All six seasons of Black Mirror, ranked by how high they score on Rotten Tomatoes

I believe in season three supremacy

11 months ago

The nature of Black Mirror as the biggest anthology series in the world means the quality differs from episode to episode, and a bad season can be so subjective to how many episodes a viewer liked in that batch. Because Black Mirror episodes can be watched in any order, you could technically make your own group of your favourite episodes and watch them in your preferred order to create your perfect season. Like Bandersnatch, the choice is yours! However, Charlie Brooker has to present Netflix with a season and these are the six we’ve got, ranked by how high the critics have reviewed each Black Mirror batch according to their score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. How does the brand new season six fare? Let’s find out!

Christmas special White Christmas and the self-contained movie Bandersnatch don’t belong to any season, so won’t be ranked. They do have their own scores, though. White Christmas is at 90 per cent and Bandersnatch at 74.

6. Season five
Score: 67 per cent

Coming in a the bottom of the pile is season five, which debuted on Netflix in 2019. Honestly, this is fair enough in my opinion. Only three episodes in the mix, and only Striking Vipers amongst them any good. Smithereens is pointless and Miley Cyrus’ turn as Ashley O one of the worst ever.

5. Season six
Score: 78 per cent

The latest Black Mirror season to get scored on Rotten Tomatoes, again, I think this is a fair placement for season six. This one’s kind of all over the show – and has episodes that feel the least Black Mirror-y. Joan Is Awful and Beyond The Sea are great, Demon 79 and Loch Henry decently entertaining but a bit flawed and Mazey Day is the shit on my shoe. Next!

4. Season four
Score: 86 per cent

Season four and three of Black Mirror have the same score on Rotten Tomatoes, but I’m giving season four the fourth place because it has a lower user score. Just to differentiate! And also, because I think it’s the correct way round. Season four starts off with one of the GOATs: USS Callister. Also excellent are the underrated Metalhead (black and white robot dogs) and the bleak but gorgeous Crocodile. Mid tier we’ve got the saccharine Hang The DJ, on the shit end there’s Black Museum and Arkangel.

3. Season three
Score: 86 per cent

Season three had a lot to prove: It was the first season to have six episodes, and the first to move to Netflix from Channel 4. It begins the shift of the British feeling first two seasons into the Americanisation of the show – but in my opinion, the highest of highs are here and I’d give it top ranking. Nosedive, San Junipero and Hated in the Nation are all some of the best the show’s ever done. Playtest is a bit of a flop, Men Against Fire has a good concept but slightly boring execution and Shut Up and Dance is beloved by most but I think personally it’s a bit basic.

2. Season two
Score: 88 per cent

Season two homes the beloved White Bear, but also The Waldo Moment which is truly the pits. Be Right Back is good. I’d personally have this one ranked a little lower, but Rotten Tomatoes hath spoken.

1. Season one
Score: 98 per cent

Perhaps benefitting from the fact season one debuted with no other collection of episodes to be compared to and debuted as a completely fresh concept, but season one takes the top spot with a VERY impressive 98 per cent. There isn’t a bad episode here, which helps. The National Anthem, Fifteen Million Merits and The Entire History of You are all classics even if they’re not really anyone’s specific fave. As good as an opening season as any show could hope to have, really.

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