Black Mirror (Season 4) Review

This is my second time through Black Mirror and these are my thoughts on the fourth season going episode by episode, you can read my review for season 1 here, season 2 here, White Christmas here and season 3 here. It's less a review more just my initial thoughts on each episode as I watch through them again, anyway, without further ado, let's begin!

Episode 1 ''USS Callister''

This is probably one of my favourite Black Mirror episodes, it has everything, a terrifying concept, great characters, humour and adventure! It's not as sharp a satire as usual or atleast it doesn't quite have the impact Black Mirror's known for on that level but it's an extremely enjoyable experience either way. My only complaint is in the slight reach towards the end with them successfully executing their elaborate escape plan!

It's the fact that Nanette's able to blackmail herself into doing something she'd never do because she's taken some mildly explicit photos of herself and she didn't want them leaked. That's about it though, other than that I absolutely loved this episode and it might be my second favourite Black Mirror episode behind 15 Million Merits! It's a really fun episode with a very satisfying conclusion and Matt Damon plays a great villain! An all round great episode! 8.5/10.

Episode 2 ''Arkangel''

This was an excellent satire on overprotective parents and it's definitely on the upper echelon of Black Mirror episodes, I thoroughly enjoyed it! The villain is just a worried mother and although she's an extremely irritating, nightmare of a parent, it's easy to understand her motives and sympathise with her to some degree. As with all the best Black Mirror episodes it's easy to see something like this actually happening and that's why it's terrifying! 8/10.

Episode 3 ''Crocodile''

When killing goes wrong! This was a great horror-esque episode, I love the tone, I love the tension and it's a shame she gets caught in the end given all the effort she put into avoiding it, a fucking hamster!? Andrea Riseborough's performance was brilliant, it's one of the standout performances of the series. This is probably one of my favourite episodes, it's a been a strong first half of the fourth season! A fucking hamster though!? 7.5/10.

Episode 4 ''Hang the DJ''

Another good episode, probably my least favourite of the season so far but a good episode all the same! Joe Cole (John Shelby from Peaky Blinders) and Georgina Campell were both great, they've got an excellent chemistry and I was invested in their relationship. It's an interesting idea, a tiny bit underwhelming at the end but it's an engaging journey and it's a very sweet story, it's emotionally impactful and a decent satire on online dating apps, I liked it! 7/10.

Episode 5 ''Metalhead''

This was another horror-esque episode, it's very similar to Friday the 13th or any horror film with characters being pursued by a terrifying killer, but instead of Jason or the Predator we have a little robot dog. It's also possibly the shortest Black Mirror episode yet at just over 40 minutes, I'm not gonna lie, the shorter the better! I loved the black and white filter it looked great, I love the robot design as well, the knife bit at the end was a bit forced but fuck it!

There's quite a few moments in this episode where Bella's just waiting around and taking way too long to escape the area and it's definitely irritating, especially that first bit on the walkie talkie, Jesus, just run! It's a good performance from Maxine Peake and it's an all round decent episode, it's a bit anticlimatic at the end with the reveal of it being teddy bears they all died for but either way I really enjoyed it, it's very well directed. 7/10.

Episode 6 ''Black Museum''

They literally stole two of Karl Pilkington's ideas in this episode! The sensor thing used by the doctor to feel what the patients are feeling and the idea of putting someone's consciousness in someone else's brain, Karl talks about both of these ideas on The Ricky Gervais Show. Other than that it's a decent episode but the least well rounded in the series so far, it felt a little forced, the first two stories for example just weren't necessary at all.

When Nish first arrives at the Black Museum, she acts as if she's just making a pitstop but then it turns out that was her plan the whole time, bit of a nitpick but it just felt cheap them lying to us like that! It's not terrible but all in all this might be one of if not the weakest episode of the entire series, there's nothing to connect to emotionally and there's nothing in the way of satire, it's a fun couple of stories but nothing with any lasting impact. 6/10.

Summary

All in all this was a great season, probably my second favourite behind season 1, they fumble a bit at the end there with Black Museum and it was still enjoyable either way, it just wasn't not as sharp and focused as the other episodes! I look forward to the fifth season and I'll probably work out a better way to review it because this Black Mirror review series of mine has been admittedly flawed.

What did you think of Black Mirror - Season 4?