Netflix's 33-Episode Sci-Fi Thriller Deserves Kudos For Still Being Relevant

Published Oct 15, 2026, 2:00 AM EDT

Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns.
Before Screen Rant, he was a Senior Writer for The Cinemaholic, covering everything from anime to television, from reality TV to movies.
After high school, he was on his way to become a Civil Engineer. However, he soon realized that writing was his true calling. As a result, he took a leap and never looked back.

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The more we progress into the future, the harder it is to ignore how one Netflix sci-fi show is becoming more and more relevant. Science fiction, at its core, is supposed to envision a future based on how we perceive the present world. Owing to this, sci-fi stories often end up accurately foreseeing everything from humanity's greatest advancements to its most nightmarish dystopian realities.

One of Netflix's most ambitious sci-fi shows, Black Mirror, does the same by primarily taking a cynical look at our growing dependence on technology.

Like most anthologies, Black Mirror experiences a fair share of ups and downs throughout its runtime. It is not perfect. However, some of the best episodes in Black Mirror are so hard-hitting and relatable that it becomes impossible not to think about them long after the credits start rolling. Similar to most additions to the sci-fi genre, Black Mirror, too, does not hold back from being wildly imaginative.

Owing to this, there are times when the series can seem a little too bizarre to be anything close to reality. Yet, even in its most extreme moments and strangest episodes, the Netflix sci-fi show finds some semblance of realism. Perhaps this explains why Black Mirror is aging remakably well with every passing year.

Black Mirror Isn't Perfect, But It's More Relatable Than Ever

Image courtesy of MovieStillsDb

Deriving its name from the "black screens" of phones, monitors, and other gadgets that have plagued the world, Black Mirror cares little about accurately projecting specific details about the future. In fact, some of its best episodes, like "Nosedive" and "USS Callister," can never be mistaken for realistic predictions.

Like "black screens," however, the show does an incredible job of reflecting our own growing insecurities and fears back at us.

"Nosedive," for instance, highlights how validation through social media in itself has become a currency. It satirizes this idea by showing a world where likes on social media (or the lack thereof) can make or break someone's social standing. On paper, it is just a fun concept that can never fully materialize into the real world. Yet, it holds up a "black mirror" to how our self-worth is tied to online approval.

Then, there are even bleaker episodes, like "The Entire History of You" and "Common People," that care little about leaving viewers with any semblance of hope. They feature nightmarish technologies that show how we were never meant to have the power to defy death or "replay" our own skewed memories.

Even the Christmas Special, "White Christmas," is almost like a full-fledged movie that walks through the dire consequences of creating digital clones and having the ability to "block" someone in the real world.

Black Mirror's episodes like "White Christmas" usually stretch what would ethically be possible for humans in real life. They are still perfect metaphors, however, for everything that is already technologically possible.

Black Mirror Season 8 Shouldn't Be The End Of The Netflix Sci-Fi Series

Black Mirror season 8 is already in production and can even be expected to premiere sometime in 2027. While it is unknown how long the Netflix sci-fi show will last after its upcoming installment, the streaming service should never stop churning out new seasons of the series. Black Mirror and Love, Death & Robots remain two of the most ambitious and experimental shows on streaming right now.

Their ambition often exceeds their execution and some of their episodes also seem too derivative. However, the fact that they keep pushing the boundaries of sci-fi is precisely why we need more of them. Generic sci-fi shows that are designed to please the masses have their own appeal.

However, it is Netflix sci-fi shows like Black Mirror that remain far more relevant and influential in the long run because they dare to capture how "Life imitates art far more than art imitates life."

Black Mirror

6/10

Black Mirror is a dystopian anthology series that explores the unsettling and profound impact of modern technology on society. Premiering in 2011, it examines various scenarios where technological advancements intersect with human nature, creating thought-provoking narratives about contemporary and future issues.