Ranking the Episodes of "Black Mirror" Season 4

Last week marked the release of another season of Black Mirror. It featured six episodes that explored the perils of modern technology through the guise of a sci-fi anthology series. This year's entries managed to feature everything from Star Trek parodies to freak show museums. With all of that said, it was another successful year of finding perversity in theme and appeal in story telling. The following is a ranking of all six episodes of season four, going from best to worse. It may have not been the most exciting year for the series, but it still continues to push boundaries in exciting and perplexing ways.

1. "Metalhead"

On its surface, the plot is one of the most primitive and least interesting in execution. It's a story of survival against a homicidal robot (or "dog") who is able to track you. What gives the episode an edge is that David Slade directs it with a lingering dread in every shot, making the mystery more than what this is an allegory for. One is left to wonder how the protagonist will survive, which is added to the general mystery of why she would break into a warehouse to begin with. It may not have the greatest reveal, but tonally it's the richest episode of a rather lackluster year, and makes for a fun cat-and-mouse chase in which technology tries to kill human. 

2. "Arkangel"

What's unnerving about this episode isn't the twist so much as what a technological version of helicopter parenting can do to everyone's psychology. For a young girl whose world is censored to vulgarity, it's frustrating to form normal emotional responses. For the mother, it becomes a struggle with control, not understanding boundaries that are necessary as her daughter ages. It's rich with memorable imagery and captures the struggles of being watched not by the government, but by someone who loves you and does so in the wrong ways. It's a powerful episode that feels maybe a little too real.

3. "Black Museum"

On its surface, this episode is probably the least coherent, serving as a collection of stories of psychological torment. However, there's plenty twists within each of the three segments that are shocking, depressing, and some of the most effective moments of the season. It's a ribald exploration of how technology and obsession drives people insane, and it leads to a twist in the final 10 minutes that turns everything on its literal head and makes it one of the wildest episodes of the season. It's the most ambitious of the six, and it happens to capture the only truly horrifying look into technology in a way that's dangerous and scarring. 

4. "Crocodile"

While the title is never explained, there is something perplexing about how technology is used to solve a murder from years past. The story starts with a seemingly isolated moment, but has ties to events that are later revealed. It's a haunting detective mystery of an episode that shows how surveillance will help capture criminals. In some ways, it's no different from the technology of Blade Runner, but with a striking balance of modern architecture and bizarre new automobiles. It's a bit slow and obvious in its theme, but it still is a very well written episode about thinking that the secret shames of the past are forever forgotten.

5. "Hang the DJ"

In some ways, this episode suffers because of how familiar it feels to last year's "Nosedive" and "San Junipero" episodes. It's a quirky little story of how dating apps define our lives and tries to pair us with the best possible partner. It's not technically a terrible episode, but it definitely suffers from its familiarity. Its saving grace is that it's probably the funniest episode of the season, and manages to be one of the most lively as well. Even then, it's not an episode that reinvents the wheel nor does anything all that different with it. It's fine, but likely to be one of the series' overall lesser works.

6. "U.S.S. Callister"

In theory, this episode isn't a terrible idea. The exploration of how dominating white men are bad is a theme that's become very important in the modern era. However, the context is a little dull before being put into the kitschy Star Trek-esque setting that revels in the hokey costumes and set designs. It's an episode that feels too novelty to be at all effective, instead suggesting that you watch Star Trek: Discovery (or, if you're desperate, The Orville) to get your kicks. In 2017, every narrative lead by women seemed to be that white men were bad. With exception to one line about female anatomy, it's a bit of a retread of themes that were explored in better and more relevant pop culture of the year. It's a bit self-serving, and it doesn't help that the texture around it feels a tad insincere. 

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