The mostly excellent British anthology series Black Mirror, created by Charlie Brooker, is set in a future moment that’s close enough to our moment to be shaped by its leading technologies (social networks, smart products). So far, the total number of episodes is 13. The first seven were aired in the UK on Channel 4 between 2011 and 2014. Six new ones were released by Netflix on October 21.
Here is how I rank the most recent series from best to worst:
1. “Men Against Fire”
This episode is about a military occupation or operation conducted not by the US Army but a US corporation. Because corporations are all about efficiency and extracting the most value out of their workers, the abilities of each of its employees/mercenaries have been enhanced by a mind-altering technology. Anyone who loved District 9 will recognize important similarities with “Men Against Fire.” A science-fiction story is always a maze with a revelation at its center. Deep inside the maze of “Men Against Fire” you will find not a Minotaur (that is bad sci-fi) but the very thing that makes us the kind of animal we are: the human animal.
