Every Black Mirror Episode Ranked Worst To Best

The episode that started it all, The National Anthem is still the show's most controversial and iconic installment. And really, it should never have worked.

After a member of the British Royal Family is kidnapped, those responsible order the Prime Minister (Rory Kinnear) to have sex with a live pig on national TV in order to secure a safe release. Even after all these years, it's easy to discredit the episode as crass and over-the-top, but it just goes to show how intelligent Charlie Brooker can be.

By focussing on something so nasty and cruel, The National Anthem forms a sharp picture of how easily swayed public opinion can be, and how dangerous social media is at spreading misinformation and sensitive materials.

Brooker pulled no punches with his show's first episode, and between his commitment to such a ludicrous idea and Rory Kinnear's committed lead performance, The National Anthem remains a pitch-perfect start to a show that rarely holds back.