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How to watch Netflix’s Black Mirror in release and chronological order
Want to get started on Netflix’s Black Mirror? Here’s how to do it!
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Are you ready to look into the Black Mirror?
The Black Mirror represents the alluring reflection you see as you stare at your screen…whether it’s your television, phone, or laptop. The screens serve as a twisted mirror into the world around us, and the darkness that lies within.
Created in 2011 for England’s Channel 4, Black Mirror is a horror anthology that invites viewers to look at the dark side of humanity. Think of it like a modern version of The Twilight Zone. In 2016 the series moved to Netflix, opening it up to a wider audience. Since then, it has become one of the streamer’s highest-rated shows, leaving viewers at the edge of their seats.
If you’ve ever wanted to gaze into the Black Mirror but haven’t been sure how, don’t worry, Popverse has you covered! This guide will tell you everything you need to know about the science fiction horror anthology, including how to watch it in release and chronological order. Let’s get started…
How to watch Black Mirror in release order
Watching Black Mirror in release order is fairly easy. Simply start with the first episode of season 1 and go from there. ‘White Christmas’ was a holiday special that was released in 2014, between season 2 and 3. Bandersnatch is an interactive Netflix special that was released between season 4 and 5. Just follow that order, and you’re good to go.
Please note, since Black Mirror is a United Kingdom-produced show, sometimes their seasons are referred to as series. No need to be confused, it’s a regional thing. There is no real difference between saying Black Mirror season 2 and Black Mirror series 2….both are the same thing. For the purpose of clarity, this guide will use the season terminology.
- Episode 1 ‘The National Anthem’
- Episode 2 ‘Fifteen Million Merits’
- Episode 3 ‘The Entire History of You’
- Episode 1 ‘Be Right Back’
- Episode 2 ‘White Bear’
- Episode 3 ‘The Waldo Mountain’
- ‘White Christmas’ (2014 television special)
- Episode 1 ‘Nosedive’
- Episode 2 ‘Playtest’
- Episode 3 ‘Shut Up and Dance’
- Episode 4 ‘San Junipero’
- Episode 5 ‘Men Against Fire’
- Episode 6 ‘Hated in the Nation’
- Episode 1 ‘USS Callister’
- Episode 2 ‘Arkangel’
- Episode 3 ‘Crocodile’
- Episode 4 ‘Hang the DJ’
- Episode 5 ‘Metalhead’
- Episode 6 ‘Black Museum’
- Bandersnatch (2018 Netflix interactive special)
- Episode 1 ‘Striking Vipers’
- Episode 2 ‘Smithereens’
- Episode 3 ‘Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too’
- Episode 1 ‘Joan is Awful’
- Episode 2 ‘Loch Henry’
- Episode 3 ‘Beyond the Sea’
- Episode 4 ‘Mazey Day’
- Episode 5 ‘Demon 79’
Black Mirroreason 7 (2025)
- Episode titles unannounced
How to watch Black Mirror in chronological order
While Black Mirror is an anthology series without an overarching storyline, there is still a way to watch the show in chronological order. All you have to do is view the episodes by their place in the timeline. Some episodes are easier than others. For example, ‘Demon 79’ clearly takes place in 1979. Other episodes are harder to pin down.
However, we’ve used contextual clues to figure out the timeline order for the series. For example, the episode ‘Shut Up and Dance’ features a news headline referencing Victoria Skillane’s trial. Not only is this an Easter egg to the episode ‘White Bear,’ but it places ‘Shut Up and Dance’ before that episode, since ‘White Bear’ is set after the conclusion of the trial.
The website Radio Times was an invaluable resource while combing through the Easter eggs and fact-checking our timeline. With that in mind, here’s how to watch Black Mirror in chronological order…
The past
- 1969: Season 6 episode 3 ‘Beyond the Sea’
- 1979: Season 6 episode 5 ‘Demon 79’
- July 1984: Bandersnatch (2018 Netflix interactive special)
- 1987: Season 3 episode 4 ‘San Junipero’ (‘80s scenes)
- 2002: Season 3 episode 4 ‘San Junipero’ (‘2002 scenes)
- Mid-2000s: Season 6 episode 4 ‘Mazey Day’
The modern era
- Season 1 episode 1 ‘The National Anthem’
- Season 5 episode 2 ‘Smithereens’
- Season 1 episode 2 ‘Fifteen Million Merits’
- Season 2 episode 3 ‘The Waldo Moment’
- Season 2 episode 1 ‘Be Right Back’
- Season 3 episode 3 ‘Shut up and Dance’
- Season 2 episode 2 ‘White Bear’
- Season 3 episode 2 ‘Playtest’
- Season 3 episode 6 ‘Hated in the Nation’
- Season 6 episode 2 ‘Loch Henry’
- Season 6 episode 1 ‘Joan is Awful’
- Season 4 episode 3 ‘Crocodile’
- Season 3 episode 1 ‘Nosedive’
- Season 3 episode 5 ‘Men Against Fire’
- Season 4 episode 2 ‘Arkangel’
- Season 1 episode 3 ‘The Entire History of You’
- White Christmas (2014 television special)
- Season 4 episode 4 ‘Hang the DJ’
- Season 4 episode 1 ‘USS Callister’
- Season 5 episode 1 ‘Striking Vipers’
- Season 4 episode 6 ‘Black Museum’
- Season 5 episode 3 ‘Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too’
Sometime in the future
- Season 4 episode 5 ‘Metalhead’
How to watch Black Mirror season 6 in reverse order
Did you know that there is another way to watch Black Mirror season 6? We’ve already covered the release order, which is what is seen on Netflix, and our chronological section tells you what you need to know about where it fits in the overall timeline. However, according to Black Mirror series creator Charlie Brooker, Netflix released season 6 in reverse order. As such, Brooker recommends watching the episodes in reverse order. According to Brooker, this is the order the episodes were written in, and watching in reverse order will result in you catching more of the Easter eggs.
Here's how to watch Black Mirror season 6 in reverse order….
- Episode 5 ‘Demon 79’
- Episode 4 ‘Mazey Day’
- Episode 3 ‘Beyond the Sea’
- Episode 2 ‘Loch Henry’
- Episode 1 ‘Joan is Awful’
Why is Black Mirror in reverse order on Netflix?
If you begin watching Black Mirror on Netflix, you might notice that the streaming service doesn’t begin the series with the first episode. Netflix defaults to playing the series in reverse order, beginning with season 6 episode 1, and then continuing with season 5 episode 1 after season 6 has concluded.
According to the Netflix help section, this is something they do for many of their anthology series. Since each episode is a standalone story, Netflix likes to promote the newer ones first. This practice isn’t exclusive to Black Mirror, as Netflix also does this with Love Death + Robots.
Will there be a seventh season of Black Mirror?
Black Mirror will return for a seventh season (or 7th series) in 2025. While an exact premiere date hasn’t been revealed, Netflix has announced the upcoming season will consist of six episodes. One of the episodes will be a sequel to season 4 episode ‘USS Callister,’ making this the first time an episode has had a direct follow-up. According to a press release from Netflix, season 7 will include notable actors such as Peter Capaldi, Awkwafina, Rashida Jones, Paul Giamatti, and many more.
What’s the deal with Red Mirror?
Red Mirror is a branding that some episodes of Black Mirror have. The branding could be seen in the episode ‘Demon 79,’ which opens with a title card stating that it’s a Red Mirror film. According to series creator Charlie Brooker, Red Mirror episodes have less focus on technology, and lean more into horror. However, Brooker recently told Collider that season 7 will contain no Red Mirror episodes.
Are the Black Mirror episodes connected?
Every episode of Black Mirror takes place in the same universe, but the episodes themselves aren’t connected. During an interview with Digital Spy, Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker confirmed that each episode of the anthology series is set in the same universe. Episode to episode, you might not notice this, unless you pay attention to the background details. For example, ‘The Waldo Moment’ features a poster for the gameshow seen in ‘Fifteen Million Merits.’
Is it okay to watch Black Mirror out of order?
Yes, it’s okay to watch Black Mirror out of order. The show is an anthology series, and each episode is a standalone story. The characters and the storylines don’t carry over from episode to episode, so it doesn’t matter what order you watch the series in.
If you choose to watch in order, you will notice some Easter eggs. For example, the episode ‘Black Museum’ has a news headline referencing robotic dogs, which is a reference to the mechanical canines in ‘Metalhead.’ If you haven’t seen the episode, then the reference doesn’t mean anything, but if you have, then it’s a fun background detail.
Either way, there is no wrong way to watch Black Mirror.
What about Little Black Mirror?
In 2018 Netflix released a series of Black Mirror webisodes for their Polish YouTube channel, Netflix Polska. The series was given the name Czarne Lusterko, but it’s also known as Little Black Mirror. Each webisode was produced by a different Polish YouTuber.
In 2019 the Netflix America Latina YouTube channel planned to release their own series of Black Mirror webisodes. Their spinoff series was titled Stories From Our Future, but early promotional material also gave it the Little Black Mirror branding. Netflix changed their plans, and the shorts were later released on the YouTube channels of their respective filmmakers.
If you want to watch Little Black Mirror, here is the release order.
Czarne Lusterko/Little Black Mirror
Stories From Our Future
Whatever happened to the planned Black Mirror book series?
In 2017 Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker announced a series of prose novels based on the hit anthology series. Like the television show, each novel would be an anthology, containing multiple series from a variety of authors. It was reported that Catherine Webb, Cory Doctorow, and Sylvain Neuvel would contribute to the series. Three books were planned, with Penguin Random House and Ebury Publishing slating them for release in February 2018, autumn 2018, and 2019.
Unfortunately, the series never came to fruition. During an interview with Digital Spy, Brooker stated that the novels required more attention than he had anticipated, causing him to postpone the project indefinitely. While Brooker didn’t rule anything out, the creator said it’s unlikely that he’ll revisit the prose series.
Where can I watch Black Mirror?
If you want to watch Black Mirror, a Netflix subscription is your best bet. The streaming service is currently home to all 6 seasons of Black Mirror, the 2014 Christmas special, and the Bandersnatch interactive special. If you prefer owning your media, you can purchase digital copies of each Black Mirror episode from Amazon Prime Video. Please note, the availability of Black Mirror might change as streaming licenses expire and new deals are made.
Now you have everything you need to begin watching Black Mirror. See how long you can binge it with the lights off…
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