Everyone knows the classic American TV series The Twilight Zone with its symbolic intro song and the spiraling, almost hypnotic, opening credits. It has inspired rides at Disney World, fueled countless novels and movies, and even to this day it's cult following is still active. With 5 seasons and 156 episodes, the psychological-supernatural horror series ended in 1964. It focused mostly on generational fears like the Cold War, nuclear destruction, and given that it aired during the prime time of space exploration, it also focused on the unknown and supernatural creatures. Each episode exposed human psychology and behavior in a way that had never been experienced before. Since the ending of the series, no television show has been able to achieve such a disbelieving discomfort and psychological fear in its audience...until now.

Black Mirror, now a Netflix original, began as a British TV show. With its 3 seasons and about 3-6 episodes per season, it quickly grew popular through word of mouth of its insanely mind twisting plots. With each episode exploring a new story, Black Mirror centers on a more dystopian technological era with technology that isn't possible today but could be ready in a few years. Video games that you can play virtually with a microchip in your neck, eye gadgets that let you "rate" people, hackers that have the ability to film you with your own laptop, and even social media that allows you to contact and recreate your dead loved ones. The parallel between our smart phones and virtual gaming devices with those shown in the show are strikingly similar creating an air of anticipation that these events could possibly happen in the future. It's relatable main characters deal with acceptance, black mail, death and even punishment in ways that leave the viewer wide-eyed and speechless. Even the kinder, more humane episodes carry a dark message.

For those who are anti-technology, extremely paranoid and constantly vigilant...this may not be the show for you. But for the thrill-seekers and the fearless, be ready to suddenly hate your laptop's camera and become best friends with the "clear history" option. Black Mirror is an aesthetically striking, mind boggling exploration of the human psyche, leaving its audience in a disturbing state, making the black and white scares of the Twilight Zone look juvenile.