BLACK MIRROR, SEASON 7. Close to Perfection [REVIEW]

After the sixth season—deemed by some to be a rather anecdotal “jumping the shark” moment—Black Mirror has returned with new episodes in its old style, once again infecting viewers with defeatism, fear, and the tension brought on by the devastating influence of technology on human ethics and emotions. At the same time, it delivered several emotional low blows, reminding us why therapy and working through old traumas and buried resentments is so vital to our lives. Here’s my review of Charlie Brooker’s new season of the anthology series.

One of the criticisms of the previous season was that Brooker leaned into escapism with purely horror-themed episodes, as a way of avoiding the real issues surrounding us. But Black Mirror was never known for escapism. Quite the opposite—the very concept and core idea of the series and its title sequence was that the creator would hold up a (black) mirror to us and force us to observe our reactions to believable situations, amplified by the potential use of technology. The series has always been about the human component—about the reactions not only of the characters but also of the viewers. The writer made us empathize with the dramas of well-written characters and reflect on how we ourselves would behave in similar situations.

That’s exactly why escapism seemed so out of place in that world—a betrayal of its core principles. Thankfully, Brooker took these criticisms to heart and this time gave us exactly what we expect from Black Mirror: emotional tug-of-war, boundary-testing, and people trapped in no-win situations of their own making. At the same time, he highlighted human greed and the idea that even the best technology won’t change human nature unless we choose to change. After all, technology is just a tool—it is neither good nor bad in itself.

While this season spares us the supernatural horrors, it certainly doesn’t spare us from the horrors of everyday life. Far from it. At least two episodes (Common People and Eulogy) hit like a punch straight to the heart.

“Black Mirror” Season 7 – A Return to Roots

Common People, the opening episode of the new season, is the kind of Black Mirror we’ve been longing for—dark, grim, and exposing capitalism at its worst. It portrays good-hearted people with a desire to help others as doomed when up against the system. It’s a look at subscription-model life taken to the extreme and a story of sacrifice for the sake of offering loved ones a better life, no matter the cost.

Common People shows the worst face of capitalism, preying on the poor who, after stepping through the wrong door, find they can’t escape. All their future decisions stem from that one initial mistake that changed how they perceive the world. The episode is deeply emotional, tapping into universal fears and forcing the protagonist to make a true “Sophie’s Choice.” It’s unrelenting in its bleakness—even having Rashida Jones’s character recite advertising slogans as a way to highlight how powerless she is, a form of dehumanization. We also watch Chris O’Dowd’s character degrade himself on screen to provide a better life for his beloved. Common People is a spiral of humiliation with no happy ending, leaving viewers in despair—the emotions that defined Black Mirror at its finest.

Charlie Brooker, like Mike White (creator of The White Lotus), knows how to distill the worst traits of humanity and wrap them in a compelling narrative that acts like a mirror. Both creators urge viewers to pause and reflect on their own choices, as if shaking us and saying: “Wake up before it’s too late.” Critics have long said the best episodes of Black Mirror are like a “wake-up call” or a “cold shower,” meant to snap us back to awareness. By showing the dangers of technology, Brooker really asks us to reflect on the human condition—and to hold on to our instincts for kindness and decency before they’re completely eroded.

“Black Mirror 7”: “All the lonely people” (“Eleanor Rigby” plays softly in the background)

A major theme of the new season is loneliness—a subject barely touched on in the sixth season, which was more escapist in tone. Brooker himself admitted he didn’t want to create more Black Mirror episodes at the time because the real world felt overwhelming. But now, loneliness hits with double the intensity. And that’s no coincidence. The COVID-19 pandemic made it painfully clear how easily one can feel alienated in today’s world. Despite all the online connectivity, we were missing true, tangible closeness.

At some point, the pandemic triggered a loneliness epidemic, from which many still haven’t recovered. Brooker now seems ready to explore this problem. Loneliness, isolation, and the feeling of being misunderstood are major threads in episodes like Plaything, Eulogy, USS Callister: Into Infinity, and to some extent, Hotel Reverie.

This is most clearly seen in Plaything, about a tech journalist who finds escape from his loneliness in a life simulator video game. Eventually, he spends all his time interacting only with digital characters—a path that may lead to tragedy. Plaything is classic Black Mirror: sad, dark, dirty, and it ends abruptly, leaving viewers to imagine what happened next. The story of Cameron Walker (brilliantly played by Lewis Gribben and Peter Capaldi) shows just how overwhelming human loneliness can become.

(Interestingly—Netflix jumped on the hype and actually released the “Thronglets” game from the episode, available for mobile devices. Just be careful not to let it spiral out of control, like in the episode.)

“Black Mirror 7”: Nostalgia as a Time Machine

Another major theme this season is memory, nostalgia, and how we process our past. Eulogy starkly shows how human memory works—how we reshape things in our minds to match our emotional states and perceptions. Confronting a raw, unfiltered version of the past—like footage from an industrial camera—can be shocking. Brooker has long explored this mechanism, going back to one of the show’s best episodes: The Entire History of You.

In Eulogy, Paul Giamatti’s character tries to relive memories through photos. But it’s only when he adds music to the mix that the memories fully come alive. This emphasizes the profound impact of art and culture on memory—they can unlock forgotten emotions. That’s why we revisit movies we’ve already seen: we want to feel those intense emotions again. Hotel Reverie takes this to the next level, allowing the protagonist to literally immerse herself in a classic film and feel the emotions missing from her real life. For her, it’s also an antidote to everyday loneliness. It’s no accident that Issa Rae’s character says she’s still waiting for her great love story—like in Hotel Reverie, a fictional Black Mirror take on Casablanca. It’s a deeply nostalgic episode that touches on the human need to return to an idealized version of the past.

In both Eulogy and Hotel Reverie, technology becomes a form of therapy, helping characters uncover truths about themselves and shift how they perceive the world. Giamatti’s character in episode five essentially chooses loneliness by letting one traumatic event define his life. Eulogy becomes a celebration of psychotherapy, showing why healing old wounds is necessary for moving forward instead of dwelling on “the one that got away.”

(Interestingly—this concept of technology as therapy was explored in Sophie Barthes’s sci-fi film The Pod Generation, where characters literally attend therapy sessions conducted by AI. That film wanted to be Black Mirror—but unfortunately didn’t quite succeed.)

“Black Mirror” Season 7: Review – Gaslighting Is Real!

The power of memory also features heavily in the episode Bête Noire, which could be summed up as: “Gaslighting is real.” Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where a person manipulates another into doubting their own judgment and perception. That’s exactly what happens between the characters played by Siena Kelly and Rosa McEwen—who not only dislike each other but grow increasingly antagonistic. The episode’s title is French for “black beast,” a phrase meaning something strongly hated or avoided, reflecting the main character’s state of mind.

Her story is not only a commentary on workplace inequality, flavored with racial dynamics, but also a textbook example of how gaslighting works—undermining confidence and memory. Naturally, this being Black Mirror, futuristic technology assists in the manipulation.

Interestingly—eagle-eyed viewers noticed the creators played with memory in real time by including two different names for a restaurant, an important plot element. In today’s streaming era, where viewers often pause and rewind to double-check what they saw, this subtle trick sowed doubt in their own perception. It’s a brilliant way of showing how gaslighting works—blurring fiction and reality.

These kinds of storytelling devices are powerful, showing audiences exactly what the characters experience. That’s the same perspective used in Florian Zeller’s The Father, where we experience the world through the eyes of an Alzheimer’s patient, played by Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins. Charlie Brooker uses a similar technique in the second episode of this season.

Which brings us back to another core theme of season 7: the healing power of psychotherapy—restoring our vision of reality and helping us discover the best version of ourselves. Bête Noire, like Eulogy, shows that while we are the sum of our choices and past, the future is still ours to shape.

“Black Mirror” Season 7: Final Verdict

Season seven is close to perfect—fitting beautifully into the show’s overall structure and giving viewers exactly what they signed up for. Each episode evokes strong emotions, draws us into the story, and makes us cry for its characters.

The characters’ journeys are not only well-written but superbly acted. Standouts include Paul Giamatti, Emma Corrin, and Chris O’Dowd, though really, the entire cast shines. I wouldn’t be surprised if Emmy nominations follow (unless the April release date causes the Academy to overlook it).

The episode order was also a great decision—starting with a gut-punch in Common People and ending on a hopeful note in USS Callister: Into Infinity, one of the most positive endings in Black Mirror history. (Though Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too probably still holds the crown for happiest ending.) With that hopeful finale, Brooker manages to offer not just an emotional rollercoaster, but a touch of escapism—an unexpected yet welcome twist.

So how do I rate the new season? In short: I’m thrilled! I think season seven of Black Mirror is one of the best seasons of any series I’ve seen in a long time. Chapeau bas!