Odds are you probably know someone obsessed with the Netflix show "Black Mirror". The show portrays alternate versions of our world, featuring advanced technology and reflecting horrifying realities about how we relate to our own technology currently.
It's an anthology, with each episode centering around different characters and settings, so you can watch it in any order you like. However most people advise to skip the first episode, as it can turn new viewers off and is not representative of what the other episodes are like.
1. "Shut Up and Dance"
This episode centers around a teen named Kenny, who, after downloading a virus on his computer and not covering his webcam while looking at porn, gets blackmailed into doing whatever a mysterious texter commands.
2. "Arkangel"
Arkangel raises the issue of monitoring children, how sheltering them too much can do more harm than good.
3. "The Waldo Moment"
Many journalists have said that this episode predicted the 2016 presidential election and they're right to some degree. In "The Waldo Moment", a cartoon bear named Waldo, who interviews politicians on a late night comedy show, runs in a political race himself. Even though he mainly makes crass jokes and insults who he's running against, he voters like him because "more real" than the actual politicians running against him, even though he's just a cartoon.
4. "Hang the DJ"
Frank and Amy fall in love in a world where a dating app controls who you date and how long the relationship lasts.
5. "Fifteen Million Merits"
This episode has elements inspired by reality shows such as "American Idol" and "The X Factor." Through the character of Abi, it brings up how, especially for female singers, looks and sexual appeal are focused on more than their actual talent. There's also a subtler message about the ability of video games to condition people to hate certain groups by making them shooting targets in the game.
6. "Playtest"
An American traveler agrees to test a stimulated reality game designed to scare a person with their worst fears. There's foreshadowing towards the beginning that you won't realize until you've seen the whole thing.
7. "Nosedive"
In Lacie's world, social media "ratings" determine status. She gets a chance to get a higher score when her old friend with a seemingly perfect life invites her to her wedding.
8. "White Bear"
White Bear has so many twists. No matter how terrible a crime someone committed, some punishments are worse than death.
9. "San Junipero"
Yorkie and Kelly are relationship goals.