Despite eliciting polarizing opinions, Black Mirror’s title remains undeniably brilliant. As creator Charlie Brooker aptly stated upon the show’s debut in 2011, the titular “black mirror” refers to the ubiquitous screens that have become extensions of our lives – the cold, reflective surfaces of televisions, monitors, and smartphones. We gaze into these screens seeking self-reflection, only to encounter a distorted abyss, a reflection filtered through the lens of technology. Our screens: dark and empty. Ourselves: unchanged.

While the genre conventions of this anthology series varied from episode to episode, and not every narrative unfolded in a dystopian future, Black Mirror’s first five seasons could be broadly categorized as a science fiction exploration of technology’s perils. The tone was generally grim, with endings that could leave viewers feeling viscerally uneasy. Brooker’s signature dark humor, honed during his work on satirical shows like Brass Eye and Screenwipe, added to the unsettling atmosphere.

However, the world has undergone significant transformations in the past decade, particularly in the intertwined realms of television and technology. And to his credit, Brooker has recognized that his sci-fi nightmares no longer carry the same impact they once did. Black Mirror’s sixth season, its first since 2019, consists of five episodes that mark a stark departure from its predecessors. This departure is so pronounced that it raises a fundamental question: What is Black Mirror even about anymore?

The creator of Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker, has grown weary of basing the show’s episodes on current events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the rise of artificial intelligence. Instead, he has decided to take a more experimental approach with the sixth season, setting some episodes in the past and exploring a broader range of genres. This has resulted in a mixed bag of episodes, with some being well-received and others being considered less successful. Overall, the sixth season is a welcome change from the fifth season, but it remains to be seen whether this new direction will be sustainable in the long run.

Despite the experimental nature of the sixth season, there are still some unifying threads that tie the episodes together. The show’s creator, Charlie Brooker, believes that these common elements are enough to maintain the Black Mirror identity, even though the show has evolved beyond its original concept. However, some critics argue that Black Mirror has lost its uniqueness and is now indistinguishable from other anthology series such as The Twilight Zone or Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.

The reviewer acknowledges that despite the show’s departure from its original premise, Black Mirror’s sixth season is an improvement over its predecessor. However, the reviewer questions the purpose of radically reconceptualizing the show instead of moving on to a new idea. The reviewer suggests that Netflix’s desire to capitalize on the show’s popularity may be driving the decision to continue with Black Mirror despite its outdated premise.