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jdandns · 04-12-2025, 01:24 AM

NetFlix's "Black Mirror" Season 7 (or Series 7, as the Brits who made it would say) is in the books for me. Terrific new crop, with good stories in all 6 new episodes, a couple of them at feature movie length, with one of those being a sequel to the Emmy Award-winning "U.S.S. Callister" episode.

Overall, this is among the best seasons, the main flaw being one of the performances in one story not being in sync with the superb level of acting that has otherwise characterized the show from the very beginning.

Best of all, these were all proper advanced technology-based yarns which is to say there were thankfully none of the so-called "Red Mirrors" in this batch as was the case for the first time in 2023's Season 6. The "red" variety includes supernatural MacGuffins, which the series had eschewed, to its great credit up until then, and has thankfully returned to avoiding with this new season 7. Any anthology fantasy show can pump out stories with werewolves and genies and the like all day long. Black Mirror's greatest strength has always been hinging its stories on pure technology, albeit theoretical and far-flung technology in most cases, but things that are at least within the realm of possibility, and not fairy tales, all while speaking the human condition.

Common People 10/10
Devastating, with fantastic performances from Chris O'Dowd & Rashida Jones
Bête Noire 7.5/10
Great villain(s) in this one, but the ending could been a little better.
Hotel Reverie 6.5/10
Interesting concept, well-realized, but flawed by the miscasting of Issa Rae as one of the leads. Rae was good, particularly in the more comedic aspects of the part, but was not up to the task of the dramatic scenes opposite the luminous Emma Corrin. This was an attempt to duplicate the romantic feels of "San Junipero" and "Hang The DJ", but it couldn't quite get there, the flawed chemistry between the actors making the intended landing impossible to stick.
Plaything 9.5/10
Peter Capaldi is great here, and a couple of characters from the Emmy Award-winning choose-your-own adventure "Bandersnatch" make welcome appearances.
Great finish.
Eulogy 10/10
Wonderful, Emmy-worthy work from Paul Giamatti wandering through bittersweet memories via cutting edge visual sequences.
USS Callister: Into Infinity 8.5/10
Well-made followup to the original with the full returning cast including Christin Milioti, fresh from her terrific turn on HBO Max's "The Penguin".

I'll also say, not for nothing, that I've watched every single second of Black Mirror from the start without my face buried in my phone or computer, which I would think these show creators in particular would appreciate (and really should be required of all reviewers of basically anything).

Don't have time to watch this, but would like it ruined before you ever do?
Please go to the Spoiler Thread for single one line sentences for each episode, giving away the ending to each story.

Overall season rating:
8.67/10

04-12-2025, 01:24 AM	#1853
jdandns Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Southern California Posts: 23,516	BLACK MIRROR Season 7 NetFlix's "Black Mirror" Season 7 (or Series 7, as the Brits who made it would say) is in the books for me. Terrific new crop, with good stories in all 6 new episodes, a couple of them at feature movie length, with one of those being a sequel to the Emmy Award-winning "U.S.S. Callister" episode. Overall, this is among the best seasons, the main flaw being one of the performances in one story not being in sync with the superb level of acting that has otherwise characterized the show from the very beginning. Best of all, these were all proper advanced technology-based yarns which is to say there were thankfully none of the so-called "Red Mirrors" in this batch as was the case for the first time in 2023's Season 6. The "red" variety includes supernatural MacGuffins, which the series had eschewed, to its great credit up until then, and has thankfully returned to avoiding with this new season 7. Any anthology fantasy show can pump out stories with werewolves and genies and the like all day long. Black Mirror's greatest strength has always been hinging its stories on pure technology, albeit theoretical and far-flung technology in most cases, but things that are at least within the realm of possibility, and not fairy tales, all while speaking the human condition. Common People 10/10 Devastating, with fantastic performances from Chris O'Dowd & Rashida Jones Bête Noire 7.5/10 Great villain(s) in this one, but the ending could been a little better. Hotel Reverie 6.5/10 Interesting concept, well-realized, but flawed by the miscasting of Issa Rae as one of the leads. Rae was good, particularly in the more comedic aspects of the part, but was not up to the task of the dramatic scenes opposite the luminous Emma Corrin. This was an attempt to duplicate the romantic feels of "San Junipero" and "Hang The DJ", but it couldn't quite get there, the flawed chemistry between the actors making the intended landing impossible to stick. Plaything 9.5/10 Peter Capaldi is great here, and a couple of characters from the Emmy Award-winning choose-your-own adventure "Bandersnatch" make welcome appearances. Great finish. Eulogy 10/10 Wonderful, Emmy-worthy work from Paul Giamatti wandering through bittersweet memories via cutting edge visual sequences. USS Callister: Into Infinity 8.5/10 Well-made followup to the original with the full returning cast including Christin Milioti, fresh from her terrific turn on HBO Max's "The Penguin". I'll also say, not for nothing, that I've watched every single second of Black Mirror from the start without my face buried in my phone or computer, which I would think these show creators in particular would appreciate (and really should be required of all reviewers of basically anything). Don't have time to watch this, but would like it ruined before you ever do? Please go to the Spoiler Thread for single one line sentences for each episode, giving away the ending to each story. Overall season rating: 8.67/10 __________________ Don't look for it in the Twilight Zone. Look for it in a mirror. Look for it before the light goes out altogether. Last edited by jdandns; 04-12-2025 at 12:51 PM.