taking part in. And if you ask me, that’s a suggestion that only raises the stakes from exciting to can’t miss.

Though in all fairness, Black Mirror is one of those streaming series that I couldn’t see myself skipping out on, as Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology has made a name for itself by bringing tales of futuristic caution to life with flare. This is why I must sadly remind us all that Black Mirror Season 7 is currently compiling, and will debut at an undetermined point in 2025.

In the meantime, all six previous seasons are currently available for streaming, provided you have an active Netflix subscription. And if you haven’t already, I highly recommend playing through the interactive episode “Bandersnatch,” as those Tuckersoft references throughout the latest cast announcement could be hiding something from that elusive in-universe company...and hopefully it has something to do with Capaldi and Giamatti working together.

Despite a limited number of seasons and episodes, Black Mirror has, since the beginning, killed it with its casting. The Charlie Brooker-led show has landed some of the biggest stars in the world for episodes and chooses some of the best character actors from both sides of the pond as well. Here are 32 casting examples that prove Black Mirror crushes it. 

Daniel Kaluuya

Before Daniel Kaluuya hit the really big time with break-out roles in Get Out and Black Panther, he had a role in just the second episode of Black Mirror, called "Fifteen Million Merits." Kaluuya played a low-level bike rider looking to escape his boring life by performing in a reality TV show. It's a powerful performance and helped set the tone for the series. 

Hayley Atwell

Season 2 of  Black Mirror started with a bang, with an episode called "Be Right Back" starring Hayley Atwell and Domhnall Gleeson in a real mind-bending episode about a couple with a classic Black Mirror twist. 

Jon Hamm

In between Season 1 and Season 2, Black Mirror aired a Christmas special featuring its first big American star, Mad Men's Jon Hamm. It's a super disturbing episode in a ton of ways, not the least of which is just how evil Hamm's character turns out to be. 

Bryce Dallas Howard

Season 3 marked a big change for the show when it moved to Netflix. It also started with a band with the episode "Nosedive" starring Bryce Dallas Howard. It felt a first like a different take on the general premise of Black Mirror, being brighter and seemingly more upbeat. But that didn't last long, of course, and Howard's performance made it all work perfectly. 

Kelly MacDonald

Kelly Mac Donald isn't often the star of her projects but she is consistently excellent in everything she is in. She does star in one episode of Black Mirror, the Season 3 episode "Hated In The Nation" which is the show's take on a police procedural, with  MacDonald playing the main investigator. 

Salma Hayek

There are few stars bigger than the great Salma Hayak and her role in the episode "Joan Is Awful" in the Sixth Season is just perfect. She plays a version of herself, playing the character Joan and her no-BS attitude is just pitch-perfect. 

Jesse Plemons

The first episode of Season 4, "USS Callister" often ranks among the best episodes of Black Mirror, and a big reason why is the performances of the actors in the episode. There is no character more important than manipulative Captain Robert Daly played wonderfully by Jesse Plemons. 

Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott elevates basically everything he is in. Whether it's shows like Sherlock and Fleabag or movies like 1917, he also turns in one of the most memorable performances. Black Mirror is no exception. While the episode he appears in, "Smithereens" isn't well regarded among fans, there's no denying that Scott's performance is excellent and even earned him an Emmy nomination. 

Anthony Mackie

Anthony Mackie has never shied away from playing Gay men, with his first breakout role coming as a Gay art student in the film Brother to Brother. His role in Black Mirror wasn't quite as clear cut, as he played a man clearly struggling with his feelings and identity in the Season 5 episode "Striking Vipers." 

Kate Mara

The Season 6 episode, "Beyond the Sea," is one of the more messed up episodes of Black Mirror and that's really saying something. Kate Mara stars in the show as a woman trapped in the middle of a love triangle by two astronauts, one her husband, and one her suitor. It's a polarizing episode, like many, but there's no question it's as disturbing as the show can get. 

Miley Cyrus

In the final episode of Season 5, Miley Cyrus stars as Ashley O, a pop star not unlike her real-life self. Of all the Black Mirror episodes, it's maybe the least disturbing, but that really makes it underrated, if anything. It still makes the viewer question modern culture and tech, it just doesn't end in tragedy. 

Topher Grace

In Smithereens, Topher Grace plays a Jack Dorsey-type tech CEO who leads a social media company. While the episode is often criticized for its simplistic social commentary, by Black Mirror standards, Grace's performance is actually pretty perfect. All the acting performances are great in this uneven performance. 

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright had been building a solid career in the U.K. before 2018 when she exploded on the world stage with her appearance in Black Panther. Prior to becoming a big part of the MCU, however, she starred in the Season 4 finale, "Black Museum." It's a fun episode with an almost greatest hits-type vibe, as it's filled with easter eggs to previous episodes. 

Benedict Wong

Benedict Wong has low-key become one of the most popular side characters in the MCU as... well... Wong. The same year he joined the MCU, in 2016's Doctor Strange, he also starred in the Season 3 episode "Hated in the Nation." He has a smaller role in the show compared to some of the other stars (like Kelly MacDonald) but he's great, as he always is in his many roles. 

Aaron Paul

Aaron Paul will likely forever be known first and foremost as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. There's nothing wrong with that, but Paul has had an impressive career outside of the legendary AMC show as well. One very notable role came in Season 6 of Black Mirror when he appeared alongside Josh Harnett and Kate Mara in "Beyond the Sea." It wasn't Paul's first appearance on the show, however. He had a quick cameo in "USS Callister" during the show's 4th Season. 

Zazie Beetz

Zazie Beetz hit the big time as a member of the hit show Atlanta starting in 2016. She later gained an even larger fanbase as Domino in Deadpool 2. In 2023, she got to star in an episode of Black Mirror called "Mazey Day" which broke new ground for the show, dipping into the supernatural for the first time. Though it wasn't the most well-received episode of the series, Beetz put together a great performance as a paparazza. 

Josh Harnett

Over the last 25 years, Josh Harnett has quietly put together one of the most underrated careers in Hollywood. He's played all kinds of roles, from heartthrobs to nuclear physicists. Of course, he also appeared as part of the star-studded cast of "Under The Sea" in Season 6. 

Michael Cera

Michael Cera has never been afraid to play ridiculous versions of himself. Most notably, in This Is The End, but also in the Season 6 episode "Joan is Awful." Everyone in the episode is playing some sort of version of themselves and Cera, as the character Beppe is, of course, over the top in his performance and we're here for it. 

Tobias Menzies

As character actors go, they don't get much better than Tobias Menzies. The English actor seems to pop up constantly in "prestige" shows. He was Brutus in HBO's Rome, he was Edmund Tully in Game of Thrones and he won an Emmy for playing Prince Philip in two seasons of The Crown. In the second season of Black Mirror, he played a British politician running for office against an animated bear named Waldo in "The Waldo Moment."

Domhnall Gleeson

Sure, Domhnall Gleeson is part of two of the biggest franchises in film history as a member of the Weasley family in the Harry Potter movies and General Hux in the Star Wars movies, but he's also been one of the best actors around for a couple of decades now. He appeared in the first episode of Season 2, "Be Right Back."

Wyatt Russell

Even though he has two very famous actors as parents, Wyatt Russell originally strived to play professional hockey. When injuries cut his career short, he fell back on acting. Lucky, huh? Still, he's putting together a really nice career, one that includes an appearance in the 2016 episode "Playtest."

Jodie Whittaker

Jodie Whittaker made history when she became the first woman to play The Doctor in three seasons of the modern era of Dr. Who. That wasn't Whittaker's first dabble in  science fiction TV, however, as she appeared in the third-ever episode of Black Mirror called "The Entire History of You." She is excellent in the episode, which ranks tops all-time on quite a few rankings. 

Jerome Flynn

One of the most disturbing episodes of Black Mirror came in its third season. "Shut Up and Dance" is a complicated episode, as viewers are repulsed by the characters, including, most notably, the one played by Game Of Thrones vet Jerome Flynn. Viewers are also taken aback by what those terrible characters have to do. It's a polarizing episode, but that's part of what makes it so great. 

Rory Kinnear

There are two roles that Rory Kinnear is likely most recognized for. One is Bill Tanner in four of the Daniel Craig-era James Bond movies. He's one of the most important characters from the Craig-led Bond films. The second is from the now-legendary premiere episode of Black Mirror called "The National Anthem." His performance as the beleaguered Prime Minister forced to do unspeakable things in the episode is, frankly, legendary.  

Rupert Everett

Rupert Everett has been killing on screen for more than 40 years now and though his role in the second episode of Season 1 is small, he's brilliant. He plays a Simon Cowell-type on a dystopian version of Britain's Got Talent and he, like Cowell, steals the show as a judge. 

Cherry Jones

Season 3's first episode, "Nosedive" is a fantastic episode, and a big reason why is the acting performances, including from Cherry Jones, who appears in only one scene of the show, but it's the pivotal moment in the show. Jones is one of the more underrated character actresses in Hollywood, but she's probably best known for playing President Allison Taylor on 24 and Holly Maddox in two seasons of The Handmaid's Tale. 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin comes from a family of true film royalty. Her grandfather was the legendary Charlie Chaplin. She's carved out an impressive career as well. She's best known as Talisa Stark, the ill-fated wife of Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, where she was the first death at the infamous Red Wedding. She stars alongside Jon Hamm in the Christmas special of Black Mirror in a smaller role, literally and figuratively, but her performance is sure to freak out everyone who watches. 

Jimmi Simpson

It's hard to believe that Always Sunny In Philadelphia first hit the airwaves in 2005, but it did. Jimmi Simpson has been along for most of the ride, as the oddball frenemy to "The Gang" and member of the McPoyle family, Liam McPoyle. He also appeared one of the most star-studded casts of Black Mirror in the "USS Callister."

Annie Murphy

Annie Murphy is most famous for playing Alexis Rose in Schitt's Creek and in 2023 she appeared as a strange version of herself playing "Joan" in "Joan in Awful" alongside Salma Hayek in the sixth season.  

Kirsten Dunst

"USS Callister" has one of the more star-studded casts and one of the stars you may not have even seen, Kirsten Dunst. Dunst's cameo in Black Mirror is truly a blink--and-you-miss-moment in the episode. She appears as a fellow office worker in the show and it's so brief most people missed it. 

Cristin Milioti

The multi-talented Cristin Milioti started her career on the stage on Broadway where she became a Tony-nominated actress, but made her on-screen breakthrough as "The Mother" in How I Met Your Mother. Since then, she's shined in shows like Fargo, The Resort, and The Mindy Project, as well as starring in "USS Callister" in Black Mirror. 

Will Poulter

Will Poulter seems to like showing in prestige TV shows. In addition to starring in the groundbreaking interactive "choose your own adventure" Black Mirror movie called Bandersnatch, he's also shown up in a cameo on The Bear. That's in addition, of course, to his film roles in The Revenant, Midsommar, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3., among many others. 

Black Mirror is one of my all-time favorite TV shows and, undoubtedly, my favorite sci-fi TV show of all time. So, it probably comes as no surprise that I consider Netflix to be one of the best streaming services to subscribe to for that reason alone and that Black Mirror Season 7 is the one series on the upcoming 2025 TV schedule I am most looking forward to.

So, what’s in store for one of the best TV shows on Netflix? What cautionary tales about the potential dangers of technological advancement, and other social issues, will the acclaimed horror anthology TV show offer this time? Let’s get into what we do know for sure about Black Mirror Season 7 in the following guide.

What Is The Black Mirror Season 7 Premiere Date?

Black Mirror Season 7 will be available to watch with a Netflix subscription on April 10, 2025. Of course, the return of creator Charlie Brooker’s prophetic series was already one of the most anticipated events on the upcoming Netflix TV show schedule before the first trailer dropped. Speaking of…

The Black Mirror Season 7 Trailer Is “Mind-Expanding”

Just like many of the best episodes of Black Mirror, the first full-length trailer for Season 7 is a surreal trip that will leave you with many questions. Check it out for yourself below:

Set to an ominous rendition of the 1931 classic, “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” the teaser has plenty of elements that Black Mirror fans should recognize, including shots of people using the virtual reality device from “Striking Vipers” and a couple of familiar characters (more on them soon). It is edited in such a way it would have been anybody’s guess which scenes came from which stories before the episode titles were revealed (more on that later). It even seemed like there could be some canonical or thematic overlap between episodes, which would not be the first instance of the anthology series attempting to connect some of its disparate storiesr. Of course, we already know that one Season 7 episode is directly related to a previous favorite…

What The Black Mirror Season 7 Episodes Are About

As confirmed by Tudum, and Charlie Brooker at Netflix’s See What’s Next Event in London, Black Mirror Season 7 features a follow-up to Season 4’s “USS Callister,” which follows a group of space explorers who are actually digital copies of real people held prisoner in a Star Trek-esque VR simulation by a reclusive video game programmer (played by Jesse Plemons). The Emmy-winning episode’s success led to discussions of a possible spin-off series, but the announcement of the sequel was still met with criticism by some fans. It also appears that one episode is taking place in the world of the feature-length spin-off, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, which makes me wonder if we have another interactive event to look forward to (or dread, depending on your opinion of “choose your adventure” stories).

Those are the only specific details I can report on, or piece together, so far. However, Brooker has dropped a few hints when speaking to Tudum, saying that Black Mirror Season 7 boasts a “mix of genres and styles” and even includes a couple of feature-length installments among the new batch of six episodes. He had previously told Deadline in 2024 that every episode has more of an "OG Black Mirror" feeling than Season 6’s full-horror "Red Mirror" entry, “Demon 79,” and adds that one script has one of the "bleakest, heaviest gut punches" the show has had yet, which is really saying something.

In late March, Netflix posted a video to YouTube revealing the titles of the Black Mirror's newest episodes. Check them out below:

• "Common People"
• "Bête Noire"
• "Eulogy"
• "Hotel Reverie"
• "Plaything"
• "USS Callister: Into Infinity"

Who Is In The Black Mirror Season 7 Cast?

As has been the case since the series transitioned from the U.K.’s Channel 4 to a Netflix original in 2016, Black Mirror Season 7 boasts a star-studded ensemble of varying esteem. For instance, we have former How I Met Your Mother cast member Emmy-nominated The Penguin star Cristin Milioti back as Nanette Cole, alongside her other “USS Callister” co-stars. We also have series veteran Rashida Jones (who co-wrote the Season 3 favorite, “Nosedive”) making her debut appearance on the show alongside Bridesmaids cast member Chris O’Dowd. It also appears that Will Poulter is reprising his role as computer programmer Colin Ritman from Bandersnatch.

Some of the most exciting newcomers include comedian Awkwafina (who has a Golden Globe for the acclaimed A24 movie, The Farewell), Paul Giamatti (who has Academy Award nominations for Sideways and The Holdovers), and one-time Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi – the latter two of which our Mike Reyes hopes to see in the same episode. You can find a full list of Black Mirror Season 7 cast members below:

• Awkwafina
• Michele Austin
• Milanka Brooks
• Peter Capaldi
• Asim Chaudhry
• Emma Corrin
• Patsy Ferran
• Josh Finan
• Paul Giamatti
• Lewis Gribben
• Osy Ikhile
• Rashida Jones
• Siena Kelly
• Billy Magnussen
• Rosy McEwen
• Cristin Milioti
• James Nelson-Joyce
• Chris O’Dowd
• Will Poulter
• Issa Rae
• Paul G. Raymond
• Tracee Ellis Ross
• Jay Simpson
• Jimmi Simpson
• Ben Bailey Smith
• Harriet Walter
• Michael Workéyè

How To Watch Black Mirror

With most anthology series, there is no need to start from the beginning or watch the series in any particular order. However, because Black Mirror Season 7 is including its first sequel episode, I am highly recommending, for the first time, that you check out previous episodes of the show first if you have not already. Most importantly, you should check out “USS Callister” from Season 4 (which, in my opinion, is the best Black Mirror season yet), and the series interactive, feature-length spin-off, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, on Netflix.

• Stream Black Mirror on Netflix
• Stream Black Mirror: Bandernsatch on Netflix

It is almost time to re-enter the world (or worlds) of Black Mirror again. In the meantime, there are other great TV shows like Black Mirror you can check out while we wait.

How many times have you been watching a movie or a TV show that featured a fictional band thinking, “I’d love to go to that show!” We have as well. for example, imagine a music festival with nothing but the best fictional bands from TV and movies. It would be epic. 

There are a few examples of bands you won’t find on this list. Bands like The Blues Brothers, the Monkees, and Spinal Tap may have started as fictional, but both evolved into something much more than the movies they came from. That said, here’s our list of the other fictional bands we’d love to see in the festival of our dreams! 

Wyld Stallyns

You can’t have any list like this and not include the band that saved the world! Ted “Theodore” Logan and Bill S. Preston, Esq, make up Wyld Stallyns (Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, respectively) in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and before they save the world, they need to graduate from high school and learn about some history with a little time traveling. With some help from their biggest fan from the future, Rufus, of course. A headliner in every sense of the word.

Stillwater

In Almost Famous, a movie filled with great music, Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman) described Stillwater as a “mid-level band struggling with their own limitations in the harsh face of stardom.” That’s a little unfair, but the real Lester Bangs was a bit of a snob. A little classic rock is always a good time, and we’re all grateful they didn’t suffer the same fate as Lynyrd Skynyrd on that airplane. It’s a little hard to believe a band like that would be singing Elton John together on a bus though. 

The Wonders

For the baby boomers out there, the fictional band on this list that will remind them most of their teenage years is definitely The Wonders (originally The Oneders) from That Thing You Do! The Wonders are early rock 'n roll at its finest. Not as artistic as the rock from the late ‘60s, but music filled with catchy hooks and rhythms you can dance to. Plus all the members are just dreamy. 

CB4

It’s not just rock n roll we’d want to see. How about a little West Coast Gangsta Rap with the mighty CB4? They are straight out of LoCash, and they aren’t messing around. From the mockumentary of the same name, featuring a young Chris Rock as Albert Brown aka Gusto, CB4 isn’t for the faint of heart, they bring it hard. 

Daisy Jones And The Six

Daisy Jones and The Six, from the show of the same name, based on a book of the same name, are bonafide rock superstars. With lead singers Daisy Jones (Riley Keough) and Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin), the band helped define the sound of the late ‘70s in the show. Plus, any band with Elvis Presley’s granddaughter (Keough) singing lead is worth seeing in concert. 

Barry Jive and the Uptown Five

Barry (Jack Black) is a huge music snob. He and his fellow record store employees love to debate who has the best albums and songs. When a guy like that starts a band, you have to go. The band’s first name was Sonic Death Monkey and was almost called Kathleen Turner Overdrive, but Barry wisely changed it at the last minute to Barry Jive and the Uptown Five when they performed one heck of a version of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” in High Fidelity.

Mouse Rat

Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) in Parks & Recreation went through a lot of changes. We mean, a lot. The band cycled through dozens of band names, including Department of Homeland Obscurity, Harriet Tubthumping, and Mouth Smash. Finally settling on Mouse Rat, they still struggled to find an audience, but sometimes the best bands are the ones that no one has discovered yet and take years to release their debut album. 

Drive Shaft

Drive Shaft, from Lost, made the big time with their hit single “You All Everybody” in the late ‘90s. Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan) led the band, along with his brother Liam. The band fell on hard times, as one-hit wonders often do, and Charlie’s personal problems made things worse. We might only know one song, but that song is enough to explore more, right? 

Ashley O

You wouldn’t expect a pop act to emerge from the depths of Black Mirror but Ashley O isn’t just any act. She’s a star with an edge, writing one of her best songs, “On a Roll,”  with a huge assist from Nine Inch Nails. Miley Cyrus plays Ashley O in the show, and she’s been known to perform “On A Roll” in concert, so it’s possible to get a taste of what an Ashley O show might be like. 

Soggy Bottom Boys

At the Bonnaroo Music Festival, Sunday morning has often been dedicated in some tents to more traditional Americana. The Soggy Bottom Boys from O Brother Where Art Thou (a movie with one of the best soundtracks ever) would fit right in there and they would be amazing. Led by Ulysses McGill (George Clooney), their hit song, “Man of Constant Sorrow”, would bring down the house! 

Otis Day & The Knights

Wait ‘til Otis sees us! Otis Day and his band, the Knights, were big on the fraternity circuit in the early ‘60s, playing a legendary concert at the Delta House in Animal House. It’s when they are playing clubs, however, that they really shine, so let’s grab a date and go dancing! 

Zack Attack

We’re not going to question how Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselar) knew how to play guitar all of a sudden, or how Lisa Tuttle (Lark Voorhies) could play bass after never mentioning it before on Saved By The Bell. We’re just going to sit back and enjoy Zack Attack’s concert. They are friends forever, so how bad could it be?

Krazee-Eyez Killa

Krazee Eyez Killa (Chris Williams) gets some great advice from the most likely person–Larry David on Curb your Enthusiasm. While we don’t know a whole lot about his music, but what Krazee promises about his on-stage persona, sounds like something that would be amazing to see in concert. Probably at an open mic, if we had to guess. 

The New Main Street Singers

The New Main Street Singers from A Mighty Wind are just old-fashioned family-friendly folk music. Though the members may have a questionable past (we’re not asking), the music is so wholesome, that you can’t help but smile. 

School Of Rock

Any band led by Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is going to rock, even one made up of 4th graders, like the band School Of Rock in the movie of the same name. Sure, they didn’t win the Battle of the Bands in the movie, but they gained a lot of fans, including us. 

More of a club act than an arena band, Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes from Star Wars is the kind of band that lets you enjoy your drink a little more when you’re stuck in a dive bar in a wretched hive of scum and villainy like Mos Eisley. Just don’t look at anyone the wrong way. 

The Be Sharps

At one point, The Be Sharps were bigger than The Beatles. At least in the world of The Simpsons. There aren’t a lot of barbershop quartets around anymore. In fact there weren’t when the group, including Homer Simpson, Apu, Principal Skinner, and Barney, took off to huge fame with their hit “Baby on Board.” It’s time for a reunion on a roof top somewhere! 

N.W.H.

N.W.H. from Fear of the Black Hat lives in the shadow of their fellow fictional rap group, CB4, as does the movie. We need to get them to the forefront. Led by Ice Cold (Rusty Cundieff) and Tasty Taste (Larry B. Scott), they could have been huge. The raunchier they get, the better they are, so they’ve got to be fun in concert. 

Hedwig and The Angry Inch

Glam Rock never goes out of style and neither does a classic like Hedwig and The Angry Inch. While it would be better to see them in a smokey club, probably, we’ll take them anyway we can, even in a stadium or with 100,000 at Glastonbury. Let’s make it happen! 

Eddie And The Cruisers

At the height of his fame Eddie Wilson of Eddie And The Cruisers, from the movie of the same name, crashed his car into a river and disappeared forever. It’s the kind of story that could lead to the biggest Coachella reunion of all time, should Eddie and bass player Sal (Matthew Laurance) and Eddie (Michael Pare) can agree on what the band is, artistically. 

The Commitments

The Commitments from the movie of the same name, fell victim to infighting and they never got the due that they deserved. It’s time to bring them back for a triumphant concert tour! Sure, it’s a little weird watching an Irish band play American soul music, but they are sure are good at it! 

Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem

Let’s be honest here, is there anyone that wouldn’t want to see the house band for The Muppet Show in concert? Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem seem like the kind of band that would be at home in any venue, in a club, in a theater, or even on the main stage of a huge festival. They’d kill it, just like The Muppets Mayhem show.

Loveburger

The biggest “What if” on this list has to be Loveburger from Can’t Hardly Wait. Known more for their infighting than their music, Loveburger could be great. Or they could be terrible. We’ll never know because we never actually got to hear them play, as the cops broke up the party that was supposed to be their first gig. 

The Weird Sisters

In the Harry Potter series, there is no bigger name in music than The Weird Sisters. Made up of Hogwarts alumni, they sure know how to get the student body excited. The secret sauce is that the band’s characters are played by some pretty great real musicians, including members of Radiohead and Pulp. 

The Pinheads

Led by Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) in Back to the Future, The Pinheads never really get a chance to shine. Despite a fiery version of Huey Lewis and the News’ “Power of Love,” in an audition to play the school dance, they were shot down by one of the teachers, played by Huey Lewis, of course. Let’s get them on tour so we can all judge for ourselves! 

Johnny Bravo

The Brady Bunch, from the legendary show of the same name, were quite a band themselves, but who we really want to see is Greg Brady’s side project, Johnny Bravo. Johnny Bravo wants to be a genuine rock star and while his sound is a water-down version of what was great about the 1960s (like the show itself), he’d be great at a free concert in a park somewhere. 

Steel Dragon

Heavy metal band Steel Dragon makes dreams come true. In Rock Star, Steel Dragon fan Chris Cole (Mark Wahlberg) gets his shot to become the lead singer for his favorite band and he makes it happen. While seeing the band with its original lineup may be more satisfying for music snobs, will stick with the version of the band with Chris. 

The Lone Rangers

Okay, The Lone Rangers in Airheads are a mess. All three members are a few keys short of a full piano, but they are so darn endearing. Chazz Darby (Brendan Fraser), Rex (Steve Buscemi), and his brother Pip (Adam Sandler) are one power trio we’d love to blow away from the stage. 

Crucial Taunt

Cassandra (Tia Carrere) and her band Crucial Taunt blitz the audience in Wayne’s World. Cassandra is mesmerizing, especially to Wayne, and who is going to doubt the great Wayne Campbell’s taste in music? It’s excellent. 

Dewey Cox

Dewey Cox in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is so over the top and ridiculous, he should be on anyone’s list to see live in concert. You never know what you’re going to get with the unpredictable Cox, and we’re here for it, aren’t you?

Emmet Otter’s Jugband

It’s been decades since we were first introduced to the great Emmet Otter’s Jugband, in the Muppet special Emmet Otter’s Jugband’s Christmas and we’ve never gotten a follow-up. A reunion of these downhome muppets would be huge, we’re talking Talking Heads huge! Okay, maybe not that big, but still we badly want to see them play. 

Maxwell Demon and Venus in Furs

David Bowie is gone. So it is Freddy Mercury. Some of the greatest names in Glam Rock are gone forever which makes Maxwell Demon and Venus in Furs from Velvet Goldmine all that much more important. The over-the-top costumes and shows are something that is often missing in rock 'n roll these days, and a show by Demon and Co. would really scratch that itch. 

There’s no question that concerts by any of these bands would be instant sellouts. It’s probably best that we not ask too many questions about their entire catalog, odds are most of them are pretty thin. But no matter! We’ll just keep dreaming about seeing these legends in concert. 

If you take comfort in watching scary stories, a horror anthology TV show might be your best option for spooky streaming. I say this because, for as much as I love watching the greatest horror movies whenever I get the chance, I often find myself disappointed that the story has to end, forcing me to choose the next feature on my own.

However, with an anthology horror TV show, you get a whole collection of eerie, frightening, and even thought-provoking stories to last you several nights in a row. Take a look at some of the best horror TV shows in which each episode (or season) offers a new tale to terrify you with.

The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)

Stories include a flight passenger (played by William Shatner) convinced he sees something on the wing, a woman (played by Maxine Stuart) desperate to improve her looks with surgery, a book lover (played by Burgess Meredith) who becomes the sole survivor of a global disaster, and more.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: The terrifying tales described above only cover a few of the best episodes of The Twilight Zone — creator and narrator Rod Serling’s highly influential fantasy series that is, undeniably, the quintessential horror anthology TV show.

How to watch The Twilight Zone

• Stream The Twilight Zone on Paramount+
• Stream The Twilight Zone on Amazon Prime for free
• Buy The Twilight Zone on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Outer Limits (1963-1965)

A collection of bizarre, thought-provoking, and unsettling stories — including a miner chosen to participate in an experiment to monitor the evolutionary process and a race of insect-like extra-terrestrials hoping to turn Earth into a prison planet — framed as an otherworldly force’s infiltration of the airwaves.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: Creator Leslie Stevens’ The Outer Limits — which was later rebooted in the ‘90s — is predated by The Twilight Zone’s debut, but for some, it was the scarier anthology horror TV show of the era.

How to watch The Outer Limits

• Stream The Outer Limits on Pluto TV
• Buy The Outer Limits on DVD on Amazon

Black Mirror (2011-Present) 

Average people contend with extraordinary situations that primarily involve technology and its domineering and transformative effects on the human psyche in the not-too-distant future.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: Creator Charlie Brooker’s Emmy-winning anthology is also considered one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Netflix, but many of the best Black Mirror episodes feel all too plausible to be considered fiction, which only makes it even more horrifying.

How to watch Black Mirror

• Stream Black Mirror on Netflix

Tales From The Darkside (1983-1988)

A graduate student suspecting there is something living in a veterinary school room closet, an angry radio show host (played by Jerry Stiller) who discovers the consequences of his cynical tirades, an adaptation of a Stephen King story about a magic word processor, and more strange and scary stories.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: Created by legendary horror auteur George A. Romero and narrated by Paul Sparer, Tales from the Darkside is a fun, creepy series that later inspired a horror anthology movie favorite: 1990’s Tales from the Darkside: The Movie.

How to watch Tales from the Darkside

• Buy Tales from the Darkside on DVD on Amazon
• Rent or buy Tales from the Darkside: The Movie on Amazon

Tales From The Crypt (1989-1996)

The skeletal, pun-spewing Crypt Keeper (voiced by Jon Kassir) presents the viewer with a star-studded gallery of stories that range from hilarious to horrific and a mix of both.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: Inspired by the E.C. comic book series of the same name, HBO’s Tales from the Crypt is an iconic anthology horror TV show that also begat a few spin-off movies, including a ‘90s movie that could use more love these days called Demon Knight.

How to watch Tales from the Crypt

• Buy Tales from the Crypt on DVD on Amazon

Monsters (1988-1990)

In an alternate reality in which strange, grotesque creatures are as common as human beings, a family gathers together to watch a weekly presentation of darkly humorous cautionary tales.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: A less iconic, but equally fun, anthology horror TV show from the late 1980s and early 1990s is Monsters — which often gleefully indulges in old-school B-movie throwbacks.

How to watch Monsters

• Stream Monsters on Amazon Prime
• Stream Monsters on Tubi

Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities (2022)

Bear witness to a veteran medical examiner (played by F. Murray Abraham) encountering his strangest case yet, a beauty product with a concerning affect on a woman (played by Kate Micucci), a group of people brought together to witness an earth-shattering event, and more truly curious cases.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro serves as the creator and host of Netflix’s Cabinet of Curiosities, which is revered for having some crazy, WTF moments.

How to watch Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities

• Stream Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities on Netflix

Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962)

Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock serves as the host for this collection of deeply suspenseful, terrifyingly taut, and even wickedly funny short films.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: The aptly-titled Alfred Hitchcock Presents earned three Emmy Awards — for Editing, Writing, and Directing — during its run of 268 episodes, many of which featured some of Hollywood’s biggest stars in their earlier years, such as Steve McQueen and William Shatner.

How to watch Alfred Hitchcock Presents

• Stream Alfred Hitchcock Presents on Amazon Prime
• Stream Alfred Hitchcock Presents on Peacock
• Stream Alfred Hitchcock Presents on Tubi
• Stream Alfred Hitchcock Presents on The Roku Channel
• Buy Alfred Hitchcock Presents on DVD on Amazon

Are You Afraid Of The Dark? (1990-2000)

A group of teens gathers around a campfire at midnight to entertain each other with the scariest stories they can conjure.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: One of the first anthology horror TV shows created with a younger audience in mind was Are You Afraid of the Dark? — one of the darkest Nickelodeon shows, which served as pure nightmare fuel for kids who grew up in the ‘90s.

How to watch Are You Afraid of the Dark?

• Stream Are You Afraid of the Dark? on Paramount+
• Buy Are You Afraid of the Dark? on Amazon

Goosebumps (1995-1998)

A girl whose Halloween mask slowly becomes a part of her, a brother and sister growing suspicious of their father’s activities in the basement, and a dummy that proves to have a lively personality are some of the stories showcased in this anthology inspired by R.L. Stine's book series.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: Another anthology TV show that gave children something to scream about in the ‘90s was Goosebumps, which was originally hosted by Stine himself for the first 12 episodes.

How to watch Goosebumps

• Stream Goosebumps on Netflix
• Stream Goosebumps on Peacock
• Stream Goosebumps on Tubi
• Buy Goosebumps on Amazon

American Horror Story (2011-Present)

Witness a family that discovers their new house is haunted, a mental hospital where the patients are not even the craziest things around, a group of witches contending with inside and outside forces that threaten their livelihood, and more inventive reimaginings of gothic lore through a thought-provoking, satirical lens.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: These days, a relatively more common anthology horror TV show structure is not to tell one story per episode, but one per season, and the dominant example in the last several years has been Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s scary psychosexual drama, American Horror Story, on FX.

How to watch American Horror Story

• Stream American Horror Story on Hulu
• Stream American Horror Story (Seasons 1-7) on Amazon Prime

Slasher (2016-Present)

A diverse cast of characters question who among them is a vicious, vengeful, masked murderer in this collection of mysterious, macabre whodunnits that turn the eponymous genre on its head.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: Another, more grounded and always exquisitely crafted seasonal horror anthology TV show is Slasher — a Chiller original later picked up as one of Netflix’s best horror TV shows before it became available with a Shudder subscription.

How to watch Slasher

• Stream Slasher (Seasons 1-3) on Netflix
• Stream Slasher: Flesh & Blood AMC+
• Stream Slasher: Ripper on AMC+

Channel Zero (2016-2018)

A psychiatrist (played by Paul Schneider) haunted by memories of a strange TV show, a grieving young woman (played by Amy Forsyth) and others experience a haunted house attraction like no other, and more bizarre tales that fans of viral scary short stories will find frighteningly familiar.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: Another horror anthology that started as a cable network original (SyFy) before being picked up for streaming by Shudder is Channel Zero, which lasted four seasons — each of which, including the psychologically unsettling “No-End House,” is inspired by a different online Creepypasta.

How to watch Channel Zero

• Stream Channel Zero on AMC+
• Buy Channel Zero on Amazon

Castle Rock (2018-2019)

A lawyer (played by Andre Holland) defends a strange man (played by Bill Skarsgård) recently freed from a secret, decades-long captivity in his hometown in Maine, where, later, a nurse and single mother (played by Lizzy Caplan) makes a deadly decision that sets off a shocking series of events.

Why it is a great horror anthology TV show: Each season of one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu, Castle Rock, tells a different story set in the same titular community that takes inspiration from the works of Stephen King, with some of the author’s most famous characters being directly involved or cheekily referenced.

How to watch Castle Rock

• Stream Castle Rock on Hulu

If two hours of terror is not enough for you, get a load of the hours upon hours that these ghoulish, grotesque, great anthology series will grant you. There is more where these came from with plenty of upcoming horror TV shows on the horizon.

I could call Black Mirror one of the best sci-fi TV shows of all time, but it feels a little too real to be considered pure “fiction.” Creator Charlie Brooker’s Emmy-winning series — which debuted on British television before becoming a Netflix exclusive made it a worldwide hit — paints a frighteningly accurate portrait of human nature’s darker areas, especially when in response to our increasingly tech-driven world. 

However, it is not the only show to create such a profound and thought-provoking effect by employing many of the same relatable themes through a stylistically bizarre lens — and I am not just talking about other great anthology TV shows like this. Yet, highlighting one of the most essential anthology series of all time is how we shall begin this collection of shows Black Mirror fans will surely love.

The Twilight Zone (1959-1964) 

A bookworm becoming the last human on Earth after a cataclysmic event, a woman taunted by her doppelgänger, a man believing a dangerous creature is on the wing of his commercial airplane, and many more make up creator and host Rod Serling’s highly influential hit.

Why it is a great show for Black Mirror fans: Not all of the best Twilight Zone episodes have a technophobic element and neither do some classic Black Mirror stories, but both shows undeniably qualify as a series of bizarre and highly inventive morality plays.

Stream The Twilight Zone on Paramount+.
Stream The Twilight Zone on Freevee through Amazon.

Altered Carbon (2018-2020) 

The digitized consciousness of an imprisoned special forces agent wakes up a new body (played by Joel Kinnaman) and assigned by a wealthy man to solve his murder.

Why it is a great show for Black Mirror fans: The concept of downloadable consciousness is explored in many of the best Black Mirror episodes and is also the primary focus of one of the best crime TV shows on Netflix, Altered Carbon — creator Laeta Kalogridis’ dystopian hit, which sees Anthony Mackie take on the central role in Season 2.

Stream Altered Carbon on Netflix.

Upload (2020-Present)

The digitized consciousness of a deceased young man (played by Robbie Amell) is sent to an artificial afterlife where he and his real-world handler (played by Andy Allo) begin looking into the cause of his death.

Why it is a great show for Black Mirror fans: Another mystery series that explores the topic of downloadable consciousness, but with a more lighthearted tone, is Upload, created by former The Office executive producer Greg Daniels.

Stream Upload on Amazon Prime.

Love, Death + Robots (2019-Present) 

This series of diverse animated short films include a trio of sentient machines exploring a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a revolutionary artist preparing to debut his magnum opus, a woman at war with her robotic vacuum, and more.

Why it is a great show for Black Mirror fans: Technology is also a recurring theme in most of the best episodes of Love, Death + Robots, but creator Tim Miller and producer David Fincher’s Emmy-winning Netflix original might be one of the few sci-fi anthologies that surpasses Black Mirror in its bewildering oddities.

Stream Love, Death + Robots on Netflix.

Westworld (2016-2022)

Citizens of a quaint town in the Old West make a shocking a discovery about their existence.

Why it is a great show for Black Mirror fans: Based on an obscure 1970s B-movie from Michael Crichton, HBO’s unfortunately cancelled hit, Westworld, is a thought-provoking commentary on our growing reliance on technology, set in a future where human beings can indulge in their inner most desires in a community inhabited by unwitting artificial beings.

Buy Westworld on Amazon.

Mrs. Davis (2023)

A nun (Betty Gilipin) sets out on a dangerous mission to save a world dominated by a manipulative artificial intelligence.

Why it is a great show for Black Mirror fans: Black Mirror has never really explored the idea of an autonomous AI (yet), but the idea is just as terrifying as anything the show has produced so far, and is made a bit easier to swallow by employing a more comedic tone in Peacock’s critically acclaimed miniseres, Mrs. Davis, from creators Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez.

Stream Mrs. Davis on Peacock.

Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams (2017-2018)

A train station employee (played by Timothy Spall) investigating commutes to non-existent destinations, a policewoman (played by Anna Paquin) questioning what is virtual and what is reality during a VR vacation, and a woman (played Geraldine Chaplin) being granted a visit to a desolate Earth are just some of these strange stories.

Why it is a great show for Black Mirror fans: Black Mirror and the science fiction genre in general might not be what is today without the influence of author Philip K. Dick, whose own work inspired Electric Dreams — an Emmy-nominated anthology that boast many thought-provoking technological concepts, but also much more.

Stream Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams on Amazon Prime.

Mr. Robot (2015-2019)

A young, disturbed hacking expert (played by Academy Award winner Rami Malek) is given the opportunity to wage war against his corrupt employers when he meets a mysterious man (played by Christian Slater).

Why it is a great show for Black Mirror fans: Sometimes Black Mirror does not bother looking into the future, and takes on issues and common fears revolving around technology in the present day — much like creator Sam Esmail’s Emmy-winning hit, Mr. Robot, which is considered by many to be one of the greatest non-HBO prestige dramas today. 

Stream Mr. Robot on Amazon Prime.

Severance (2022-Present)

An office worker (Adam Scott) and his colleagues — whose memories of their personal and professional lives are kept surgically separate — begin to question the truth about their job.

Why it is a great show for Black Mirror fans: Themes of dystopia, isolation, paranoia, and more of Black Mirror’s specialties are explored in a mind-bendingly mundane setting in creator Dan Erickson and executive producer Ben Stiller’s Severance, which has a second season coming in 2024.

Stream Severance on Apple TV+.

Solos (2021)

The seven stories in this anthology follow a terminally ill man (played by Anthony Mackie) making a polarizing decision for his family’s sake, a space traveler (played by Helen Mirren) reminiscing about her life, an elderly man (played by Morgan Freeman) receiving the chance to regain his lost memories, and others.

Why it is a great show for Black Mirror fans: If you need a break from the dismal existential dread of Black Mirror and some of the other shows above, Solos — creator David Weil’s star-studded Amazon original miniseries — offers a, somewhat, more hopeful look at the future.

Stream Solos on Amazon Prime.

If you call yourself a fan of Charlie Brooker’s groundbreaking series — even if you do not love all of Black Mirror’s seasons so far — and you don't like any of these shows, maybe you should check to make sure nothing otherworldly is controlling you.

What all seasons of the Channel Four/ Netflix series Black Mirror have in common is a terrifying picture of what the world can look like if AI and technology take over the world. If AI is getting more advanced with age, could that mean that television creators are going to be replaced by these smart programs? Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker explains why he’s not worried about AI replacement for his job.

It’s scary what AI programs like ChatGPT can do. In an instant, this program can write anything for you like the book ending for Game of Thrones. As the 2023 Writers Strike brought out awareness of the frequency of AI-produced scripts, The Guardian reported that Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker spoke at an International Convention Centre SXSW event in Sydney about facing anxiety when asking ChatGPT to write something for him. Brooker said: 

ChatGPT seems almost flawless in how it can think of the most complex answers to your questions in the course of a few seconds. It's understandable where studios were coming from at the time of the writers strike. AI, after all, has the ability to come up with an entire screenplay instantly compared to waiting for humans to think one up. 

It’s also easy to understand where the fear of AI comes from in Brooker, when some of the best Black Mirror episodes had to do with AI playing a significant role in everyday life. Examples include “Striking Vipers” about an AI role-playing video game and “Joan is Awful” about AI-generated entertainment. Being the driving force behind so many episodes is bound to make you scared about art imitating life.

Thankfully, by the end of Charlie Brooker’s ChatGPT interaction, he realized that he had nothing to worry about his career:

Imagine what a relief it must have been for the creator of one of the best Netflix series to know that ChatGPT isn't perfect. This AI tool may come up with answers easily, but it doesn’t mean they’re always intelligent or accurate ones. Artificial intelligence can be just as “messy” as people can be. If there’s any benefit to humans having to think hard when it comes to mastering creativity, it's that we can come up with well-thought-out ideas compared to rushing through them. 

While the writers strike may have come to an end despite the growing threat of AI, the SAG-AFTRA actors strike is still ongoing. Studios have been trying to get actors to give away their AI likenesses for “eternity.” That’s an incredibly scary concept that ironically was covered in the episode “Joan is Awful” where a businesswoman's life is told onscreen by an AI version of Salma Hayek. Actors are having their likeness scanned to be used for future projects, not being told what those projects will be or being compensated for them. Hopefully in the future, something can be settled that will benefit both studios and actors.

While it’s hard to know how much interference AI will have towards the entertainment industry in the coming years, at least Charlie Brooker can rest assured that his job is safe. With his high level of ingenuity, at least he’s smart enough to think of something more clever for season seven of Black Mirror compared to what ChatGPT came up with. You can watch all episodes of this sci-fi anthology series right now on your Netflix subscription. 

In recent years, Josh Hartnett was one of those actors who had entertainment hounds curious of his whereabouts. However, following his stunning performance as Ernest Lawrence in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer cast (in addition to a few other roles as of late that we will cover), it seems that we can officially say that the Hartaissance is on. Let’s celebrate this new era by exploring his filmography with our picks of the best Josh Hartnett movies and TV shows, along with a tip of where to find them on streaming or as a digital rental, below.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

Two decades after surviving her brother’s killing spree and going into hiding, a California boarding school headmistress (Jamie Lee Curtis) is shocked to learn he has found her. 

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: For his feature film debut, Hartnett had the honor playing the son of one of cinema’s top Scream Queens in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, which was the first of the Halloween movies to reboot the continuity.

Stream Halloween H20: 20 Years Later on Showtime.
Rent or buy Halloween H20: 20 Years Later on Amazon.

The Faculty (1998)

A group of teens from different walks of life must unite when they become some of the few people not affected by an alien parasite causing their teachers, and others, to act frighteningly out of character.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: Hartnett seemed well on his way to achieving Scream King status with his second movie of 1998 (and second collaboration with H20 screenwriter Kevin Williamson), director Robert Rodriguez’s The Faculty — a not-too-scary horror classic fusing Invasion of Body Snatchers-esque paranoia satire with the archetypal coming-of-age commentary of The Breakfast Club.

Stream The Faculty on Paramount+.

The Virgin Suicides (1999)

Five sisters raised in an extremely sheltered environment become objects of fascination for four young men in 1970s Detroit.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: Hartnett first earned serious acting acclaim and a heartthrob reputation as Trip Fontaine in this adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides novel, The Virgin Suicides — Sofia Coppola’s feature-length debut as a writer and director and, arguably, her best film to date.

Stream The Virgin Suicides on Amazon Prime.
Stream The Virgin Suicides on Paramount+.

O (2001)

After his coach (and father) chooses his predominantly white basketball team’s only Black player (Mekhi Pfeiffer) as MVP, a jealous high school athlete (Hartnett) conspires to ruin his life.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: Hartnett let out his bad side for the first time as the antagonist of O, which was one of many modernized retellings of William Shakespeare plays — this one being based on Othello.

Stream O on Max.
Rent or buy O on Amazon.

Black Hawk Down (2001)

A U.S. military crew struggles to locate and rescue more than 100 Army Rangers after a pair of helicopter crashes leave them stranded in Somalia.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: Also one of the best movies starring the late Tom Sizemore, director Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down is a highly realistic depiction of war inspired by a real incident from 1993.

Stream Black Hawk Down on Netflix.
Rent or buy Black Hawk Down on Amazon.

40 Days And 40 Nights (2002)

Soon after he commits to swearing off all sexual activity for Lent, a young, single man (Hartnett) meets the woman of his dreams (Shannyn Sossamon).

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: Amid its raunchy themes, what makes director Michael Lehmann’s 40 Days and 40 Nights an effective romantic comedy movie for its time is its somewhat thought-provoking and heartfelt approach to the material.

Stream 40 Days And 40 Nights on Pluto TV.
Rent or buy 40 Days And 40 Nights on Amazon.

Hollywood Homicide (2003)

Two Los Angeles detectives — one a veteran who sells real estate (Harrison Ford), the other a rookie with acting aspirations (Hartnett) — are thrown together on the case of an up-and-coming rap group’s murder.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: While their characters have trouble being civil, Hartnett claims he and Ford got along fine (despite rumors of the contrary) on the set of Hollywood Homicide — a funny buddy cop flick from Academy Award nominated co-writer and director, Ron Shelton. 

Rent or buy Hollywood Homicide on Amazon.

Wicker Park (2004)

Convinced that he spotted a former lover who left him years earlier, a Chicago advertising executive (Hartnett) tracks her down, leading him down a dangerous path.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: Following Hollywood Homicide, Hartnett led a much darker and stranger kind of mystery story called Wicker Park — director Paul McGuigan and screenwriter Brandon Boyce’s English-language update of Gilles Mimouni’s 1996 French thriller, The Apartment.

Stream Wicker Park on Amazon Prime.

Mozart And The Whale (2005)

A cab driver with Asperger’s Syndrome (Hartnett) meets and falls for a woman who is also on the autism spectrum (Radha Mitchell), which proves to create challenging circumstances for their relationship.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: Based on the true stories of Jerry Newport and his wife, Mary (according to The Wonderful World of Autism), Mozart and the Whale is an uplifting love story, anchored by Hartnett and Mitchell’s heartfelt portrayals of their characters’ condition.

Stream Mozart And The Whale on Freevee through Amazon.

Sin City (2005)

An anthology of three interconnected stories following the hardened citizens of a grimy urban jungle dominated by crime and corruption.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: For his second collaboration with Robert Rodriguez (who co-directs with comic book legend Frank Miller), Hartnett appeared in the small, but memorably intriguing, role of “The Salesman” in Sin City — a brilliant non-superhero-related comic book movie that brings Miller’s noir-inspired graphic novel series to life with its spectacularly unique visual design.

Stream Sin City on Max.
Rent or buy Sin City on Amazon.

Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

A case of mistaken identity causes a young man (Hartnett) to become embroiled in a feud between the two most powerful leaders of New York City’s criminal underground.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: There is more than meets the eye about Hartnett’s titular role in the fun, subversive crime drama, Lucky Number Slevin — also the actor’s second collaboration with director Paul McGuigan and fellow Sin City cast member, Bruce Willis.

Stream Lucky Number Slevin on Tubi.
Stream Lucky Number Slevin on Freevee through Amazon.

Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)

Four uniquely skilled individuals form an alliance to battle unusual, otherworldly phenomena in 19th Century London.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: There is also more than meets the eye about Hartnett’s character — American gunslinger, Ethan Chandler — on creator John Logan’s acclaimed gothic horror series, Penny Dreadful, which was the actor’s most high profile project during its three-season run on Showtime.

Stream Penny Dreadful on Showtime.
Buy Penny Dreadful on Amazon.

Wrath Of Man (2021)

A security guard for a truck company (Jason Statham) arises the suspicions of his peers after foiling an attempted heist with his unusually impressive skills.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: One of Hartnett’s first major movie releases in years was one of the grittier, more earnest, and simply best Guy Ritchie movies in years, Wrath of Man, in which he plays a fellow security guard named “Boy Sweat” Dave Hancock.

Stream Wrath Of Man on Amazon Prime.

Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre (2023)

In order to gain the trust of a wealthy investor suspected of selling a deadly warhead (Hugh Grant), the rebellious leader (Statham) of a ragtag team of secret agents recruit their target’s favorite movie star (Hartnett) as their latest member.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: For his second collaboration with co-writer and director Ritchie and Statham, Hartnett revives his comedic side for his scene-stealing role in the Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre cast, which also includes Aubrey Plaza, Bugzy Malone, and Cary Elwes giving it their all in this hilarious, old school spy flick. 

Rent or buy Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre on Amazon.

Black Mirror: Beyond The Sea (2023)

The relationship between two astronauts (Hartnett and Aaron Paul), who are able to continue living on Earth by logging into mechanical decoys, takes a drastic turn when one suffers a horrifying tragedy.

Why it is one of Josh Hartnett’s best: Hartnett gives one of his most captivating performances in years in one of the best episodes of Black Mirror’s sixth season, “Beyond the Sea,” which is also inventive, absorbing, and devastating enough to be called one of the all-time best episodes of the Netflix exclusive technophobic anthology series.

Stream Black Mirror: Beyond The Sea on Netflix.

There are more notable Josh Hartnett movies to find — such as 30 Days of Night, for fans of brutal vampire movies — and more to look forward to as well, as the actor has an action thriller called Fight or Flight in post-production and a crime drama called The Last Draw of Jack of Hearts in pre-production.

I very much enjoyed Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, but if I had one reason to complain, it would be that there was just not quite enough of Pom Klementieff. Despite barely saying a word (unless it was in French), her performance in the seventh installment of the Mission: Impossible movies as a vicious assassin only known as “Paris” is one of the most striking and memorable out of anyone in the star-studded ensemble. Before she reprises the role in the eighth installment, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, check out some of the best Pom Klementieff movies and TV shows streaming and where you can find them.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning (2023)

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Pom Klementieff

What it's about: Ethan Hunt and his team must contend with an enemy unlike anything they have faced before: a highly intelligent and manipulative artificial intelligence.

Why it is worth watching if you love Pom Klementieff: The latest installment of the enduring spy movies franchise, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning (which originally had a Part One attached to the title that Paramount has since dropped), has some of the best Mission: Impossible movie action sequences -- many of which involve Klementieff's almost silent, scene-stealing, character, Paris.

How to watch Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning

• Stream Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning on Paramount+
• Stream Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning on Amazon Prime
• Stream Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning on MGM+
• Buy Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning on Blu-ray on Amazon

Pom Klementieff's Marvel Movies (2017-2023)

Director: Various

Starring: Various

What they are about: After helping them defeat her tyrannical former master, Mantis – a lovably naive, but still badass, alien with the ability to sense and alter other people’s emotions – joins a diverse, ragtag crew who travel across the galaxy helping those in need.

Why they are worth watching if you love Pom Klementieff: Audiences fell in love with Klementieff for her performance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as a lovably before she appeared in more of the best Marvel movies and a funny holiday special for Disney+.

How to watch Pom Klementieff's Marvel movies

Ingrid Goes West (2017)

Director: Matt Spicer

Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, Pom Klementieff

What it's about: A woman notorious forming unhealthy social media obsessions moves to Los Angeles intending to become friends with one of her favorite influencers (played by Elizabeth Olsen).

Why it is worth watching if you love Pom Klementieff: In the same year she made her MCU debut, Klementieff (in the role of a famous fashion blogger) shared the screen with a franchise veteran (Olsen), a future member (Wyatt Russell), and a non-canon Marvel TV show actor (Legion star Plaza) in Ingrid Goes West — a dark social media satire.

How to watch Ingrid Goes West

• Stream Ingrid Goes West on Tubi
• Buy Ingrid Goes West on Blu-ray on Amazon

Newness (2017)

Director: Drake Doremus

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Leia Costa, Pom Klementieff

What it's about: A young man and woman meet on a dating app and fall in love but soon agree to spice things up by openly experimenting with online dating outside of their relationship, leading to turbulent consequences.

Why it is worth watching if you love Pom Klementieff: A more somber and earnest commentary on the digital age starring Klementieff is the romantic drama, Newness, in which the actor plays Bethany — one of the women Hoult’s character sees on the side.

How to watch Newness

• Stream Newness on Pluto TV
• Stream Newness on The Roku Channel
• Stream Newness on Plex
• Rent or buy Newness on Amazon
• Buy Newness on DVD on Amazon

Black Mirror: Striking Vipers (2019)

Director: Owen Harris

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

What it's about: While playing a fighting video game, a family man and his old buddy make an interesting discovery about the game’s highly immersive VR function and themselves.

Why it is worth watching if you love Pom Klementieff: Yet another commentary about how technology and romance mix is one of the best episodes of Black Mirror, “Striking Vipers,” in which Klementieff plays a video game avatar named Roxette.

How to watch Black Mirror: Striking Vipers

• Stream Black Mirror: Striking Vipers on Netflix

Westworld (2020)

Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright

What it's about: Nineteenth-century villagers make the startling discovery that they are not human, but highly advanced mechanical beings constructed for a futuristic theme park where guests can authentically live out their fantasies of experiencing life in the Old West.

Why it is worth watching if you love Pom Klementieff: Movies and TV shows exploring technology's pros and cons continued to be a staple of Klementieff’s career when she was cast on the third season of Westworld — HBO’s Emmy-winning, unfairly cancelled sci-fi Western series loosely inspired by a 1973 film of the same name — in the recurring role of Martel, who works for Vincent Cassel’s Engerraund Serac.

How to watch Westworld

• Buy Westworld on Amazon
• Buy Westworld on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Addams Family (2019)

Director: Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz

What it's about: After years of living in gloomy isolation, a creepy and kooky family becomes acquainted with their never-before-seen neighbors.

Why it is worth watching if you love Pom Klementieff: For her first voice acting gig, Klementieff appeared in the animated reboot of the Addams Family as twin sisters Layla and Kayla, who become friends with Wednesday Addams.

How to watch The Addams Family (2019)

• Stream The Addams Family on Max
• Rent or buy The Addams Family on Amazon
• Buy The Addams Family on Blu-ray on Amazon

Uncut Gems (2019)

Director: Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie

Starring: Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel, Julia Fox

What it's about: A New York City jeweler and compulsive gambler comes into possession of a rare opal, which sends him on a self-destructive downward spiral.

Why it is worth watching if you love Pom Klementieff: Also in 2019, Klementieff made an appearance you might have missed in one of the best A24 movies — the intense, anxiety-fueled crime thriller, Uncut Gems — as Lexis, who is friends with Julia Fox’s character, Julia De Fiore.

How to watch Uncut Gems

• Stream Uncut Gems on Tubi
• Rent or buy Uncut Gems on Amazon
• Buy Uncut Gems on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Director: James Gunn

Starring: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, Viola Davis

What it's about: Amanda Waller calls upon the services of her reluctantly heroic team of criminals for a new mysterious and potentially world-threatening mission.

Why it is worth watching if you love Pom Klementieff: Another brief appearance by Klementieff that many people missed (before it was revealed by James Gunn) is her uncredited cameo as a Panama City night club dancer in The Suicide Squad — a dazzling, “total reboot” to the DCEU’s supervillain showcase and the actor’s first collaboration with the Guardians filmmaker outside of the MCU.

How to watch The Suicide Squad

• Stream The Suicide Squad on Max
• Rent or buy The Suicide Squad on Amazon
• Buy The Suicide Squad on Blu-ray on Amazon

Sleepless Night (2011)

Director: Frédéric Jardin

Starring: Tomer Sisley, Serge Riaboukine

What it's about: A police officer finds the barrier between his seemingly normal life and secret criminal lifestyle suddenly broken when his plan to rob a drug shipment from a powerful mobster has pressing consequences.

Why it is worth watching if you love Pom Klementieff: One of Klementieff’s first and most acclaimed major motion pictures was the intense, French action drama, Sleepless Night, which served as the basis of the Jamie Foxx-led 2017 thriller, Sleepless.

How to watch Sleepless Night

• Stream Sleepless Night on Peacock
• Stream Sleepless Night on Tubi
• Stream Sleepless Night on Pluto TV
• Buy Sleepless Night on Amazon
• Buy Sleepless Night on DVD on Amazon

If you still can’t get enough of Pom Klementieff after finishing this binge, there is surely more where that came from, too, and we cannot wait.

One could argue that the Mission: Impossible movies are a franchise that keeps improving upon itself with each installment on just about every level — from Tom Cruise’s latest high wire stunt to its ever-growing, talented ensemble. I personally believe that the latter is a definite plus, especially with the most recent casting of Hayley Atwell as thief-turned-reluctant-IMF-ally, Grace, in the new 2023 movie, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.

Of course, this is not the first time that the American-born, London-raised actor has played a spy. In fact, espionage is in the job description of her most iconic role to date (at least the best-known variation of her, I should say). There are plenty of other great characters that we intend to cover below as we explore our picks for the best Hayley Atwell movies and TV shows so far, but where you have seen her star as Agent Margaret “Pegg” Carter is where we shall start.

Hayley Atwell's Marvel Movies (2011-2022)

A British military agent (Atwell) helps a small man with a big heart (Chris Evans) become the world’s first supersoldier during World War II, which turns out to be only her first of many marvelous adventures as a member of an organization that comes to be known as S.H.I.E.L.D.

Why they are some of Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell debuted as Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger and would reprise the role in four more of the best Marvel movies (2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man from 2015, and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame) before playing an alternate version of the character, Captain Carter, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022.

Stream Hayley Atwell's Marvel Movies on Disney+.

Agent Carter (2015-2016)

Demoted to doing only secretarial duties, a skilled spy (Atwell) is given the chance to get back into the fight when her wealthy former colleague (Dominic Cooper) asks her to help clear his name when he is accused of treason in the post-World War II 1940s.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: Directly following the events of Captain America: The First Avenger, creators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely’s Agent Carter sees Atwell reprising the title role and taking center stage in this thrilling, fun, and unfortunately short-lived series that stands out as one of the more unique, let alone best, Marvel TV shows for its espionage themes and historical production design.

Stream Agent Carter on Disney+.
Buy Agent Carter on Amazon.

Marvel's What If...? (2021-Present)

T’Challa becoming Star-Lord instead of Black Panther, Ultron defeating the Avengers, and flesh-eating corpses overrunning the Earth are just some of the scenarios introduced in this anthology series that reimagines the most significant events from the Marvel movies in order so far.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: Atwell first played Peggy’s alternate, super soldier alter ego, Captain Carter, when she appeared in the What If…? voice cast for this inventive animated show that explores different corners of the Marvel Multiverse and has a second season coming to Disney+ at some point.

Stream Marvel's What If...? on Disney+.

Cassandra's Dream (2007)

A compulsive gambler (Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell) and his aspiring businessman brother (Emmy winner Ewan McGregor) seek help from their restauranteur father (Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson), who asks them to commit an unspeakable act in return.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell made her theatrical film debut as Angela (an actress whom McGregor’s character, Ian, falls in love with) in Cassandra’s Dream — an intense, high-stakes noir thriller from writer and director Woody Allen. 

Stream Cassandra's Dream on Freevee through Amazon.

Brideshead Revisited (2008)

The friendship between a British Army officer (Matthew Goode) and his close friend (Ben Whishsaw) changes when one falls for the other’s sister (Atwell) while meeting his family at their grand London estate.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell earned raves for her role as Lady Julia Flyte — who becomes entangled in a bizarre love triangle involving her brother and his best friend — in director Julian Jarrold’s adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s seminal novel, Brideshead Revisited.

Rent or buy Brideshead Revisited on Amazon.

The Prisoner (2009)

A man (Jim Caviezel) finds himself unable to remember his name and trapped in a seemingly idyllic remote island village with a charismatic, but shady leader (Sir Ian McKellan).

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: This AMC original update of the cult favorite 1960s sci-fi series, The Prisoner, stars Atwell as a woman linked to Caviezel’s character’s past — if only she could remember her own.

Stream The Prisoner on AMC+ through Amazon.

The Pillars Of The Earth (2010)

Families and lives become tarnished in the wake of violent conflict, greed, and religious autocracy in 12th Century England.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: Atwell starred as Aliena in an acclaimed limited series for Starz called The Pillars of the Earth — an Emmy-winning, eight-part adaptation of the romantic period thriller novel by Ken Follett — which predates Game of Thones’ themes of war, power, and forbidden romance by a year.

Buy or rent The Pillars Of The Earth on Amazon.

Jimi: All Is By My Side (2013)

A talented, but widely unknown, American guitarist (André Benjamin) leaves New York City and travels to London, where his distinct sound defines a generation and makes him a legend in the late 1960s.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Real-life rap star “André 3000” Benjamin embodies rock ’n roll revolutionary Jimi Hendrix in writer and director John Ridley’s unauthorized biopic — which featured none of the musician’s catalog — Jimi: All is By My Side, alongside Atwell as the the guitarist’s lover, English writer Kathy Etchingham.

Rent or buy Jimi: All Is By My Side on Amazon.

The Duchess (2008)

An Englishwoman (Keira Knightley) becomes royalty when she marries a duke (Ralph Fiennes), only to find the experience disappointing and oppressive, in 18th century Devonshire, England.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Another notable biopic on Atwell’s resume is one of Keira Knightley’s best movies — director Saul Dibb’s retelling of Georgiana Spencer’s life, The Duchess, in which she stars as Lady Bess, who serves not only as Georgiana’s friend, but also the romantic liaison of her husband, the Duke.

Rent or buy The Duchess on Amazon.

Cinderella (2015)

A chance meeting with a charming prince (Game of Thrones cast member Richard Madden) inspires a shy, young woman (Lily James, in one of her own best movies) to overcome the cruelty of her stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and go to a ball, with a little help from her fairy godmother (Helena Bonham Carter).

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell was a much more positive presence (albeit a brief one) in another legendary, but fictional, tale of becoming royalty, director Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella — Disney’s live-action remake of the animated classic in which the actor appears at the beginning as the title character’s biological mother.

Rent or buy Cinderella on Amazon.

Christopher Robin (2018)

A straight-laced, workaholic family man (Ewan McGregor) gets a chance to rediscover life’s joys when the sentient stuffed animals he grew up with pay him an unexpected visit.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: In addition to reuniting with McGregor more than a decade after Cassandra’s Dream, Atwell would go on to star in another live-action reimagining of a classic Disney property (in this case, Winnie the Pooh) with director Marc Forster’s Christopher Robin, in the role Evelyn, who is shocked to discovery her husband’s childhood friends are not so imaginary after all.

Stream Christopher Robin on Disney+.
Rent or buy Christopher Robin title on Amazon.

Testament Of Youth (2014)

After her lover (Kit Harrington) enlists in the Army, an upper class woman (Alicia Vikander, in one her best movies) sees the perils of World War I for herself while serving as a nurse for the British Army.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Another acclaimed biopic on Atwell’s resume is director James Kent’s Testament of Youth — a romantic adaptation of the memoir by famous socialist, pacifist, and feminist figure Vera Brittain — in which she appears in the smaller role of a woman named Hope which, itself, is a profound theme of the story.

Rent or buy Testament Of Youth on Amazon.

Black Mirror: Be Right Back (2013)

A woman (Atwell) mourning the loss of her boyfriend (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers that she can reconnect with him from beyond the grave with the use of an AI that mimics his personality.

Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: We may not believe that its second run of episodes is the very best Black Mirror season yet, but Season 2’s first episode, “Be Right Back,” does see Atwell give one of the best performances of the entire acclaimed anthology series as a woman wrestling with her longing for her tragically killed beau while trying to keep her grip on reality.

Stream Black Mirror: Be Right Back on Netflix.

Atwell is set to return as Grace in the second half of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning (one of the most anticipated upcoming 2024 moves) and is set to voice Lara Croft in an upcoming animated series adaptation of the Tomb Raider video games. So, needless to say, there are going to be plenty more great movies and TV shows starring the actress where these came from.

Arguably one of the best shows on Netflix's digital library, creator Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror seems to have once again struck a relevant nerve in the consciousness of an ever watchful world. Thanks to claims of studios trying to get actors to sign away their likenesses for “eternity,” it appears that fans of the dystopian satire anthology have a lot of thoughts on the matter once again. 

It seems pretty reasonable, as this very subject was at the center of Season 6’s episode “Joan is Awful.” As that particular installment was already popular with viewers before its real-world counterpart started to rear its ughly head, the Annie Murphy/Salma Hayek starring tale has only grown more and more relevant as a result of reports stemming from negotiations and conversations between SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild) and the AMPTP (producers alliance).

The AI Proposal That Inspired “Joan Is Awful” Comparisons

The more specific scenario that’s been raised by the specific AMPTP stipulations (via Deadline) isn’t a total apples-to-apples translation of what Salma Hayek had to go through in Black Mirror, to be sure. If anything, the situation that’s been highlighted by SAG chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland is the usage of AI to replicate background extras, as opposed to featured speaking performers. 

Recalling the situation in his own words, Ireland laid out the proposal at hand, and why SAG-AFTRA is outraged by its implications: 

It’s clear why an actor would be outraged by being asked to consider what is supposedly a “groundbreaking proposal,” though this isn’t a totally new concern. Most notably martial artist/actor Jet Li had similar worries, which led to Li turning down a role in The Matrix sequels, as he was afraid that his fighting style could be copied digitally if he had signed on to star in the films. 

Then of course, there was the Robin Wright starring 2013 film The Congress, which absolutely played into the notion that a headlining actor could see their likeness used for “eternity” throughout the entertainment landscape. So the moment A.I. proposals like this entered the conversation, it was bound to be a hot topic. 

Responding to Duncan Crabtree-Ireland's claims, Scott Rowe, spokesperson for the AMPTP, attempted to debunk those concerns. Rowe's statement read as follows: 

Ongoing negotiations for both the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes are, of course, more complicated than a pair of prepped statements could ever fully cover. Even with that in mind, the concern is that much like the world of Black Mirror’s Season 6 premiere, an actor could sign away their likeness rights to be used in perpetuity without any additional permissions required. And that very discussion is what fans have seized on through another somewhat feared phenomenon in Charlie Brooker’s worldview: social media!

How Social Media Reacted To This "Joan is Awful" Scenario

Viewers were almost instantly obsessed with this nightmarish story, as “Joan is Awful” reactions flooded Twitter not too long after Black Mirror Season 6 debuted. The fires surrounding Annie Murphy and Salma Hayek’s battle against the “quam-puta” that ruined their lives certainly haven’t died down, thanks to real life situations reflecting the show's bleak situation. 

Kicking off the recent round of discussion is screenwriter Seth M. Sherwood, who actually paid out some praise to a very specific party: 

Further feeding the discourse in our next example is, coincidentally enough, Luke Cage creator Cheo Hodari Coker. Coker’s response is even more interesting in that it also ropes in a recent box office release into the AI likeness debate, as follows: 

Considering how Indiana Jones 5’s de-aging process used countless hours of Harrison Ford footage, already licensed and owned by studio entities, this concern isn’t a bridge too far to cross for the estates of such big ticket talent to consider. In light of that thought, the comments made by Robert Balkovich below further refocus the concerns at hand:

While it doesn't seem that studios will be jumping into remakes of your favorite movies or shows with Meryl Streep now starring in the lead, the concern is for working actors blow the line. Just as it has been since day one of the SAG-AFTRA strike, the focus is mainly on those union members who don't have voices as powerful as their more instantly recognized peers. 

Closing out this sampling of the comments that Black Mirror’s “Joan is Awful” parable has inspired is Twitter user “Najeed.” Summing things up in a way that might even give Charlie Brooker a chill, this last note is probably part of the reason why this particular series still draws a crowd whenever new episodes are announced:

Seeing as this AI driven quandary has been highly cited in two different union strikes and a subsection of social media, this topic definitely isn't going away anytime soon. So we can only hope that “Joan is Awful’s” twisty ending, which got pretty destructive, is the cautionary tale that everyone makes sure to avoid, so that life doesn't imitate art in such a way. 

While those repercussions are a more exaggerated reaction to this subject, it's a discussion that still needs severely serious rationalization. That fact is only further highlighted by public reaction to the events that played out on our screens. As the technology to more convincingly replicate actors and their likenesses continues to develop, this potential slippery slope will undoubtedly remain in view for all who are concerned.

The world will continue to monitor how negotiations between the WGA, SAG-AFTRA, and the AMPTP develop, over whatever span of time is required to bring an agreeable resolution for all. In the meantime, if you want to get some sharply pointed laughs in, along with some doses of chilling disbelief, Black Mirror Season 6 is currently available on Streamberry; I mean, Netflix. 

If you need nightmare fuel to keep you grounded between summertime activities, one of the big streaming services will (soon) have something to watch for that. One exciting and chilling new documentary that is set to be new on Netflix in July is called Unknown: Killer Robots, and it looks like it’s about to give Black Mirror and The Terminator a run for its money. 

We live in a strange world, don’t we? Suddenly, science fiction concepts we were happy to leave in the comfort of our TV sets are seeping into worries to file into our day-to-day lives. It looks like Unknown: Killer Robots will explore those real life fears, as teased in the trailer above. 

The upcoming release, which you can add to your queue on Netflix’s site now, will specifically get into how artificial intelligence can be applied to militaries around the world, and as one commenter reveals in the trailer, “it’s one of the most pressing issues of our time.” Even though Jurassic Park wasn’t about AI, what comes to mind when watching this preview is the thoughts of one Ian Malcolm who famously delivered: “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” 

Now that some of these AI technologies exist, some serious questions are apparently coming into play when it comes to how they may be applied in the military. The documentary implies that forces that are implementing AI will “absolutely crush and destroy” forces without it, perhaps begging the question, which massive military force isn’t going to try? 

Unknown: Killer Robots gets into the fact that AI in the military will not “fear death” and may not have the ability to distinguish “what is right” when it comes to the moral calls that need to be made when carrying out missions. The whole two-minute trailer, considered, looks like some great viewing for getting stressed out about the end of the world by killer robots! At least Arnold Schwarzenegger is alive and working out with Chris Hemsworth to perhaps provide us with some action-hero style protection.

Lately, we’ve been seeing a lot more AI content take over mainstream conversation, between AI-generated photos of what the kids of famous exes would look like, or Marvel even employing AI rather than real artists for the Secret Invasion opening credits. There’s also those deepfakes of actors that are rather convincing and ChatGPT, of course. 

So I know a lot of us enjoy watching true crime shamelessly, even though those documentaries really can get to one about how gruesome people can be, but tech documentaries like this feel like enough for someone to want to get off the grid and just vibe in a cabin or off the coast somewhere without the internet and any kind of tech to turn on us. Unknown: Killer Robots lands on Netflix on July 10. 

I've always had a tough time pitching Black Mirror to the uninitiated. One thing I always like to lead with is, "It's like the best episodes of The Twilight Zone, but with a near-future, technological bend."  

But, after watching Black Mirror Season 6, where I ranked all five episodes, can I really even use that pitch anymore? I mean, it's not that some of the episodes this season don't lean into the dystopian aspects of technology, but I feel like Season 6 is kind of shedding that identity and becoming…something else.    

And, I don't know if I like or dislike this new direction that it seems to be heading in. I'm kind of ambivalent on the matter, and I think I have five reasons why.  

I Really Enjoyed Some Of The Episodes This Season 

I've heard some very mixed reactions to this current season. Some people have flat out told me that "this season sucks," while NPR had a glowing review of Season 6. And, to be honest with you, I loved Season 6, too...sort of.   

You see, that's the thing. I really did enjoy (as much as you can “enjoy” Black Mirror, I should say) some of the episodes. Like our very own Philip Sledge, I found "Loch Henry" to be really good (especially that ending), and I was immensely pleased with "Demon 79," which I'll get into later. I even liked (but unfortunately, didn't love) what is probably the season's standout episode, the "chilling" "Beyond the Sea."   

But, "Mazey Day" was an absolute wash for me, and "Joan Is Awful" (which Twitter apparently loves, even if I don't) was ambitious, sure, but may be a bit too jam-packed for its own good…which, now that I think about it, might have actually been the point, as Netflix itself is often too jam-packed with content for its own good.  

You see, though? I'm still not entirely sure what I feel about it, which is strange, since I’ve always, in the past at least, known exactly how I felt after watching each season. In fact, when ranking every season of Black Mirror, I don’t even know where I’d put Season 6 at this moment. I’m still processing it, and I think I know why…   

Some Of Season 6’s Episodes Just Didn't Feel Like Black Mirror To Me 

What is Black Mirror anyway? In the intro, I said I usually describe it to people as The Twilight Zone, with near-future technology, but, can I even say that about Season 6? Sure, “Joan Is Awful” and “Beyond the Sea” feel relatively modern, with a near-future bent (even though “Beyond the Sea” is set in an alternate 1969 timeline, for some reason), but what about the other episodes this season? “Loch Henry“? It’s a fine episode, sure, but there really aren’t many of the eerie, near-future technological aspects that the series has mostly become known for. 

“Mazey Day,” which I really don’t like, is more of a straight up horror story, and ultimately feels nothing like the Black Mirror I’ve come to expect, and “Demon 79” even went under the moniker of Red Mirror to distinguish it as something totally new. So, more than anything else, I think that’s what’s throwing me off. Tonally speaking, I’m having a hard time trying to decide what this new season even is. 

It kind of makes me think back to the very first episode, “The National Anthem,” which, at the time, felt like a biting commentary on social media, and how information spreads. I really always felt like that was a litmus test to whether somebody might like the series or not. But, with this new season, I’m not really sure what this show is even trying to be anymore. That said… 

Funnily Enough, My Favorite Episode Of Season 6 Was The One That Felt The Least Like Black Mirror  

The weirdest thing for me, though, is the fact that my favorite episode of Season 6 is the episode that decidedly feels the least like Black Mirror has ever felt. In many ways, “Demon 79” could be a game-changer, since it pretty much upends what the show is. 

Instead of focusing on any technological aspects at all, “Demon 79” opts to go full horror (I’d actually say horror comedy), and create an experience like none other that I’ve ever had with Black Mirror.   

This really confuses me, because in one sense, I wish this season felt more like Seasons 1-4, which I loved with my full heart. In another sense, however, I’m glad that Season 6 didn’t leave me feeling “Black Mirror is dead,” like I felt after watching Season 5. So, in that way, I’m not sure if I want more episodes like “Demon 79,” which I found charming and fun, or, if I want more middling episodes like “Beyond the Sea,” which feel more like the Black Mirror that I’m familiar with, just not one that's quite as good. So, yeah, I’m torn. However… 

I Liked Season 6 A Lot More Than I Liked Season 5 

As I just mentioned, I really didn’t like Season 5 of Black Mirror. Besides “Striking Vipers," which is a top tier Black Mirror episode, I really despised “Smithereens” and “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too.” Given that the season was only three episodes like Season 1, I thought it was pretty wack that only one of the episodes was any good (as compared to the first season, where all three were bangers).    

So, this is where I’m mixed again. Season 5 felt distinctly Black Mirror…but not in a good way. What I mean is, all of the stories dealt exclusively with the possible ill effects of technology (even though “Striking Vipers” had a happy ending), but at the same time, I thought most of the episodes were bad. However, the sixth season decided to take some chances, and even though it doesn’t feel completely like the Black Mirror of old, I find that I enjoyed the creative choices that were made. For the most part, anyway. So, what does that mean, then? 

In The End, I Guess I Need To See Another Season To Make A More Well-Informed Opinion 

Will there be a Season 7 of Black Mirror? Well, I mean, probably. It's still a hugely popular show, and I don't see this season as being the end of it, especially with “Demon 79” being something entirely new. That said, when could the seventh season possibly come out? Four years passed between Seasons 5 and 6, and there’s no telling how long we’ll have to wait for Season 7 (if it’s even being made).  

Plus, we could always get something like Bandersnatch (which some found more annoying than fun) in-between seasons to tide us over. So, in the end, I guess I really need to see where it's heading from here to determine if I like this new direction...if, that is, it’s even heading in a new direction.  

Again, I didn’t hate Season 6, and really, any Black Mirror is better than no Black Mirror. So, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. I think that’s for the best.

What do you think? Did you end up liking Season 6? For more news on all things Black Mirror, make sure to swing around here often.   

Black Mirror Season 6 is finally here! But, was it worth the 4 (!) year wait? Well… sort of? Listen, I enjoyed Season 6 of Black Mirror. I really did. That said, I kind of look at this new season like one of my favorite bands experimenting and releasing a “weird” new album. Usually, I struggle with it at first, but on repeated listens, I come to love it. 

In that way, I have faith that this new season of Black Mirror, which I already wrote about how pumped I was for, will grow on me. But, as of right now, some of these new episodes just don't feel like Black Mirror to me. 

And, that's just fine! I like new things. With that out of the way, I'll be judging this new season on a number of factors, including creativity, the performances, and the general feeling I got with each episode. So, with all that said, on with the list! 

Oh, and HUGE spoilers up ahead. You've been warned.   

5. Mazey Day 

Starring Zazie Beetz, Clara Rugaard, and Danny Ramirez, this episode concerns the price of celebrity, and how one can lose one’s soul to the vulturous paparazzi. Zazie Beetz plays one such member of the paparazzi, but leaves it behind, only to be pulled back in by a large payday to get a picture of a starlet who did something terrible, and is suffering because of it… or so we’re led to believe.  

What follows is why myself, and everybody I’ve talked to about this season, agrees makes this the worst episode of the season. The “twist” of the celebrity being a werewolf doesn’t really make much sense, contextually, with the rest of the episode. One thing I love about Black Mirror is that it’s often a commentary on something relevant. But, while the first half of the episode has some surface level stuff to say about the onus of being a celebrity, the werewolf part says… what exactly?

Honestly, I got more out of something like Marvel’s Werewolf by Night than I did from this episode. “Mazey Day” may not be “The Waldo Moment” levels of bad when it comes to Black Mirror, but I definitely don’t think I’ll be seeing it on anybody’s best episodes of Black Mirror list any time soon. 

4. Joan Is Awful 

The star-studded episode, “Joan Is Awful” features Salma Hayek, Annie Murphy, Himesh Patel, and Michael Cera. In this commentary on Netflix itself, a woman named Joan (Murphy) has a Netflix-esque show created about her that basically exposes and even embellishes her life to make it “must-see” TV. This is all made possible by the lengthy terms & conditions policies that nobody really reads through. 

Here's the thing. "Joan Is Awful" is about as Black Mirror an episode as you can get. Is it a commentary on current (and near-future) events? Yep. Does it have interesting technology? Yep. A driving storyline that crescendos into a pessimistic/"but-there's-still-time!" Slightly optimistic ending? Yep. Hell, it even has notable guest stars in out-of-character roles. This episode has it all!

So, why is it toward the bottom of this list then? Well, because it's A LOT. And, I don't necessarily mean that in a good way. The message of how we're willing to give so much of ourselves away on the internet is a bit muddled, and sort of gets lost with Salma Hayek's role in the episode. And, while riffing on the platform it’s featured on is funny, the joke runs dry by the end. Overall, it's an okay episode, but it doesn't reach the heights of something like, say,  "Nosedive." 

• Related: Breaking Down Joan Is Awful's Twisty Ending and What It Means

3. Loch Henry 

Our very own Philip Sledge had an interesting analysis of "Loch Henry," discussing its twist ending, and yeah, the ending is quite something. But, like Philip, I think the entire episode leading up to that twist is pretty fascinating as well.

Starring Samuel Blenkin, and Myha'la Herrold, the episode concerns a couple filming a relatively boring documentary in a seemingly pleasant Scottish town, but then change track and film about a serial killer that disrupted the town… only to become a part of the story itself. 

"Loch Henry" is cheekily teased in the preceding episode, "Joan Is Awful," so it was fun to see the continuation of canon (along with multiple mentions of the fake, "Sea of Tranquility" show). But, unlike "Joan Is Awful," which seemed to get lost midway through, "Loch Henry" was thoroughly engaging all the way up to this disheartening conclusion. Overall, a really good episode. 

2. Beyond The Sea

Let me just make something clear. "Beyond The Sea" is probably the most frustrating episode this season for me. Starring Aaron Paul (who played one of the best characters in one of my favorite shows, Breaking Bad), and Josh Hartnett as two astronauts (in an alternate timeline 1969, for some reason) who are on an important, multi-year mission up in space, but, through questionable technology, allows them to also have replicas of themselves down on earth. These replicas continue living life on Earth with their families, and all seems great.

That is until a real whack job screws everything up with a home invasion that kills off one of the astronaut’s whole family, leaving him with nothing. What follows is what you kind of expect to happen. The astronaut who loses everything borrows the body of the other astronaut, and basically falls in love with his wife. It all leads to a really dour ending. 

And, that may be why it was so frustrating for me, since I kind of figured where the episode was heading. At least, to a certain extent. 

“Beyond the Sea” is a good episode that gets close to being great, but doesn’t quite reach those heights. It has a SUPER fascinating form of technology, but the story around it doesn’t quite live up to the actual innovation of the tech. The story kind of meanders after the shocking moment in the middle, and even though "Beyond the Sea's" ending is chilling (and bleak), I didn't find it all that interesting. Maybe on repeat viewings, I’ll come to love this episode like I do other episodes like “White Bear,” or “The Entire History of You,” but for now, I'm still kind of on the fence about it. 

1. Demon 79

When ranking the best seasons of Black Mirror in the future, I think a lot of people's positioning of Season 6 will depend on what they felt about the season's capper, "Demon 79," which may be the least Black Mirror episode yet (It even went under the moniker of "Red Mirror," to suggest that this was something entirely different from the typical Black Mirror episode).   

Starring Anjana Vasan, and Paapa Essiedu, "Demon 79" is about a shoe saleswoman who is coerced into having to kill 3 people in order to prevent Armageddon. 

"Demon 79" goes full horror and feels like it could be its own separate series. That might sound like a bad thing, but I actually think it’s great. And, the best word I can use to describe this episode is "charming."

It's funny, and pretty much a story about a girl and her demon. I love that it's a period piece that really feels like that time period, and all of the characters are fleshed out and fully realized. I don't know if I want more Black Mirror episodes like "Demon 79," since it feels so different from what I expect out of Black Mirror,  but I'd be perfectly happy to get more "Red Mirror" episodes, if that was possible. 

And, that’s the list. But, what do you think? For more news on all things Black Mirror, make sure to swing around here often. Don't forget all episodes of the series can be watched with a Netflix subscription.

SPOILERS are ahead for Black Mirror Season 6 episode “Demon 79.” Stream the episode now with a Netflix subscription, and then come back for this breakdown. 

A new season of Black Mirror is here, finally, after fans of the science-fiction Netflix series (like myself) have waited on it since the last season in 2019. And, while the first four episodes certainly bring more messed up concepts based on tech for audiences to get into, between the already viral “Joan Is Awful” premiere episode or the true crime vibes of “Loch Henry,” the finale “Demon 79” is something out of left field and new for the series. There’s no technology terrors in sight, it’s straight-up supernatural horror. It’s an unlikely and out-of-character move for the series, but I loved the execution of it all and need to talk about it. 

Demon 79 follows a lonely woman, played by Sex Education’s Anjana Vasan, who makes friends with a demon -- played by I May Destroy You’s Paapa Essiedu -- to murderous consequences, and I absolutely loved what I watched. Let’s get into what worked about Demon 79 and the intriguing questions the concept raises for the future of the show. 

Demon 79 Is An All-Time Great Episode

Demon 79’s protagonist is a sales assistant at a shoe store living in Northern England in 1979. She regularly experiences racism and misogyny at her workplace, which has her daydreaming of violence in order to get through the day. However, things really shake up for her after she’s forced to eat her Biryani in the basement of the store, after her coworker complains about the “lingering” smell, and finds a mysterious talisman. As she soon finds out, the talisman is home to a demon who tasks her to kill three people over three days otherwise the world as she knows it will end. 

I love that the demon takes the form of one of the members of the disco group, Boney M. It’s one of those eccentric details that separates the good from great. There’s also a really worthwhile discussion to be had about Needa having to confront her rage about the racism and misogyny in her life as she decides who she’s alright with killing for the greater good. She settles on offing people who are less than saints, but in the end she cannot complete the task in time to save the world. She ultimately decides to go live in eternal damnation with her only friend, the demon, who shook up her life in the first place. 

It’s a chilling horror concept that illustrates the uphill battle of trying to fit into the world as a minority when the odds are stacked against one, Though, it has nothing to do with technology, I think it sits among the best Black Mirror episodes. 

But It’s Not Really Black Mirror, It’s Red Mirror…

As Demon 79 continued to unfold, I found myself fully immersed and entertained with the episode, yet wholly confused as to what makes it Black Mirror. Upon further investigation, I realized that it never claimed to be Black Mirror. The episode is actually labeled as “Red Mirror,” something we’ve never seen from the series until Demon 79. The title makes sense because rather than some form of screen being the “mirror” to hold up reality to, it’s the horrific violence and blood of the concept that is actually staring back at the audience. Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker explained the distinction to RadioTimes, saying this: 

In other words, Brooker very much knows that Demon 79 is different than your average Black Mirror episode and labeled it as such. He also said this: 

Brooker makes a good point. When Black Mirror first hit the scene, it was more unique to see storylines speak to the horrors of technology. These days, it seems we are always inundated with stories about A.I. and world-ending tech that I’m not surprised that the creator felt the need to change up the constraints of storytelling for himself. Considering the results are incredible, I’m gunning for a Red Mirror spinoff series next, or something of that sort. 

How Demon 79 Could Be A Game Changer For The Netflix Series

Charlie Brooker is a talented writer who we’ve been counting on for Black Mirror for over a decade now. The Netflix series has become an absolute phenomenon, but I can see how the show’s premise could be backing him into a corner lately. He’s explored so many what-ifs surrounding how technology is really messing with us as a society or has the power to, it would be fun to see him explore more of the bigger questions about our society as it is after Demon 79. 

I really loved the way the episode adapted one pitfall of humanity many can relate to with a supernatural horror story, and I could see how that could be expanded through other original stories for Brooker to run wild with.

What other supernatural forces in our belief systems and iconic mythos of our culture, perhaps like angels, ghosts, vampires, mermaids, etc, could be turned into messed up storylines for the Black Mirror to explore? While, it seems like Brooker is holding off on Red Mirror until he sees how it's received by audiences, it seems like a natural way for the creator to transition his storytelling into another avenue to terrify us in completely new ways. 

Warning: spoilers for Black Mirror Season 6, Episode 4, “Beyond The Sea” are in play. If you haven’t watched this terrifying tale just yet, you’ve been warned. 

Those of you keeping track of everything new on Netflix are without a doubt pleased to know that Black Mirror is back! Five new tales of technology and human nature intersecting have been released to the public, with creator Charlie Brooker’s usual blend of cutting satire and dark consequences back in action. In the episode “Beyond The Sea,” Brooker may have just crafted his most chilling ending, thanks to the talents of Josh Hartnett and Aaron Paul.

I’m about to break down what happened, as well as the road to this conclusion that’s as dark as the depths of space. So if you want to go in unspoiled, and I highly suggest you do, this is your final spoiler warning. Use that Netflix subscription to enjoy this dark and dour drama, and you’ll be able to really dig into what’s about to go down. 

For those of you ready to dig in, let’s go somewhere, beyond the sea, where the cold truth is waiting for us all.

What Happened In Beyond The Sea’s Chilling Ending

After suffering the loss of his family at the hands of anti-technology fanatics, David Ross (Josh Hartnett) has been breaking down during his extended space mission with Cliff Stanfield (Aaron Paul). Through the kindness of Cliff and his wife Lana (Kate Mara), David has visited Cliff’s family through Cliff's robot Replica; a copy of Cliff on Earth through which he can remotely link up to and interact with his loved ones. 

This dark twist on an Avatar-like scenario becomes even bleaker when Cliff and Lana decide to cut themselves off from David, as he’s made them uncomfortable with his behavior. Desperation turns to devastation, as Hartnett’s Black Mirror character tricks Aaron Paul’s Cliff into leaving the spacecraft on a bogus repair mission. In that time, David Ross kills the family of his friend/co-worker, with Cliff only finding out about what he’s done when it’s too late. Using his replica, Cliff comes face to face with what David has done, then returns to ship to find out why. 

Pushing a chair over to his now grieving companion, David Ross only offers a look in explanation. We end on a shot of the spacecraft that’s now the only home for these two rocket men, in a finale that’s open ended, and quite possibly one of the most depressing endings to a Black Mirror episode ever. 

David Ross’ Dark, Tragic Path To Becoming A Killer

When we’re first introduced to David Ross, he’s practically living the dream. He’s got a wife (Auden Thornton) and two kids (Billie Sturrock Kewish & Charlie Fidelski) that are his everything, keeping him connected to his home planet thanks to his Replica, while he toils away in space. Once that’s taken away from him by Kappa (Rory Culkin) and his Manson Family-style band of hippies, David naturally grieves his losses and feels aimless. 

A brief window of hope opens in his opportunity to live vicariously through Cliff Stanfield’s Replica, and things start out friendly enough. But even the charismatic figure that Josh Hartnett plays has his own dark side. It reveals itself when he tries to make an advance on Lana, proclaiming to her that Cliff doesn’t understand how good he has it. 

The way that I interpret David’s heel turn towards the end of “Beyond The Sea” is that he’s trying to teach Cliff a lesson. After losing his own family due to tragedy, Hartnett’s would-be antagonist wants Paul’s presumed protagonist to feel the same pain he does, through the teaching of that lesson. But why didn’t Cliff Stanfield deserve his family? 

Why Cliff Stanfield Didn’t Deserve His Family, According To David

David Ross kind of calls out the problems with Cliff Stanfield’s home life, both through his interactions with Lana and Cliff himself. In David’s mind, Cliff doesn’t deserve his family because he rarely shows affection towards them, isolating himself emotionally to a certain extent. Blowing up at his supposedly ungrateful friend, David calls Lana  “unappreciated, unsatisfied, untouched.” 

And yet, David Ross isn’t exactly better at raising a family himself. When he tries to show that tender love and care during a semi-romantic dance with Lana, aptly set to the tune of “La Mer” from which this Black Mirror episode gets its name, he’s rejected. And the next action David carries out in Cliff’s body is to hit young Henry (Daniel Bell) after he ruins his painting. 

Lana Stanfield is indeed a lonely woman, who sees herself and her husband moving “from room to room,” but not really connecting. “Beyond The Sea” shows a potential for these two lovers to work things out, as Cliff apologizes to his wife and seems to be learning the lesson David Ross wants him to learn. Just not in a way that satisfies his colleague’s anguished mind, especially after delivering a monologue that can be boiled down into two words: “She’s mine.” Based on what we knew about Black Mirror Season 6, or any other season for that matter, things weren't going to end well.

What Could Beyond The Sea’s Final Moment Mean?

The final moments of “Beyond The Sea” have the audience watching a cold looking David sliding a chair out for the grieving Cliff. Inviting his companion to take a seat, he only offers a look that seems to convey he’s welcoming him to his world. Specifically, he’s welcoming him to engage in his grief, as the two now share that dark and unforgiving thread in their lives. 

David Ross and Cliff Stanfield are more alike than they think in this Black Mirror parable. David’s turn isn’t all that surprising when you dig more into his behaviors with Cliff’s family, and even his own. Moments like his polite chastising of daughter Lily when she doesn’t return to her original pose for a family portrait. 

Ending with one final moment where Charles Trenet’s “La Mer” is playing over the spacecraft’s venture into darkness, “Beyond The Sea” leaves its grieving astronauts with only each other to cling to. No final conversation, no cathartic words of closure, just two men drifting farther away from their home.

While I would have liked for there to be one last scene where Josh Hartnett and Aaron Paul hash out what just happened, that’s not the point of this Black Mirror tale. If anything, the lack of closure speaks louder than any potential final chat could. Grief isn’t easily settled in the real world, so why should Charlie Brooker’s dystopia that sits only a couple of thin layers away from reality treat it any differently? They can’t all be “Hang The DJ,” can they?

However, that point is up for debate, as we here at CinemaBlend are covering some of the other endings Black Mirror Season 6 has to offer. If you’re curious, we have a piece about “Joan Is Awful’s” twisty conclusion, as well as a discussion of what led to “Loch Henry’s” finale available for you to read. For all you know, those talks could be the pick me up you need after “Beyond The Sea’s” dreadful closing. 

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Black Mirror Season 6 episode "Joan Is Awful." Read at your own risk!

Black Mirror Season 6 is now available with a Netflix subscription, and if you're here right now, you undoubtedly have some questions with the season opener "Joan Is Awful." Annie Murphy and Salma Hayek delivered an episode Twitter can't stop talking about, but if those reading this were a bit lost by what happened at the end, I totally get it. It was a trippy episode, but easy to understand after reflecting on what exactly happened after that big twist. 

Below, we'll dive into the real story behind "Joan Is Awful" and how it impacted the ending. It goes without saying that you should not read any further if you're not wanting to be spoiled on the big reveal of the episode, nor any other relevant details that will spoil a first viewing. With that out of the way, let's dive in, and talk about this wild episode of Black Mirror. 

The Real Story Behind "Joan Is Awful"

Annie Murphy spent the bulk of the episode attempting to prevent Streamberry, the streaming service also featured in the "Loch Henry" ending, from using its algorithm and CGI technology to instantaneously make dramatized episodes of her day with an AI version of Salma Hayek playing a version of her. Eventually, Annie decided that the only way to make progress toward this goal is to do something so outlandish that the real Salma Hayek will be upset that her AI version was seen doing it on television. Annie decided to load up on fast food and laxatives and bust in on a wedding while in a cheerleader outfit, then proceeding to soil herself. 

The stunt worked, and after a heart-to-heart with Salma Hayek, the two devised a plan to sneak into Streamberry and stop Joan Is Awful from broadcasting. During their plan, they ran into a tech named Beppe, who is watching Joan on a screen. Joan is confused by what she's seeing, until Beppe explained that she's also a "Joan" on Joan Is Awful, and is the star of the show watched by the original Source Joan. 

Just as Salma Hayek (or an AI likeness of her) is playing a version of Joan, in the Source Joan reality, Annie Murphy (or an AI likeness of her) is playing the part of the Joan we've been following in the episode, and as we watched it unfold, her choices and actions have been following those of the Source Joan. 

The Joan and Salma Hayek the viewer followed is part of the "Fictive Level 1" universe. What's essentially happened is that every time a Joan sees Joan Is Awful, a new fictitious universe is created. It's recursion and seemingly stretches out into infinity with an untold number of Joans ahead of the "Fic 1" Joan who is just above the Source Joan. 

It's a little confusing at first, but once the reader has some time to digest it, it's not too hard to understand. 

"Joan" Was Unable To Stop Destroying The Quamputer

Toward the end of the Black Mirror episode, Joan and Salma finally made their way to the "quamputer," which was a mysterious scientific device responsible for maintaining all the Joan Is Awful shows. Joan entered the chamber with an ax but was quickly informed that if she destroyed the quamputer, she'd cease to exist along with everyone else in her universe. Joan seemingly tried to hesitate, but because Source Joan destroyed the quantum computer in her world, this Joan had no choice. Joan broke the computer and erased her reality from existence. 

We then see Source Joan in her real life and actress Annie Murphy, of Schitt's Creek fame,  as herself. Source Joan is placed on house arrest for her actions at Streamberry, as is Murphy, whose choices and actions presumably informed those of Salma Hayak in the events we watched transpire throughout the episode. The episode ends with a scene revealing that Source Joan started her own coffee shop and became friends with Murphy after everything that they went through. 

For those curious about what all Source Joan went through, it's assumed that it played out similar to what we saw go on, but with slight exaggerations. Just as Salma Hayek's Joan did things a little more extreme or different than what we saw actually occur with Annie Murphy's Joan, it's likely that Source Joan's actions were not quite as extreme. I mean, the crapping in the church part definitely happened, though. We know this because if you stick around for the very end of the episode, you'll see the actual Joan carry out the wild scene herself. 

Does "Joan Is Awful" Confirm That All Black Mirror Stories Take Place In Fictional 1 Universe? 

There's a funny little bit in "Joan Is Awful," in which Joan and her boyfriend are looking for something to watch, and we get a bunch of Black Mirror references. Fans might've realized they reference the second episode of Season 6, "Loch Henry," another episode with an ending we just had to talk about. 

A look at the title screen will reveal that there is a reference to Will Poulter's Bandersnatch, which had a wild number of possible outcomes and endings. There's also a documentary titled "The Callow Years," which is a nod to Prime Minister Michael Callow, the subject of Black Mirror's very first episode. These are just a few of the many easter eggs of the episode, which point to one obvious conclusion. 

Does "Joan Is Awful" confirm that all of the stories of Black Mirror exist within the "Fictional 1" universe? I guess that's not entirely a weird concept to grasp, considering we're all aware that Black Mirror is a television show and not real life. Of course, if that were true, then wouldn't it mean that Source Joan was a part of our reality and that this is real? Maybe it's best if we don't think this one through too much. In any case, it's one of the best episodes of Season 6 and one I'm sure viewers won't soon forget.

Black Mirror Season 6 is available to stream on Netflix right now. Binge the entire season, or maybe pace it out because we have no idea if or when more episodes will appear on the 2023 TV Schedule.

Stream Black Mirror on Netflix.

Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for the Black Mirror Season 6 episode "Joan Is Awful." Read at your own risk!

Black Mirror is back with new episodes and a loaded cast for Season 6, and if you expected them to be a positive representation of how the future will improve our lives for the better, well, you probably need to review what this show is about. Those with a Netflix subscription have already delved into the first episode, and they have plenty of reactions to the first twisted tale of the season, "Joan Is Awful." 

The story puts Schitt's Creek alum Annie Murphy in the role of Joan, whose life is turned upside down when she sees that Streamberry, a streaming service, made a show starring Salma Hayek that re-enacts and dramatizes real events from her day-to-day life. When Joan attempts to take legal action, she's informed that she already signed over her rights in the terms and conditions of the service, and that Streamberry can use her life story to make episodes instantaneously by utilizing her phone. Ultimately, it's revealed the plan is to roll this program out worldwide and make custom shows for every individual subscriber. 

It's a frightening premise, and one that some on Twitter think could actually happen one day. As such, those who were pumped for the new Black Mirror season and saw this episode are making all sorts of jokes online and maybe checking the fine print on all of their apps a little more closely: 

This episode had me shook, and I'm glad to see that many others are realizing how real the threat introduced in "Joan Is Awful" could be. It's really not that hard to believe companies could develop AI to instantly create shows based on our own lives, and furthermore, convince people to willingly make it legal for them to do so by not reading the fine print in services for which they're signed up. It's a good reminder to keep an eye on those types of things, and it made for a great episode:

Of course, there's also just plenty of funny memes about the Black Mirror episode itself. One user managed to tie it into one of the most iconic episodes of Euphoria Season 2, and I love the attention to detail with the painted in hair stripe:

Perhaps the most hilarious thing about Black Mirror's "Joan Is Awful," is that a lot of the episode paints a streamer that is very similar to Netflix as heartless and evil. In the episode, it's even said that the show is called Joan Is Awful because they learned through research that subjects engaged more with the show if it reflected the worst qualities they believed about themselves. That's pretty messed up, and the subscribers are absolutely loving it: 

There are so much great tweets about this episode trending on Twitter, and this is just the first episode of Black Mirror Season 6. I'm sure there will be many more memes to come as viewers make their way through the rest of the season and continue to have their minds blown by the wild twists revealed along the way: 

Lady Gaga echoed my thoughts exactly. Wait a second, is that actually Gaga, or did she sign away her likeness for an AI to portray her? This Black Mirror episode has me all kinds of messed up.

Stream "Joan Is Awful" and the rest of Black Mirror Season 6 over on Netflix. Just don't fly through the season too quickly because who knows when we'll get more episodes. And if you've never watched the series before, there are plenty of good reasons to catch up on Black Mirror this summer. 

Spoiler Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for the Black Mirror episode “Loch Henry.” If you have yet to watch the latest season, please tread carefully.

Like a lot of people with a Netflix subscription, I woke up on Thursday, June 15th and immediately started Black Mirror Season 6. And since the 2023 Netflix show can essentially be watched in any particular order, I settled on “Loch Henry,” the true crime-centric installment about a young documentarian who returns to his sleepy Scottish town to film a nature documentary only to uncover a more sensational and shocking story to explore.

Like some of the best episodes of Black Mirror, “Loch Henry” is a morality tale full of twists, turns, and lessons about technology and how it impacts our lives (and past secrets). After watching the episode, which is already making waves on social media thanks to the "Joan Is Awful" twisty ending, I was left with a great deal of thoughts about the big twist, the clues that teased the reveal, and other thoughts about it. Let’s break those down now… 

First, I Have To Break Down The Big Twist

Going into the episode, I had a feeling there was going to be some kind of twist, considering that is one of the main qualities of Black Mirror. That being said, I wasn’t fully prepared for how things ended up shaking out.

Throughout the episode, documentarians Davis (Samuel Blenkin) and Pia (Myha'la Herrold) attempt to get to the bottom of the case of serial killer Iain Adair (Tom Crowehurst) and the numerous victims he claimed before killing himself years earlier. But little did they know that the story would be very, very close to home, in that Davis’ widowed mother, Janet (Monica Dolan) and deceased father, Kenneth (Gregor Firth) played active roles in the grisly crimes.

The moment Pia discovers the footage, on an old tape of Bergerac nonetheless, creates for one of the more shocking moments in the series so far, and was pulled off wonderfully at that. The footage of a younger Janet in a red mask performing unspeakable acts on victims is an even bigger shock thanks to her quiet and reserved demeanor up to that point. 

There Are Multiple Clues About The Big Reveal Throughout The Episode 

Though I didn’t see the disturbing twist, and even more unsettling reveal, coming before it all went down in “Loch Henry,” I started to feel like Agent Dave Kujan during The Usual Suspects ending in the minutes of the Black Mirror chapter. What I’m getting at is that there were clues waiting to be found throughout the narrative, which really adds to the rewatchability of the episode. I’m not saying I’ve picked up on all the teases, but there were a few clues that I went back to revisit as soon as the credits rolled.

First, the red mask that Janet is seen wearing in the murder tape is seen multiple times throughout the episode, including when Davis and Pia first enter her house. It’s just there, hanging on the wall like some trophy or piece of memorabilia from a sporting event. We see the mask again later just before Pia runs out of the house after watching the tape, but by this point we already know the meaning behind it and know that this is no red herring.

During the scene in which Davis interviews Janet for the documentary, Janet makes a few comments that are very telling looking back. From talking about not being in front of a camera in years to chuckling when asking “can you imagine” after her son says his father’s videos were never meant for broadcast, it’s quite telling. This is especially true with that sinister little laugh before the scene ends.

And then there’s the way Richard (John Hannah), the father of Davis’ friend, Stuart (Daniel Portman), acts whenever Davis is around or the case is mentioned. It’s never revealed how much he knows about the crimes and Davis’ parents’ involvement, but his comments during the tense hospital scene suggest he had a feeling.

Davis Lost Everything

As mentioned earlier, Black Mirror is a show that has long been filled with lessons about everything from technology to popularity, and what you have to sacrifice in order to get what you want. And in some cases, getting what you want isn’t a good thing. Such is life for Davis, who not only learns that his parents were involved in a series of shocking and notorious murders, but also loses his girlfriend after Pia hits her head and drowns while evading Janet, who then commits suicide and leaves all the tapes and a note to her son.

In the episode’s epilogue, Davis wins a BAFTA for his decorated true crime documentary, Loch Henry: Truth Will Out, but loses everything in the process. He wanted to make his movie and he got it, but at what cost? The once outgoing young filmmaker looks like a shell of his former self in the closing shot of the episode as he sits in a hotel room with only his trophy and himself to figure out what’s next in life. 

Davis And Pia Wanted To Make A True Crime Doc, But Become The Subjects Of One Instead

And what would an episode of Black Mirror be without a nice chunk of irony for the audience to chew on long after the story ends? Well, that’s exactly what we get with “Loch Henry,” as Davis and Pia set out to make a true crime documentary, only to find themselves the subjects of one instead. Similar to the point above, this is one of those “be careful what you wish for” situations that have made previous seasons of Black Mirror so riveting. 

It’s also ironic that the episode is playing on Netflix, which has come under fire in the past with its original programming. This was especially true for Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which was met by outcry from the family and friends of the killer’s victims following its release. And it’s not just Netflix, as the true crime genre has taken over other streamers as well.