Black Mirror: Ranking Every Episode From Worst To Best

16. Metalhead

Black Mirror Metalhead
Netflix

Even though he's only directed two episodes, David Slade feels like a major part of modern Black Mirror's style. Bringing over the same grounded bleakness that made his films (including the best Twilight movie - yes, really) so hauntingly memorable, Slade's abilities have only added to the texture of Brooker's show. Unfortunately, his first episode, Metalhead, didn't quite have the script to really allow him to let loose.

The story itself was still good, of course. As streamlined as BM gets, the ep was essentially one long chase sequence, following a group of survivors attempting to escape virtually invincible human-hunting robots, all set against the backdrop of a dystopian British countryside (so, just the regular British countryside, then). From the opening minutes, Slade ensures that the premise is as tense and suspenseful as it should be, and the lethality of these killer robo-dogs is enforced at every step. Violence is quick and nasty, to the point where death actually seems preferable to survival.

It's the rare Black Mirror episode that doesn't have any subversive twist hiding up its sleeve (bar an ambiguous final reveal, anyway). While that might make it seem a little basic compared to some of the show's best outings, in the case of Metalhead, simplicity isn't necessarily a bad thing.

[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.