Netflix's 33-Episode Sci-Fi Masterpiece Is Not An Easy Binge, But It's Worth Every Minute

Image via MovieStillsDB Published Sep 24, 2026, 10:30 PM EDT Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Netflix is home to a sci-fi masterpiece that is one of the best TV shows of all time, and while it’s not an easy binge given its themes, it’s worth every minute. Netflix continues to be one of the most popular streaming platforms, as well as one of the biggest ones thanks to its extensive catalog of movies and TV shows. In the latter, Netflix has stood out with its original projects, but it has also picked up other TV shows and given them a second chance. While Netflix covers a variety of genres with its TV shows, one of the genres where it has succeeded the most is sci-fi. Shows like Dark, Stranger Things, and Love, Death & Robots now rank among the best sci-fi TV shows of all time, as well as Netflix’s best TV shows to date, and joining them is Black Mirror. Created by Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror premiered in 2011 on Channel 4, and after the special episode “White Christmas”, the show moved to Netflix. Since then, Netflix has produced five more seasons of Black Mirror and the interactive film Bandersnatch (which is no longer available to stream), and at the time of writing, it’s working on the show’s eighth season. Black Mirror is a must-watch for sci-fi fans, but it has to be said that it isn’t always easy to watch – however, that’s also exactly why it’s worth every minute. Black Mirror Is A Bleak Look Into The Near Future Black Mirror is an anthology TV series, and, as such, every episode tells a different story with a different cast, with only one episode to date getting a proper sequel (“USS Callister”, with “USS Callister: Into Infinity”). What they all have in common is the exploration of a sometimes not-so-distant future in which technology has greatly advanced, thus showing how it has impacted all areas of human life. Most episodes of Black Mirror have a twist and a bleak ending (with the rare episode with an optimistic ending) that leaves the audience with a lot to think about. Some of the most recurrent themes in Black Mirror are surveillance, privacy, consumerism, and virtual reality, along with grief, loss, trauma, and violence, among many others. All this makes Black Mirror tough to watch at times, with some notably difficult episodes being “White Christmas”, “Shut Up and Dance”, and “Common People”, but also how real it seems at times. While most of the technology shown in Black Mirror isn’t real (yet), the real world has learned the wrong lessons from the show and taken note of its technological advancements. Black Mirror isn’t an inspiration, but a cautionary tale of the impact of technology, the media, and more, and the dangers of the endless pursuit of scientific and technological advancement with no real care for humans and their well-being. Black Mirror Could Go On Forever Unlike many other sci-fi TV shows, Black Mirror is one with the potential to go on for a very, very long time. Real-world science and technology are advancing at alarming speed, and just like Black Mirror has shown in every episode, this isn’t always a good thing for the world. A lack of empathy, humanity, and care, and an obsessive interest in money and personal gain have led to technologies that seem benign but are actually quite harmful, pretty much like Black Mirror has consistently shown throughout seven seasons. With that in mind, the real world just keeps giving Black Mirror all the inspiration it needs for more and more episodes, and that alone would be enough for the show to continue for many more years. Of course, imagination knows no limits, and the minds of the team behind Black Mirror can also come up with many more shocking stories. Ultimately, Black Mirror’s future will depend on its quality and whether the audience is still interested in the show, but the potential for an endless run is there. Release Date December 4, 2011 Network Channel 4, Netflix Showrunner Charlie Brooker Directors Owen Harris, Toby Haynes, James Hawes, David Slade, Carl Tibbetts, Ally Pankiw, Bryn Higgins, Dan Trachtenberg, Euros Lyn, Jodie Foster, Joe Wright, John Hillcoat, Sam Miller, Tim Van Patten, Uta Briesewitz, Colm McCarthy, Jakob Verbruggen, James Watkins, John Crowley, Otto Bathurst, Anne Sewitsky, Brian Welsh Writers Jesse Armstrong