Inti Navia 
Netflix’s dystopian anthology “Black Mirror” made a return for its sixth season. But the question is: Is it any good? If you’ve been meaning to check it out, here is a listing of the episodes ranked from worst to best.
“Demon 79”: Starring Anjana Vasan as Nida, a timid, everyday retail worker, and Paapa Essiedu as Gaap, a demon who appears in the form of Bobby Farrell from Boney M. The episode follows Gaap convincing Nida that she has to kill people in order to prevent the end of the world. Though the wacky premise would’ve worked well in another anthology show, it takes a huge step away from the horrors of technology, the theme that usually encompasses a “Black Mirror” episode. The thing, or rather who, that makes this episode worth watching is the intense performance of Vasan.
“Mazey Day”: Starring Clara Rugaard as Mazey, the episode is about a Hollywood celebrity who has to do her best to avoid the paparazzi in the aftermath of a hit-and-run. The episode loosely follows the classic “Black Mirror” format, and is a little more recognizable than the last.
“Joan Is Awful”: Starring Annie Murphy as Joan, Salma Hayek as herself, and Michael Cera as Beppe, this one follows an average woman who suddenly finds out a hit show has been made about her life. The twist? It was made without her knowledge, and showcases her as an awful person. The episode only gets crazier as it goes on, and takes on a bit more of a lighthearted and comedic tone than some of the other ones. Though not the best of the season, it’s a refreshing change of pace.
“Beyond the Sea”: Like “Demon 79,” this episode is another period piece, this time set in 1969 America. Starring Aaron Paul as the astronaut Cliff, and Josh Hartnett as his partner, David, the viewers follow their lives as their robot versions live on Earth with their families and their real versions run a space station above the planet. The episode quickly establishes itself as a dark, horror-y story.
“Loch Henry”: Starring Myha’la Herrold as Pia and Samuel Blenkin as Davis, this episode is absolutely the highlight of the season. The viewers follow a young couple as they visit Davis’ mom in Scotland. We quickly find out that the town was the site of a vicious serial killer, one who even killed Davis’ dad. It’s maybe the most relevant one, after the release of “Dahmer” on Netflix. The performance of Herrold is amazing, as you can probably even see from its title screen on Netflix, where she’s looking in horror at her computer screen.
All in all, this season definitely wasn’t the highlight of “Black Mirror”. Not the worst, but out of all of them, it probably could’ve been better. The highlights were the actors in the season, and the show once again being relevant to our world today.
What did you think? What was your favorite episode? Let me know!
By Inti Navia, Freshman, Columbia College Chicago
All Platforms: @intinavia
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