Black Mirror: Ranking Every Episode From Worst To Best

6. The National Anthem

National Anthem Black Mirror
Channel 4

The very first episode of Black Mirror is, arguably, not an episode that really represents what many people expect the show to be. The setting is the present day, there's no sci-fi technology driving the plot, and the narrative itself is relatively straightforward. However, the inaugural outing is stunning in the way it drives home the series' main theme of making an outlandish premise a biting, introspective comment on modern society.

It cuts so deep because, despite the infamous focus of the episode, the central question is less "Would you f*** a pig on national television to save someone's life?" and more "Would you tune in to watch someone else f*** a pig to save someone's life?". Sure, seeing Rory Kinnear's Prime Minister deal with the moral dilemma, both personally and publicly, is harrowing and intoxicating at the same time, it's the images of the stunned faces of everyone who tuned in to watch the act unfold, as comedy turns to horror, revulsion and regret, that really gives the episode its power.

Your own voyeurism reflects the haunted faces of the public watching in the show, and like all good BM episodes, it makes you think about your own shortcomings.

[JB]

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.