Since its release, Black Mirror has proved itself to be one of the best television shows ever made, exploring the darkest corners of our tech-centric future. While each of the episodes stands on its own, it can be hard not to get engrossed in each of their worlds, wanting more. With “USS Callister” already set to get its own spin-off, there are plenty of other stories within the show’s vast catalog that could be explored even further.
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Black Mirror
- Release Date
- December 4, 2011
- Creator
- Charlie Brooker
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
- Seasons
- 6
From “Metalhead” to “Black Museum”, there’s room for each of these concepts to delve further into their initial explorations of the ethical implications of technological advancements. Here are 10 Black Mirror episodes that we think have the potential to become a compelling spin-off series.
Season 4, Episode 5
The fifth episode of the fourth season of Black Mirror, “Metalhead”, is set in a dystopian world where robotic dogs are hunting humans. Bella, as well as two other survivors, are searching a warehouse for an item to help their dying friend. While there, they encounter one of the deadly robots, which begins to chase her in a deadly pursuit.
There is little to no dialogue in the episode, which is shot entirely in black and white to evoke a sense of old-school horror. In the end, it’s revealed that the box in the warehouse contained a bunch of teddy bears, symbolizing how far Bella was willing to go to bring a small bit of comfort to someone she loved.
A World Worth Exploring
Although Bella’s story comes to a clear end in “Metalhead”, the world in which it’s set has little to no backstory. The only extra glimpse fans get into a possible backstory is in the episode “Demon 79” in season 6, when the dogs appear as Gaap shows Nida what could happen if Michael Smart is elected. Of course, this implies he is to blame, but it still isn’t enough.
It would be interesting to see a spin-off prequel which goes more into how the world ended up this way, or even a sequel where survivors set out to learn the truth. Given that Black Mirror is known for its intricate storylines, “Metalheads” simplicity on its own feels rather misplaced.
9 Shut Up and Dance
Season 3, Episode 3
“Shut Up and Dance” is considered one of the best and most shocking episodes of Black Mirror of all time. The episode is focused on a young man called Kenny, who is blackmailed into committing various crimes after they record him self-pleasuring. During this ordeal, he encounters another man who is experiencing the same thing, after the hackers retrieved evidence of him cheating on his wife. However, after Kenny is apparently free from blackmail after killing another, it’s revealed he has been trolled, and the hackers leak the video anyway as he was watching child pornography.
Would the Hackers Continue?
The ending is one of the darkest in the entirety of Black Mirror, and realistically, it’s perfect on its own. But there are some ways where a spin-off of the events could work. For example, it could be interesting to see the full aftermath of the events, and how it affected those blackmailed, highlighting the consequences of taking justice into our own hands. Additionally, given how the hackers affected a variety of different people, it would be interesting to see a spin-off of various perspectives, though the novelty might wear off after a while.
8 Playtest
Season 3, Episode 2
In “Playtest,” a young man named Cooper decides to partake in a playtest, where he will be testing an immersive augmented reality video game. The game in question is horror-based, intelligently taking the players’ unique fears to create a therapeutic experience. The episode takes various twists and turns, until it ultimately reveals that Cooper died 0.04 seconds into the playtest due to a phone call from his mother interfering with the device’s signal. This means that Cooper’s experience in the game was actually a death dream, and throughout the episode, he was actually going through various stages of grief.
What Would Other Playtests Look Like?
While it’s hauntingly revealed that Cooper never experienced the game, it would be interesting to see Black Mirror take this concept a step further. For example, if there was an entire spin-off series dedicated entirely to the work being done by SaitoGemu. It could explore how far they go to keep their unethical operations under wraps and, more importantly, offer a glimpse into what different users experience during their video game playtests. Some critics have previously complained that while “Playtest” is shocking, it doesn’t hit hard enough with its message, so perhaps exploring the concept further could be what it needs.
7 Be Right Back
Season 2, Episode 1
“Be Right Back” is one of the earliest episodes of Black Mirror, and also one of the most heartbreaking explorations of grief ever seen on screen. After Martha’s boyfriend, Ash, is killed in a car accident, she becomes inconsolable. Unable to move on with her life, she stumbles upon a new technology that creates AI versions of loved ones, and decides to give it a go. What starts out small eventually loses control, as the AI over time gets more intelligent and soon can be placed inside a synthetic body that looks exactly like Ash.
AI Becomes the New Frankenstein’s Monster
The harrowing truth behind “Be Right Back” is that you can never replace the dead, especially with technology. In many ways, the episode is a direct reference to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, particularly in Martha’s treatment of the android Ash, who has the self-awareness of a human but without humanity.
Because of this, it would be interesting to see a spin-off where more of this technology was explored, especially in regard to other relationships, such as a parent and child. Martha had more wholesome intentions with bringing Ash back, but that can’t be true for everyone. Neither could her ability to recognize that he was not the same as the real Ash.
6 Black Museum
Season 4, Episode 6
The episode “Black Museum” is essentially an anthology within an anthology, with the episode being divided into three stories told by a museum owner. The stories focus on various different dark technologies never before seen in Black Mirror, and the ways in which they corrupted and destroyed lives. He tells these macabre tales to Nish, a seemingly innocent visitor who is later revealed to be linked to one of the exhibits, vengeful at the way they are being exploited for profit.
A Museum’s Worth of Content
At the end of the episode, Nish burns the museum to the ground, completely erasing any prospect of the Black Museum being revisited. However, it’s possible to do a prequel spin-off for the episode, where more of the technologies could be explored. During the episode, viewers can see some Easter eggs from previous episodes, but there are also a few things that haven’t been seen before that will likely be used for later concepts.
While a lot of Black Mirror episodes are technology-based, a “Black Museum” spin-off could be used to explore tech that was scrapped in the writers’ room for various purposes, or for stories that wouldn’t work in a full episode.
5 Crocodile
Season 4, Episode 3
“Crocodile” is another Black Mirror episode, like “The Entire History of You,” which explores the idea of human memories being recorded. Fifteen years prior, a woman called Mia helped her friend to cover up a hit-and-run death after a party. When Rob expresses guilt over the situation in the present, Mia panics and kills him, fearing their secret will be revealed.
However, an insurance investigator notices Mia in the background of a different accident, and uses a Recaller on her to learn more about the event. Afraid that she’ll be caught, Mia continues her murderous rampage, but is eventually discovered in a shocking twist involving a guinea pig.
How Far Would You Go to Manipulate Memories?
The concept behind “Crocodile” is interesting for various reasons. For example, it would be interesting to see a spin-off that explores the dark and twisted consequences of memory manipulation technology. This could have various episodes exploring the extreme measures that others will go to alter or erase memories, especially in regard to crime. Additionally, the whole episode itself would work fantastically stretched out into an entire series, especially if it delved further into how far Mia would go to cover her tracks.
4 Fifteen Million Merits
Season 1, Episode 2
Serving as a critique of capitalism, the second episode of Black Mirror, “Fifteen Million Merits”, follows a world where some members of society must cycle on exercise bikes to generate electricity in order to earn merits. In this world, a talent show called Hot Shot exists, which offers winners a life of luxury. After overhearing a young woman called Abi singing, Bing uses all of his merits to enter her into the show.
However, the judges aren’t interested in her singing, and push her into pornography instead. Vengeful at the situation, Bing goes on the show to rant about the unfair system, where he is then offered his own show and a life of luxury.
What Are the Consequences of Fame?
Given that most of “Fifteen Million Merits” is spent within the mundane part of this society, a spin-off showing what happens on the other side could be fascinating as well as equally effective in its messaging. It could explore the consequences of fame, manipulation and the pursuit of authenticity in a hyperconnected world. Additionally, it could show whether Bings actions had a prevailing effect on the world around him, and whether others attempted to follow in his footsteps for a chance of what they perceive as freedom.
3 White Bear
Season 2, Episode 2
“White Bear” is one of Black Mirrors’ most thrilling episodes, exploring the principle of an eye for an eye. The episode follows Victoria, a woman who is suffering from some sort of amnesia. As she attempts to remember who and where she is, she realizes everyone is being controlled by a television signal, with a group of hunters trying to track her down. However, “White Bear” has an extremely brutal twist, revealing that Victoria is actually a child murderer, forced to undergo a psychological punishment where her memory is wiped every day.
Exploring the Morality Behind the White Bear Justice Park
The White Bear Justice Park is one of the most compelling things that has appeared in Black Mirror, with plenty of room to explore it further. For example, a spin-off could feature other Black Mirror criminals who are forced to be there, such as Mia from “Crocodile”. Or, it could just focus more on the perspective of the voyeurs of the torment, and whether anyone in society has woken up to how barbaric the punishment is and attempted to stop it.
2 Nosedive
Season 3, Episode 1
Bryce Dallas Howard stars as Lacie in “Nosedive”, which follows a rarely colorful Black Mirror world that runs on rankings. Everyone’s socioeconomic status is based on a five-star system, which is based on their social interactions and how they present themselves to the world around them. Lacie is obsessed with this system, keen to live a more lavish and respectable life. However, things take a turn for the worst when she’s invited to be maid of honor at an old friend’s body, and she embarks on a tumultuous cross-country journey that leaves her with no stars.
Life Without Rose-Tinted Glasses
By the end of “Nosedive”, Lacie appears to seem more liberated by the fact that she is now able to be her most authentic self without consequences. However, this is only an incredibly brief glimpse into this new lens. Having a spin-off that is focused on Lacie with her new perspective on the world could be an impactful way of showing the importance of living outside such restrictive systems, and would be a good chance to focus on other characters shown in the episode who were going through similar troubles. Given the episodes’ particular shift into comedy, the spin-off could show Lacie doing even more destructive and outlandish things, now that there are no consequences.
1 USS Callister
Season 4, Episode 1
“USS Callister” is considered by many to be one of the best episodes of Black Mirror, and is reported to actually be receiving its own spin-off series. The Star Trek-inspired episode focuses on the co-founder of a popular MMOG, Daly, who has grown tired of constant bullying from his peers. To gain some control back, he steals some of their DNA to clone them, placing them inside a simulation where he forces them to do whatever he pleases. The crew aboard the ship begin to work together to bring an end to Daly’s torment, trapping him into a modded version of the game for good.
What are the Plot Details for the USS Callister Spin-Off?
At this point in time, no plot details have been revealed for the upcoming “USS Callister” spin-off. What is known, however, is that a lot of the original cast will return to reprise their roles, as well as feature the introduction of a new character. Possible routes that are likely to be explored are having Daly return in some capacity, with the show likely leaning more to the space elements rather than to real-life. It would be a great way to highlight even further the way virtual elements can be exploited, as well as explore the idea of digital consciousness.
