Film Review: Black Mirror Series Seven, Redux
7th
June 2026, 15:51
Welcome back! We're going to continue the review of Black Mirror Series Seven. I promise you, it doesn't let up!
The next episode is Plaything, and it's quite the mindfuck.
Lewis Gribben is a younger Cameron Walker. Had a physical resemblance to Paul Bettany. We get to see him slowly unravel from a shy nerd to murderous lunatic. Gribben brings across the shitload of anxiety this role probably requires, really well.
James Nelson-Joyce as DCI Kano. Stern, cold, uncompromising. Chomping at the bit to prosecute Walker. I had fun watching this guy grind his teeth and try to curb his impulse to beat Cameron Walker to a pulp.
Michele Austin as Jen Minter. She's in the interview for psychological evaluation. We see glimpses of a sense of humor. She's the reasonable authority figure in the room.
Darryl Foster as PC Mo Raiker. Kind of fades into the background if not for that afro, if I'm being honest.
Ami Tredrea as WPC Yvonne Best. She looks constantly serious and focused. Of her and her partner, she's the one that gets most of the dialogue.
Will Poulter reprises his role as Colin Ritman from Bandersnatch. Poulter brings his intense stare back into the Black Mirror universe, and I am here for it! When Colin Ritman emphasizes that the Throng are living and sentient, his deadly earnest delivery really sells it. Poulter has limited screen time in this one, but he makes the absolute most of it.
Asim Chaudhry, too, reprises his role as Mohan Thakur from Bandersnatch. Part manic, part affable, all boss. "My name's Mo but you can call me God."
Josh Finan plays Lump the drug dealer with much goofiness and gusto, complete with annoying shit-eating grin and wild-eyed stare. He was hugely entertaining.
Jay Simpson is Gordon, Walker's boss at PC Zone. At first I thought I was looking at John Cusack. There's a very unsettling air of menace about him as he's on the phone pressuring Cameron to meet a deadline. This actor should have been off playing a mob boss or something, instead of this. Wasted here.
Special mention to Kave Niku as the shopkeeper in the beginning sequence. That look of exasperation was golden.
Another thing I loved were the tie-ins to Bandersnatch. Thronglets is a game, and Bandersnatch features a gaming company. So yes, the link to Tuckersoft was genius. Bonus points for that poster of Bandersnatch II!
That twist at the end with the sharpie and how it was used. It was a deliciously horrific end.
Did I mention the sound effects from the game? The squeals, the shrilling, and the ominous hum. It all totally got me.
And on the other hand, I've always liked Black Mirror for tech that is fantastic, but at least plausible. This is just... not. It is pretty bizarre and creepy though, I'll give them that.
Plaything is probably one of the creepiest things Black Mirror has produced ever, and has one of the darkest ever endings. I don't know what the writer of this epsiode had been smoking while creating this, but whatever it was, it worked!
The next episode is Eulogy, and it's a bit of a mood whiplash from the preceding episode, but just as good, if not better.
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The next episode is Plaything, and it's quite the mindfuck.
The Premise
Mentally disturbed Cameron Walker is hauled into a police station where he is interviewed by the police for a possible murder. What follows is Walker's telling of a bizzarre story that has a terrifying conclusion in the present day.The Characters
Peter Capaldi provides a gripping portrayal of Cameron Walker, a computer nerd who gets sucked into the world of the Throng. And boy, does he deliver. When we first see him, he's a friendly but awfully goofy character who talks silly. By the end of the episode, he's become full-blown deranged and the twist in that master plan is served with such maniacal glee it almost hurts to watch.Lewis Gribben is a younger Cameron Walker. Had a physical resemblance to Paul Bettany. We get to see him slowly unravel from a shy nerd to murderous lunatic. Gribben brings across the shitload of anxiety this role probably requires, really well.
James Nelson-Joyce as DCI Kano. Stern, cold, uncompromising. Chomping at the bit to prosecute Walker. I had fun watching this guy grind his teeth and try to curb his impulse to beat Cameron Walker to a pulp.
Michele Austin as Jen Minter. She's in the interview for psychological evaluation. We see glimpses of a sense of humor. She's the reasonable authority figure in the room.
Darryl Foster as PC Mo Raiker. Kind of fades into the background if not for that afro, if I'm being honest.
Ami Tredrea as WPC Yvonne Best. She looks constantly serious and focused. Of her and her partner, she's the one that gets most of the dialogue.
Will Poulter reprises his role as Colin Ritman from Bandersnatch. Poulter brings his intense stare back into the Black Mirror universe, and I am here for it! When Colin Ritman emphasizes that the Throng are living and sentient, his deadly earnest delivery really sells it. Poulter has limited screen time in this one, but he makes the absolute most of it.
Asim Chaudhry, too, reprises his role as Mohan Thakur from Bandersnatch. Part manic, part affable, all boss. "My name's Mo but you can call me God."
Josh Finan plays Lump the drug dealer with much goofiness and gusto, complete with annoying shit-eating grin and wild-eyed stare. He was hugely entertaining.
Jay Simpson is Gordon, Walker's boss at PC Zone. At first I thought I was looking at John Cusack. There's a very unsettling air of menace about him as he's on the phone pressuring Cameron to meet a deadline. This actor should have been off playing a mob boss or something, instead of this. Wasted here.
Special mention to Kave Niku as the shopkeeper in the beginning sequence. That look of exasperation was golden.
The Mood
The subdued colors, smoke and debris suggests a dystopian future at the start. In the first few minutes, the mood shifts to a police procedural vibe, with all the trappings of modern-day police drama. Halfway through, flashbacks take us in a new direction - it's a tech thriller both creepy and uncanny. Other than that, once the episode goes into the interview room, the action doesn't leave it, other than through the narrative supplied by Cameron Walker.What I liked
The game itself looks pretty damn awesome. It's available to download on Google Play. You need a Netflix account to play it. My plate's a little full at the moment, but dammit I want to play this game.
Another thing I loved were the tie-ins to Bandersnatch. Thronglets is a game, and Bandersnatch features a gaming company. So yes, the link to Tuckersoft was genius. Bonus points for that poster of Bandersnatch II!
That twist at the end with the sharpie and how it was used. It was a deliciously horrific end.
Did I mention the sound effects from the game? The squeals, the shrilling, and the ominous hum. It all totally got me.
What I didn't
I have mixed feelings on this. On one hand, that whole surgically inserting a port into the back of his head sequence was suitably gross for a series like Black Mirror.
And on the other hand, I've always liked Black Mirror for tech that is fantastic, but at least plausible. This is just... not. It is pretty bizarre and creepy though, I'll give them that.
Conclusion
What an episode. What. An. Episode!Plaything is probably one of the creepiest things Black Mirror has produced ever, and has one of the darkest ever endings. I don't know what the writer of this epsiode had been smoking while creating this, but whatever it was, it worked!
My Rating
9 / 10
The next episode is Eulogy, and it's a bit of a mood whiplash from the preceding episode, but just as good, if not better.
The Premise
Philip receives a call that his old flame Carol has passed away. In order to collect recollections for her memorial, Philip goes through a program by Eulogy designed to read his memories, unearthing some interesting ones...
The Characters
Paul Giamatti absolutely knocks it out of the park in the role of Philip Connarty. Philip is a surly, bitter, cranky old guy. Giamatti carried this episode by serving up an entire buffet of emotional delivery. He also serves as narrator for most of the recollections. He gives us a moving portrayal of a deeply flawed man who loved passionately, experienced guilt, lashed out in anger, and finds closure in forgiveness. Giamatti was immediately recognizable to me as the antagonist in Shoot Em Up. Upon watching this episode, I gained a newfound respect for this man's range.
Patsy Ferran as Kelly Royce, Carol's daughter and the AI that serves Eulogy. She acted as the foil to Philip's general grumpiness, appearing upbeat and chirpy most of the time, occasionally delivering quite the witty barb. The meat of this episode belonged to Giamatti, but without Ferran to play off against, it wouldn't have worked as well.
There were plenty of others in the cast, but they either had no speaking parts, extremely limited screen time or merely appeared as still images... or all at the same time.
The Mood
It begins with a scene of an elderly man trimming rose bushes in some quiet countryside or other. A very placid scene. And the pacing stays slow and steady even as more upsetting memories and twists are revealed. There's a pervading sense of sorrow, old anger and sentimentality, though at no point does the viewer get the sense that anyone is in any particular danger. It's not that kind of Black Mirror episode, and yet it absolutely works.
What I liked
It's a very small cast. Only two actors have any sort of work to do - the rest either appear in non-speaking and/or non-moving roles. Thus, it's up to Paul Giamatti and Patsy Ferran to hold up this episode all by themselves. And these two, quite amazingly, get it done.
Black Mirror is famously full of violence, vulgarity and downer endings. On the rare occasion when things get sentimental and sweet, like now, even admidst the sorrow permeating the episode, it really hits home.
The visuals are amazing. They give us a pretty darn good idea of what it's like to virtually dive into a still photograph, and have AI render everything in 3D. The side effects of Philip using sharpies and knives to erase Carol's face from photographs, are disturbingly rendered as well. It's glorious... with just a hint of spooky.
What I didn't
DHL sending the package by drone was a detail I could have done without. That was so out of left field. I don't actually think drone delivery is too far-fetched, though having it take place in such a casual manner, probably is. There are regulatory issues to think about, especially since the company Eulogy is in the UK and Philip is in the USA or something. And it wasn't even really relevant to the story.
Still, it's a very minor detail in what was otherwise an excellent episode.
Conclusion
This episode was -genius-. It had the Black Mirror DNA - fantastical tech being used in novel ways, flawed characters acting out and inevitable human tragedy. Though, in this case, the tech brings about a somewhat happy ending. This might actually be my favorite episode in an above-average season of Black Mirror.
My Rating
9.5 / 10
Next we have the sequel to Black Mirror Series Four's USS Callister, USS Callister: Into Infinity!
Anyone who hasn't watched USS Callister is encouraged to go have a gander - because it's great and because this sequel will make a hell of a lot more sense after that.
The Premise
Following the events of USS Callister, Nanette and the crew of USS Callister roam the universe of the Infinity game, but find life hard in this virtual universe, resorting to robbing players for credits for their continued survival. Their antics catch the attention of the original Nanette and Walton, who venture into Infinity to investigate.
The Characters
Cristin Milloti as Nanette Cole. Milloti portrays original Nanette as excitable and adorably clumsy, and lacking in confidence. Unlike clone Nanette, who has experienced loss and grown into her role of leadership. Milotti brings the acting chops she displayed in The Penguin, over to this episode, quite handily. Did I also mention that she's remarkable easy on the eyes either way?
Jimi Simpson as James Walton. In his own words, "Captalist Asshole". Seriously, Walton is an even bigger dickbag the second time around, and Simpson's acting is off the charts as he now shows different sides of the same character by playing original Walton and clone Walton. Original Walton is selfish, narcissistic and opportunistic. He doesn't care about anyone but himself (and his son, a brief but noteworthy few seconds in the episode) and his ignorance of his own company's products and staff, is a running joke and even a plot point later on. Clone Walton, on the other hand, has matured into someone who thinks of others and is deeply regretful of his past actions.
Jesse Plemons as clone Robert Daly. In Breaking Bad, Plemons acted as the unstable psycho Todd Alquist, and he carries over shades of that same performance as socially awkward nerd Daly. This time round, the performance is even more nuanced - we see an early incarnation of Daly who is still awkward and shy, but nonetheless shows Nanette (and us) why someone like him ultimately can't be trusted with power.
Osy Ikhile as coffee intern Nate Packer. Packer undergoes quite the transformation from how he was in the original USS Callister. Here, he's a grim warrior who ends up being the captain once Nanette is gone. From an intern, to a leader. I like it.
Milanka Brooks as receptionist Elena Tulaska. Her character doesn't change much, but Brooks takes the opportunity to show that while original Elena is cold and snarky, clone (and foxy blue-skinned!) Elena has a heart.
Paul G Raymond as programmer Kabir Dudani. He has the least character development in the original and the sequel. Original and clone Dudani are both computer nerds with no real severe character tics and are just unlucky. They stay pretty much constant through the episodes.
Billy Magnussen as Karl Plowman. His arc is short but significant. Offline, he's a jovial gym bro and in the game, the trauma of USS Callister has turned him into a restless manchild. He does sacrifice himself heroically to save the others, though how much of it is just poor impulse control, is up to interpretation.
Bilal Hasna has a brief appearances as Kris El Masry, reporter. Sharp as a tack. Asks hard questions, and keeps Walton on the back foot. This guy has "mild-mannered reporter" written all over his face, but when he hits hard, he hits. Hard.
Iolanthe is hilarious as Pixie Bunkin and her hot pink equipment. That character brought so much energy in.
The Mood
A colorful space adventure, complete with spaceships and laser battles and gunfights on alien planets.
What I liked
Multiple character arcs. The original had the cast play different versions of the same character. This time round, it's even more pronounced because we've had time to get used to the characters and we see how the originals are like versus how their clones have evolved into different people. Trauma really shapes character.
The visual of the space battle is epic.
The joint cameos of Nisha and Grawp. I don't like the fact that Demon 99 exists as an episode, but I couldn't help but feel intense glee when they appeared. These two are so watchable!
That gag with Rocky, the hole in its back, and Walton's relationship with it. It's vulgar as shit, and I'm all here for it!
I don't know about anyone else, but this big pink gun is some seriously cool shit.
What I didn't
The ending was just a bit too similar to the premise of Black Museum. Just felt like a huge letdown.
Michaela Coel is missing from the cast as Shania Lowery. I get it; it's not exactly the showrunners' fault that she didn't reprise the role. It could be for any given reason, and they made the effort to explain her absence as having been killed in action. It actually added to the narrative tension because this tells the audience that the crew can die now. What I have an issue with is that at the end of USS Callister, Nate Packer and her looked like they were going to be in some kind of relationship, and now in the sequel, I would have expected the character to be way more upset than Nanette at Shania's death.
Conclusion
Did USS Callister really need a sequel? It's up for debate. I thought the original left it in a good spot. This sequel is good fun, I'll grant you, but was it necessary?
My Rating
8 / 10
Final Thoughts on Black Mirror Series Seven
It's been a long time coming, but Black Mirror has finally gotten its act together and is back at its best. We're seeing six badass episodes, each hitting us in emotional places. This installment started out strong and somehow got even stronger at the end. Plaything and Eulogy were outstanding in particular, with the others being more than decent. The silliest episode in my opinion was Bete Noire, and even that was a worthy addition to the Black Mirror collective.
It's good. It's really good. Whatever sins Black Mirror may have committed in the past few iterations, all is forgiven. It's a return to form, and long overdue.
Spacing out,
Anyone who hasn't watched USS Callister is encouraged to go have a gander - because it's great and because this sequel will make a hell of a lot more sense after that.
The Premise
Following the events of USS Callister, Nanette and the crew of USS Callister roam the universe of the Infinity game, but find life hard in this virtual universe, resorting to robbing players for credits for their continued survival. Their antics catch the attention of the original Nanette and Walton, who venture into Infinity to investigate.The Characters
Cristin Milloti as Nanette Cole. Milloti portrays original Nanette as excitable and adorably clumsy, and lacking in confidence. Unlike clone Nanette, who has experienced loss and grown into her role of leadership. Milotti brings the acting chops she displayed in The Penguin, over to this episode, quite handily. Did I also mention that she's remarkable easy on the eyes either way?Jimi Simpson as James Walton. In his own words, "Captalist Asshole". Seriously, Walton is an even bigger dickbag the second time around, and Simpson's acting is off the charts as he now shows different sides of the same character by playing original Walton and clone Walton. Original Walton is selfish, narcissistic and opportunistic. He doesn't care about anyone but himself (and his son, a brief but noteworthy few seconds in the episode) and his ignorance of his own company's products and staff, is a running joke and even a plot point later on. Clone Walton, on the other hand, has matured into someone who thinks of others and is deeply regretful of his past actions.
Jesse Plemons as clone Robert Daly. In Breaking Bad, Plemons acted as the unstable psycho Todd Alquist, and he carries over shades of that same performance as socially awkward nerd Daly. This time round, the performance is even more nuanced - we see an early incarnation of Daly who is still awkward and shy, but nonetheless shows Nanette (and us) why someone like him ultimately can't be trusted with power.
Osy Ikhile as coffee intern Nate Packer. Packer undergoes quite the transformation from how he was in the original USS Callister. Here, he's a grim warrior who ends up being the captain once Nanette is gone. From an intern, to a leader. I like it.
Milanka Brooks as receptionist Elena Tulaska. Her character doesn't change much, but Brooks takes the opportunity to show that while original Elena is cold and snarky, clone (and foxy blue-skinned!) Elena has a heart.
Paul G Raymond as programmer Kabir Dudani. He has the least character development in the original and the sequel. Original and clone Dudani are both computer nerds with no real severe character tics and are just unlucky. They stay pretty much constant through the episodes.
Billy Magnussen as Karl Plowman. His arc is short but significant. Offline, he's a jovial gym bro and in the game, the trauma of USS Callister has turned him into a restless manchild. He does sacrifice himself heroically to save the others, though how much of it is just poor impulse control, is up to interpretation.
Bilal Hasna has a brief appearances as Kris El Masry, reporter. Sharp as a tack. Asks hard questions, and keeps Walton on the back foot. This guy has "mild-mannered reporter" written all over his face, but when he hits hard, he hits. Hard.
Iolanthe is hilarious as Pixie Bunkin and her hot pink equipment. That character brought so much energy in.
The Mood
A colorful space adventure, complete with spaceships and laser battles and gunfights on alien planets.What I liked
Multiple character arcs. The original had the cast play different versions of the same character. This time round, it's even more pronounced because we've had time to get used to the characters and we see how the originals are like versus how their clones have evolved into different people. Trauma really shapes character.
The visual of the space battle is epic.
The joint cameos of Nisha and Grawp. I don't like the fact that Demon 99 exists as an episode, but I couldn't help but feel intense glee when they appeared. These two are so watchable!
That gag with Rocky, the hole in its back, and Walton's relationship with it. It's vulgar as shit, and I'm all here for it!
I don't know about anyone else, but this big pink gun is some seriously cool shit.
What I didn't
The ending was just a bit too similar to the premise of Black Museum. Just felt like a huge letdown.Michaela Coel is missing from the cast as Shania Lowery. I get it; it's not exactly the showrunners' fault that she didn't reprise the role. It could be for any given reason, and they made the effort to explain her absence as having been killed in action. It actually added to the narrative tension because this tells the audience that the crew can die now. What I have an issue with is that at the end of USS Callister, Nate Packer and her looked like they were going to be in some kind of relationship, and now in the sequel, I would have expected the character to be way more upset than Nanette at Shania's death.
Conclusion
Did USS Callister really need a sequel? It's up for debate. I thought the original left it in a good spot. This sequel is good fun, I'll grant you, but was it necessary?My Rating
8 / 10Final Thoughts on Black Mirror Series Seven
It's been a long time coming, but Black Mirror has finally gotten its act together and is back at its best. We're seeing six badass episodes, each hitting us in emotional places. This installment started out strong and somehow got even stronger at the end. Plaything and Eulogy were outstanding in particular, with the others being more than decent. The silliest episode in my opinion was Bete Noire, and even that was a worthy addition to the Black Mirror collective.It's good. It's really good. Whatever sins Black Mirror may have committed in the past few iterations, all is forgiven. It's a return to form, and long overdue.
Spacing out,
