Just to let you know right here and now, there are season four spoilers ahead.
"Black Mirror" has been a large success on Netflix ever since its early days. To be fair, how could anyone not be interested in watching a modern "Twilight Zone" about the follies of technological advancement? It's no surprised that the show appeals so much to a generation engaged with so many digital devices.
As people teeter on the edge of their seats and glue their eyes to their screens, they may notice some very interesting details during their watch through of the show. Just little things in the background of each unrelated episode that adds up to a really disturbing conclusion: the entire show exists in one chronological universe. Not a new theory, but season four basically solidifies the theory on screen, slapping you across the face with explicit evidence.
The first time I noticed it was in the episode "White Christmas" when there was news coverage in the background of the main story line covering the divorce of Prime Minister Michael Callow, the prime minister from the very first episode of "Black Mirror". Yet the episodes were completely unrelated and seemed to have been entirely separate from one another. I decided to put it off and didn't scrutinize anymore details until the recent season four.
And holy shit was season four was a great season. Though my favorite of the six episodes was the first one, "USS Callister," the most interesting and revealing one was definitely the last episode, "Black Museum." The entire episode takes place in a novelty crime museum in the future, and that makes it the perfect setting for Easter eggs. And believe me, creator Charlie Brooker did not hold back on dispelling any theories in this episode. It was like Easter had come early.
Pretty much as soon as the main character, by the name of Nish, walks into the museum, we see a mugshot of Victoria, main character of the episode "White Bear" in the background. This is followed by all of the artifacts on the main museum floor, which is practically littered with goodies from previous episodes. You immediately see the DNA assimilate from "USS Calister" with Tommy's lollipop still on its tray. You also see the bloodied bathtub from "Crocodile." Not to mention that the broken tablet from "Arkangel" is there too. Ladies and gentlemen, these are just the Easter eggs from season four. You also see the baclava worn by Victoria in "White Bear" and the electronic bee from "Hated in the Nation". Nish and Rolo the curator also talk about uploading old people's consciousnesses into the cloud, referencing "San Junipero" (my all-time favorite episode).
There's no doubt that Charlie Brooker wants it to be explicit now. All "Black Mirror" episodes exists in the same universe. This will completely change how we watch the show now. It also makes you wonder.... just how fucked up this universe is to have all of these things happen. I really hope our own future isn't nearly as bleak. Damn.
