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After waiting over four years for the sixth season of Black Mirror, (2011-)(( Brooker, Charlie, creator. Black Mirror. Channel 4, 2011. )) it was finally released on Netflix on June 15, 2023. Black Mirror is an extremely distinctive show; each episode has an entirely different premise, cast, setting, and even time period, but they all manage to boil down to the same issue: what consequences or unprecedented outcomes does technology have for the humans who’ve created it?
With shocking plot twists and unsettling observations about human nature, you will probably think about these episodes for months after you’ve seen them. So if you’ve already finished all five episodes from this current season and want more of those distinct elements — it might be time to check out some other media that is analogous. Here is a collection of movies, shows, and books that will give you that same Black Mirror vibe while you wait for the next season.
What To Watch
If you aren’t a big reader, or you just like the form that Black Mirror is in, here are some series and films that will remind you of the show.
Thriller/Horror Films
These are fast-paced films that deal with the more bloody, distributing, and shocking aspects of Black Mirror. If you liked episodes like “Crocodile” (( “Crocodile.” Black Mirror, season 4, episode 3, Netflix, 29 Dec. 2017. Netflix. )) or “Shut Up and Dance,” (( “Shut Up and Dance.” Black Mirror, season 3, episode 3, Netflix, 21 Oct. 2016. Netflix. )) you might like these movies.
Spree (2020)
Spree (2020; Kotlyarenko)(( Kotlyarenko, Eugene, director. Spree. Dreamcrew, 2020. )) is a comedy thriller film starring Joe Keery about murder in the modern age. Kerry plays Kurt Kunkle, a driver for a ridesharing app called Spree and an aspiring social media star. Kurt is obsessed with becoming famous and getting views, so he comes up with a unique — but horrifying — way to do it. The film follows Kurt as he picks up different passengers, live-streaming their deaths for the whole world to see.
Joe Keery is hilarious; he is convincing as the off-putting, eccentric character of Kurt, and his comedic delivery and unique cadence of speaking make this a stand-out performance. You can tell that the people who worked on this movie know a lot about social media. The film is interspersed with YouTube videos, live streams, comments, and more from the internet, and if you pause it on any frame there are tons of cool details that were put in during editing.
The movie explores influencer and social media culture, the possible dangers of ridesharing apps, and the state of the internet today in general. It’s a fast-paced watch, and it makes your head spin just like Black Mirror episodes do.
Sorry To Bother You (2018)
Probably the craziest movie on the list, as well as my personal favorite, Sorry to Bother You (2018; Riley) (( Riley, Boots, director. Sorry to Bother You. Significant, 2018. )) is about Cassius Green, a struggling telemarketer living in an alternate Oakland, California. Cash, played by LaKeith Stanfield, learns that adopting a “white voice” on his telemarketing calls will help get customers on his side. As he moves up in the ranks at work because of this strategy, Cash continues to learn crazy, increasingly corrupt things about the world of business.
One night at a party, he meets the CEO of the company he works for, Steve Lift (played by Armie Hammer), and discovers the insane secret that has been kept under wraps. From there, things only get more shocking, making this movie something you likely will never forget. The performances, dialogue, costuming, and set design — almost everything in this film — are incredible. It deals with complicated topics like late-stage capitalism and greed, the advancement of technology, and race in a nuanced and compelling way.
The Platform (2019)
Horror and gore film The Platform (2019; Gaztelu-Urrutiais) (( Gaztelu-Urrutiais, Galder, director. The Platform. Basque, 2019. )) about Goreng, played by Spanish actor Iván Massagué, who spends the next six months in a vertical prison with one cell on each floor. Every day, a platform filled with enough food to sustain all the prisoners descends from the top and stops once at each level.
However, due to human nature and our inherent greed, everyone on the first fifty floors eat all the food, leaving almost nothing for all the floors below. The film follows as Goreng gets moved from floor to floor each month, attempting to stay alive with the unguaranteed amount of nutrients and the crazed prisoners he meets along the way.
The Platform is like the perfect combination of the earlier Black Mirror seasons’ themes of political commentary and portrayals of the dark side of human nature with season six’s new territory into gore. It’s certainly a heavy and disturbing watch, but one that’s worth it. You won’t forget The Platform.
Drama/Romance Films
These films deal with the new and complicated emotions that arise from using new technology, such as love, heartbreak, and grief. If you liked episodes like “Be Right Back,” (( “Be Right Back.” Black Mirror, season 2, episode 1, Channel 4, 11 Feb. 2013. Netflix. )) “Hang the DJ,” (( “Hang the DJ.” Black Mirror, season 4, episode 4, Netflix, 29 Dec. 2017. Netflix. )) or “San Junipero,” (( “San Junipero.” Black Mirror, season 3, episode 4, Netflix, 21 Oct. 2016. Netflix. )) you’ll probably love these next films.
Her (2013)
Her (2013; Jonze) (( Jonze, Spike, director. Her. Annapurna, 2013. )) is a science-fiction romance starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson. Theodore works as a writer for a company that writes love letters for people who can’t do it themselves and is going through a divorce with his current wife. Lonely and depressed, Theodore downloads an AI assistant named Samantha, who has the voice of Scarlett Johansson. As he talks to Samantha more and more, he begins to develop a curious, romantic relationship with her.
Though it’s a love story about a human and something artificial, the film is very human. Theodore’s grief over his past relationship, ability to see Samantha as human-like. and desire for connection are relatable and devastating to watch. This film is classic Black Mirror, sharing a lot of similarities to the aforementioned episode “Be Right Back,” (( “Be Right Back.” Black Mirror, season 2, episode 1, Channel 4, 11 Feb. 2013. Netflix. )) in which a grieving woman begins talking to an AI designed to emulate her dead husband. Anyone who’s a fan of Joaquin Phoenix, off-beat romance, or obviously, Black Mirror will likely enjoy this one.
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
You might have already heard of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004; Gondry) (( Gondry, Michel, director. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Anonymous Content, 2004. )) starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet due to its popularity, but if you haven’t, you need to check it out. Kate Winslet plays Clementine, who undergoes a physical procedure to erase the memories of her past relationship with her boyfriend Joel (played by Jim Carrey).
When Joel learns that she has done this, he is disheartened and decides he wants to forget as well, signing himself up to use the new technology right away. But as he thinks about Clementine, he realizes maybe you don’t need to forget every bad thing that’s ever happened to you and goes on an adventure through his mind in an attempt to remember her.
This film is popular for a reason; it is artsy, beautifully shot, compelling, and thought-provoking. It deals with that classic Black Mirror premise of a new technology being introduced in an alternate version of the present. If you liked the Black Mirror episode “Hang the DJ,” (( “Hang the DJ.” Black Mirror, season 4, episode 4, Netflix, 29 Dec. 2017. Netflix. )) you’ll probably love this movie. It too combines the element of new technology with the idea that love can prevail over all. If you have already seen Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and want even more, check out The Adjustment Bureau (2011; Nolfi) (( Nolfi, George, director. The Adjustment Bureau. Universal, 2011. )) with Emily Blunt and Matt Damon. It hasn’t had as much acclaim, but it’s also very similar to “Hang the DJ”, and will fit that romance meets science fiction niche that you’re looking for.
Series
If you want to watch a Black Mirror-esque story that’s played out for longer than just an hour or two, or if you need something to binge, check out one of these series.
Years And Years (2019)
Years and Years (2019) (( Davies, Russell, creator. Years and Years. BBC One, 2019. )) is a limited series about a British family living in the near future. The show begins in 2019 and follows the family over the next fifteen years as the world goes through technological advancements and political changes.
In one scene in the first episode of the show, the character of Daniel reminisces about how they “used to think politics was boring.” (( “Episode 1.” Years and Years, season 1, episode 1, BBC One, 14 May 2019. Max. )) That idea of politics and news about the world becoming increasingly more stressful and the future seeming more sinister is the main theme that the show rests on. It makes a lot of predictions about what the future might look like, some of them turning out to be true, and some of them painting a grim picture of what might have been.
Due to it being set in Britain and the fact that one of the main characters, Stephen, is played by an actor (Rory Kinnear) that was in Black Mirror, the show feels like one long Black Mirror episode.
Living With Yourself (2019)
Living With Yourself (2019) (( Greenberg, Timothy, creator. Living With Yourself. Netflix, 2019. )) is a science fiction comedy series about a man named Miles, played by Paul Rudd, who is unhappy with himself and his life, so he pays for a treatment at a random spa that promises to create “a better” version of him. After going through this treatment, however, he discovers that the spa meant they would literally create a clone that is better than him. All of a sudden, Miles has a clone that is a better employee, a better husband, and an overall better person competing with him for his own life.
This show is fast-paced and funny; you can’t really go wrong with double Paul Rudd. Even though it’s comical and absurd, it also deals with a lot of relatable human experiences, like insecurity and regrets about how you’ve lived your life. Overall it is a great show to binge in a few days; it will make you laugh but still leave you with that weird feeling Black Mirror episodes leave you with.
Severance (2022- )
Severance (2022- ) (( Erickson, Dan, creator. Severance. Apple TV+, 2022. )) is a show directed by Ben Stiller and starring Adam Scott. It takes place at Lumon Industries, a mysterious company that “severs” the consciousness of its employees into their work lives and outside lives. This makes the employees essentially two entirely separate people with separate memories and personalities. It follows one employee, Mark, as he begins to discover what they might really be working on at Lumon.
The show is highly stylized and visually appealing, sticking to a particular color palette and shot composition. The mystery of what’s going on at Lumon is also very intriguing, and you’ll want to keep watching episode after episode until you find out. There is only one season so far, but season two is currently in the works and will be out sometime in 2024.
What To Read
It’s easy to get into a reading slump every now and then, especially if you’re reading books where it takes a lot of time to get to the conflict. If you want to something to read that’s intriguing and intense in the same way that Black Mirror is, try out some of these novels and short story collections.
The Future Is Yours by Dan Frey
The Future is Yours (( Frey, Dan. The Future is Yours. Random House, 2021. )) is a science-fiction thriller told entirely through courtroom transcripts, emails, texts, blog posts, and other forms of media. It follows Silicon Valley entrepreneur Ben Boyce and his best friend, technological genius Adhi Chaudry, as they create a company selling a computer program that can access the internet one year into the future. However, Ben and Adhi begin to realize the revolutionary technology they’ve created might not be as great as they think it is because they keep seeing the future of the grim fate of their company.
As soon as you pick up this book, you will not be able to put it down. It somehow manages to be a fast-paced thriller without any murder, action scenes, or even dialogue. It’s truly one of a kind.
Someone Who Will Love You In All Of Your Damaged Glory by Raphael Bob-Waksberg
Someone Who Will Love You in All of Your Damaged Glory (( Bob-Waksberg, Raphael. Someone Who Will Love You in All of Your Damaged Glory. Knopf, 2019. )) is a collection of short stories written by the creator of the Netflix show Bojack Horseman (2014-2020)(( Bob-Waksberg, Raphael, creator. Bojack Horseman. Netflix, 2014. )). While all the stories in this collection are amazing, the two that have similar premises to Black Mirror are We Men of Science and More of the You That You Already Are.
We Men of Science is about a scientist, Yoni, who creates an “Anti-Door.” This door opens to a world where everything is opposite. In theory, this sounds simple, but Yoni discovers opposites are actually much more complicated than they seem. As he goes back and forth between his regular life and the opposite of it, his conception of reality, love, and happiness becomes muddled.
More of the You That You Already Are is about a man who works as a character actor for former President Chester A. Arthur at a presidential theme park called Presidentland. One day at work, his boss tells him and his other coworkers that they have genetically combined the first ten presidents to create a giant, super-president. As the company meets and tries to get used to this strange, robotic combination of ten different people, it brings up a few questions. What makes someone human? When is morality compromised by making more money? And do the boundaries of love and respect extend to strange, robotic combinations of presidents?
The two science-fiction stories in the book are my favorite, as they combine incredibly creative premises with deep, powerful emotions. In addition, the whole collection, partially More of the You That You Already Are is just absolutely hilarious. This collection will make you both cry and laugh.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Dark Matter (( Crouch, Blake. Dark Matter. Ballantine, 2016. )) is about Jason Dessen, a normal middle-aged man with a family and a job as a professor at a college. One day he is kidnapped at gunpoint and wakes up in a strange world where he doesn’t recognize his life. His house looks completely different, he no longer has a wife and a child, and he can’t remember the last fifteen years of his life. The book follows Jason as he attempts to figure out what happened, who kidnapped him, and how he can get back home to his family.
Crouch, blake. Dark Matter. Ballantine, 2016.
While it combines elements of mystery novels, thrillers, and science fiction, it still manages to have a strong emotional core. It deals with deep-seated regret, disappointment, and intense love for the people you care about. The third act of this book is very reminiscent of what a Black Mirror episode might be; some of the stuff that happens will genuinely make you gasp.
Welcome To The Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut
Welcome to the Monkey House (( Vonnegut, Kurt. Welcome to the Monkey House. Delacorte, 1968. )) is a collection of short stories by Kurt Vonnegut, of which about half its stories will remind you of Black Mirror. Some of the stand-outs include Harrison Bergeron, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Report on the Barnhouse Effect, and the titular story, Welcome to the Monkey House.
Harrison Bergeron is about a society where the government requires everyone to be equal, meaning that people who are taller, more beautiful, or more intelligent than average are forced to constantly wear handicaps to level the playing field. While Report on the Barnhouse Effect is about a man who develops superpowers that the US government eventually finds out about and attempts to take advantage of.
Being published in 1968, this collection is extremely innovative and ahead of its time. It deals with concepts like scientific advancements, governmental control, and even artificial intelligence. And despite being over fifty years old, many of the stories still feel very relevant to our current reality.
The Unique Appeal Of Black Mirror
What makes Black Mirror so appealing is that it creates universes and technologies that sound crazy in theory, but then through close character studies, they are able to show viewers that those technologies are not so different from our own. Even when the character goes to extreme lengths, we are able to recognize a level of humanity in them and picture ourselves in their position. This level of relatability to crazy situations is what makes us think about the episodes again and again.
While some of these recommendations might not contain the technology aspect of Black Mirror (such as The Platform and Sorry to Bother You), they still have that same element of uncanny relatability to our own society, whether that be through the extreme lengths of governmental control or large corporations. So until we get some new Black Mirror content, hopefully, some of these movies, shows, or books will give you that same feeling that the series does.
Enjoy, and happy reading/watching!
