10 Great TV Shows With Only One Bad Episode

3. Mazey Day - Black Mirror

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Netflix

Black Mirror feels like a modern version of The Twilight Zone, but with more emphasis on a technologically-reliant society, impending doom, and humanity losing its... um... humanity.

Although each storyline explores thought-provoking ideas, not every one of them sticks the landing, including Metalhead, Striking Vipers, and Rachel, Jack & Ashley Too. Though somewhat disappointing, episodes like these shouldn't be classified as bad. However, Mazey Day isn't just bad; it's the outright low point of the sci-fi drama. 

Mazey Day starts like a critique of celebrity culture and paparazzi exploitation, which feels on brand for Black Mirror at first. Unfortunately, the episode abruptly pivots from gritty social drama to monster-movie horror. Rather than deepening the plot, this twist feels gimmicky, as though it were borrowed from a different series altogether.

The technology element is borderline irrelevant, leaving Mazey Day disconnected from Black Mirror's established motif. Because of this, the message becomes muddled, the tension dissipates, and the ending feels hollow rather than haunting.

Even though Black Mirror has repeatedly juggled drastically different genres time and time again, the switch-up here isn't just clumsy: it's pointless.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows