Black Mirror Season 6: Every Episode Ranked Worst To Best

Now it's time to move on to the ones that get it right, and Joan is Awful is a great starting point.

This episode follows the titular Joan as she finds that her life, including all the unflattering bits, is being turned into a TV series via a service known as Streamberry. Joan becomes more and more unhinged as she watches herself, played by Selma Hayek, in this mysterious show and searches for a way to get it off the screen.

The episode juggles many balls but manages to do it effectively and even adds a trick or two in there. It's a poignant criticism of the use of A.I. in art (something that the show needed to comment on), has a highly engaging technological hook and is full of irreverent humour, especially in one *ahem* particularly memorable scene involving a cheerleader outfit and some laxatives.

It blends comedy, drama and satire in a way that has you rooting for Joan and disliking her simultaneously. The only drawback to the episode is the final reveal, which while decent, is a little convoluted and causes it to stumble in the last stretch.