119 Fun Facts About Black Mirror

Who is credited as the creator of the anthology series 'Black Mirror'?

Charlie Brooker created 'Black Mirror' and wrote most of its episodes, often collaborating with executive producer Annabel Jones.

In 'Men Against Fire', what is MASS?

MASS is a neural implant fitted to every soldier; when Stripe's malfunctions, he sees that the snarling enemies he has been hunting are ordinary human beings.

In 'Loch Henry', what do Davis and Pia pivot to making about his Scottish hometown?

Pia persuades Davis to drop their nature film and make a true crime documentary about the Iain Adair murders, a genre the episode skewers for how it treats victims.

Which actor played the lead role of Robert Daly in the episode 'USS Callister'?

Jesse Plemons portrayed Robert Daly, the antagonist and creator of a simulated reality game in the Emmy-winning episode 'USS Callister'.

'Nosedive' opened which series of 'Black Mirror'?

'Nosedive' was the first episode of 'Black Mirror' Season 3, which was the first season produced and released by Netflix.

Which Oscar-winning actress directed the fourth-series episode 'Arkangel'?

Jodie Foster, raised by a single mother herself, pushed for a more complex portrait of the mother Marie and was given control of casting.

In Black Mirror's 'Joan Is Awful', which fictional Netflix-parody streaming service turns Joan's life into a show starring Salma Hayek?

Streamberry's branding and personalised 'Is Awful' thumbnails were used to market the sixth series; Brooker said Netflix had no objections.

What time period is the main setting inside the digital afterlife of the episode 'San Junipero'?

Director Owen Harris said he picked 1987 'fairly arbitrarily'; Brooker rewrote the original heterosexual love story as a same-sex one because such marriages were not legal that year.

In 'Hated in the Nation', the government's Autonomous Drone Insects replace which vanished creature?

The Autonomous Drone Insects are robotic bees built to pollinate crops after real bees died out; a hacker turns the swarm into a weapon that kills people targeted by a hashtag game.

What is the primary goal of the relationship-expiry dating system in 'Hang the DJ'?

The System's stated purpose is to find each user's lifelong partner, with Coach claiming a 99.8% success rate; the real-world dating app then pairs Frank and Amy as a 99.8% match.

In 'Striking Vipers', what unexpectedly develops between two estranged friends inside a VR fighting game?

Estranged college friends Danny and Karl begin a romantic and sexual relationship through their avatars inside the game, hidden from Danny's wife Theo; critics debated whether it counts as infidelity.

Why does rideshare driver Chris take a hostage in the Black Mirror episode 'Smithereens'?

Chris's main objective in the episode "Smithereens" is to force a direct conversation with Billy Bauer, the CEO of the social media company.

In 'Common People', which tech startup keeps Amanda alive on a monthly subscription?

Rivermind's surgery is free, but the subscription keeps rising in price as the service degrades, and Amanda's husband Mike goes to humiliating lengths online to pay for it.

On which British network did Black Mirror air its first two series and the 2014 'White Christmas' special before moving to Netflix?

Channel 4 aired series one (2011), series two (2013) and the 'White Christmas' special (2014) before Netflix took the show over from series three in 2016.

What does Charlie Brooker say the title 'Black Mirror' refers to?

Once a phone, monitor or TV goes dark it becomes a literal black mirror, showing the viewer their own reflection.

Ashley O's songs in 'Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too' are reworkings of tracks by which band?

Nine Inch Nails songs were adapted into 'On a Roll' and 'Right Where I Belong'; the Ashley Too doll is a clone of the singer's personality.

What makes 'Bandersnatch' (2018) unlike every other 'Black Mirror' instalment?

Viewers choose the plot: it is an interactive film in which the audience makes decisions for programmer Stefan Butler.

In which year is 'Bandersnatch' set?

Bandersnatch is set in July 1984, the year Stefan pitches his game to Tuckersoft; 1984 was also when a real, never-released Bandersnatch game was announced by a Liverpool studio.

In 'The National Anthem', what is the name of the British Prime Minister who faces a shocking dilemma?

Michael Callow is the fictional Prime Minister blackmailed on live television in 'The National Anthem', the show's 2011 debut episode.

The robotic 'dogs' hunting Bella in Black Mirror's 'Metalhead' were modelled on machines from which company?

Brooker has said the dogs were inspired by Boston Dynamics' viral robot videos; the 41-minute episode was shot entirely in black and white.

In 'White Bear', what is the name of the main character who wakes up with amnesia?

The episode 'White Bear' follows Victoria Skillane, a woman who wakes up with amnesia and is later revealed to be undergoing a daily psychological punishment.

In Black Mirror's 'Bandersnatch', set in 1984, what is the profession of main character Stefan Butler?

Video game programmer Stefan, played by Fionn Whitehead, is adapting a fantasy gamebook at the software house Tuckersoft, alongside Will Poulter's Colin Ritman.

In Black Mirror's 'Demon 79', set in 1979, vandals paint the symbol of which British far-right group on Nida's door?

The National Front's symbol is part of the hostility Nida faces in the town of Tipley, and the episode leaves open whether the demon Gaap is real.

In 'The National Anthem', what animal must the Prime Minister have sex with on live TV?

The 2011 episode was later compared to 'Piggate', the 2015 anecdote alleging a university initiation rite involving David Cameron and a dead pig's head.

In 'Shut Up and Dance', teenager Kenny is blackmailed with a video that hackers captured through what?

The hackers recorded Kenny through his laptop webcam after he installed a bogus anti-malware tool on the machine his sister had infected, then used the footage to control him.

What is Robert Daly's job title at Callister Inc. in 'USS Callister'?

Daly is Callister Inc.'s Chief Technical Officer, the co-founder who wrote the game's code, while co-founder James Walton is the CEO who takes the credit and the spotlight.

The episode 'Beyond the Sea' primarily takes place in what retrofuturistic year?

'Beyond the Sea' is set in a retrofuturistic 1969, following two astronauts on a space mission.

In 'Hotel Reverie', Brandy Friday stars in an AI remake of a romance film from which decade?

The original 'Hotel Reverie' is a black-and-white British romance from the 1940s; when Brandy strays from its script, her AI co-star Clara gradually gains the memories of the actress who first played her.

In 'Demon 79', what does the demon Gaap tell Nida she must do to prevent the world's end?

The demon Gaap tells Nida that she must commit three human sacrifices by May Day to avert the end of the world.

In 'Bandersnatch', Stefan Butler is adapting what kind of book into a video game?

'Bandersnatch' is a fantasy gamebook that belonged to Stefan's late mother; the film's branching structure mirrors the choose-your-own-adventure format he is trying to program.

What is Callister Inc.'s starship game called in 'USS Callister'?

The game is Infinity, a massively multiplayer space simulation sold by Callister Inc.; Daly secretly runs his own modded copy styled after his beloved TV show Space Fleet.

In 'Black Museum', which actress plays Nish, the visitor who listens to Rolo Haynes's stories?

Letitia Wright plays Nish, the visitor to Rolo Haynes's desert roadside museum; the episode is split into three tales tied to its artefacts, and Nish's true motive is revealed last.

Under what label did Charlie Brooker release the supernatural episode 'Demon 79'?

'Demon 79' was Brooker's experiment with supernatural horror and a period setting, so it got its own label.

In 'Beyond the Sea', what tragic event befalls David's family on Earth?

David's family is murdered by an anti-replica cult, who also destroy his Earth replica, leaving him without a connection to Earth.

In 'Plaything', what is the life-sim game whose creatures Colin Ritman claims are sentient?

Thronglets is the Tuckersoft life-sim whose creatures Colin Ritman believes are a sentient digital species; the episode shares the Bandersnatch universe without being a direct sequel.

In Black Mirror's 'Striking Vipers', which fighting-game avatars do old friends Danny and Karl choose, leading to a virtual affair?

Lance and Roxette are the avatars Danny and Karl play in Striking Vipers X, and the pairing blurs the line between game and affair.

In 'Playtest', Cooper tests an augmented-reality game in London built to target what?

The SaitoGemu horror game mines Cooper's mind to conjure his deepest fears, from a childhood spider to his father's death from Alzheimer's; the episode is packed with video game references.

In Black Mirror's 'USS Callister', what does Robert Daly use to clone his co-workers' consciousness into his game?

DNA samples, taken from discarded items like Nanette's coffee cup, let Daly replicate colleagues inside his development build.

In which episode are 'cookies', digital copies of consciousness, used as punishment or servitude?

'White Christmas' heavily features the concept of 'cookies'—digital copies of human consciousness—being used for various purposes, including a form of eternal servitude and punishment.

'Bandersnatch', released in December 2018, grew so long in production that it was split from and delayed which Black Mirror series?

The fifth series was pushed to June 2019; Netflix had first approached Brooker and Annabel Jones about an interactive project in May 2017.

In 'Nosedive', what determines a person's status and access to services?

In 'Nosedive', social status and access to services are determined by a pervasive social rating system where people rate each other for every interaction.

The fourth-series episode 'Crocodile' was filmed in which country?

'Crocodile' was shot in Iceland, whose stark landscapes provide its bleak backdrop; its memory-reading device was inspired by series one's 'The Entire History of You'.

What technology in 'The Entire History of You' lets people record and re-watch their memories?

The episode 'The Entire History of You' features a technology called 'the grain', an implant behind the ear that records everything a person sees and hears.

In 'Fifteen Million Merits', what is the talent show offering an escape from servitude called?

The talent show in 'Fifteen Million Merits' is called 'Hot Shot', which provides the only path for individuals to escape their dreary lives of cycling for merits.

Which 2025 seventh-series finale was the first direct sequel in Black Mirror history?

'USS Callister: Into Infinity' closes series seven as episode six, picking up the fourth-series crew.

In 'Be Right Back', how does Martha's boyfriend Ash die?

Ash is killed in a car accident the day after the couple move into his remote family home, while returning the hired van; Martha then reluctantly tries a service that imitates him.

Which classic anthology series is Black Mirror's chief inspiration?

Brooker has called The Twilight Zone his model, an anthology with new characters and a sting each week; he also cited Tales of the Unexpected and Hammer House of Horror.

Who is Black Mirror's executive producer and Brooker's key creative partner?

Many episodes begin as 'what-if' conversations between the two.

How many episodes had Black Mirror released across its first seven series and one special?

The tally is 33: three episodes each in series one, two and five, six each in series three, four and seven, five in series six, plus 'White Christmas'; Bandersnatch is counted separately as an interactive film.

Which three instalments won consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Television Movie?

San Junipero, USS Callister and Bandersnatch won Outstanding Television Movie at the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Emmys, a three-year run for the anthology.

In 'Nosedive', what rating must Lacie reach to qualify for the Pelican Cove discount?

Lacie needs a 4.5 rating for the Prime Influencer discount on the Pelican Cove apartment; she sits at 4.2 and pins her hopes on Naomi's wedding to climb.

Which 2008 zombie drama did Brooker make just before conceiving Black Mirror?

Dead Set (2008) put a zombie outbreak inside the Big Brother house, with Davina McCall playing herself; Brooker moved on to Black Mirror after it.

Brooker's stated aim was to explore 'the way we might be living in' how long from now?

Brooker wrote in 2011 that the episodes are about 'the way we might be living in 10 minutes' time if we're clumsy', near-future technology rather than far-future.

Which writer, not Brooker, scripted series one's 'The Entire History of You'?

Jesse Armstrong, later the creator of Succession, wrote 'The Entire History of You', one of the few episodes not written by Brooker.

Which two US comedy writers split the script of 'Nosedive'?

Michael Schur and Rashida Jones, both Parks and Recreation alumni, wrote the 'Nosedive' teleplay from a story by Brooker.

Which Brooker family member is co-credited on 'Fifteen Million Merits'?

Brooker co-wrote 'Fifteen Million Merits' with his wife Konnie Huq, the former Blue Peter presenter he married in 2010.

Which memory-viewing device is the one futuristic element in 'Crocodile'?

The Recaller lets insurance investigator Shazia view witnesses' memories on a screen; otherwise the episode plays as a Nordic-noir crime story.

Which fictional news channel recurs across many episodes?

UKN is the fictional news channel seen across episodes from 'The National Anthem' to 'Hated in the Nation', one of the show's many recurring background brands.

Which actor cameoed in 'USS Callister' on condition he could star in a later episode?

Aaron Paul, a fan of the show, voiced the online player Gamer691 in 'USS Callister' on the understanding that he would get a starring role later.

Which actress played an airline worker in 'Nosedive' and Shania in 'USS Callister'?

Michaela Coel was the airline desk clerk who refuses Lacie a flight in 'Nosedive', then returned as Shania Lowry in 'USS Callister'.

In 'Arkangel', what does the implant let Marie do with her daughter Sara?

The Arkangel implant streams Sara's sight to a parental tablet so Marie can see through her eyes, track her location and pixelate anything that raises her stress.

In what month and year did Black Mirror premiere on Channel 4?

Series 2 followed in February 2013.

How many episodes did Netflix commission in September 2015?

In September 2015 Netflix commissioned 12 episodes, which were split into two series of six released in 2016 and 2017.

On what date was Series 7 released?

Series seven's six episodes, opening with 'Common People', dropped on Netflix on 10 April 2025.

Which Brooker production company made the early series for Endemol?

Zeppotron, the Endemol-owned company Brooker co-founded, produced the show's early series; Brooker and Jones later moved to companies of their own.

Who played the Prime Minister in 'The National Anthem'?

Rory Kinnear, known as Bill Tanner in the Daniel Craig Bond films, played the blackmailed Prime Minister in the 2011 opener.

Which future Oscar nominee played Bing in 'Fifteen Million Merits'?

Daniel Kaluuya's Bing shares the episode with Jessica Brown Findlay's Abi, in a society where most people pedal for merits.

Which actress played Ffion in 'The Entire History of You'?

Jodie Whittaker, who became the Thirteenth Doctor in 2018, played Ffion opposite Toby Kebbell's Liam.

Which two actors played grieving Martha and her late partner Ash in 'Be Right Back'?

Hayley Atwell plays Martha and Domhnall Gleeson plays Ash, who returns first as a chatbot and then as a synthetic body Martha ends up keeping in the attic.

Which actress played the amnesiac protagonist of 'White Bear'?

Lenora Crichlow, known from Being Human, played the woman who wakes with no memory and is hunted through the justice park; Tuppence Middleton played Jem.

In 'The Waldo Moment', a man contests a by-election as what?

An animated bear named Waldo, in a political satire many reviewers rated the worst episode of Series 2.

Which actor played Joe opposite Jon Hamm in 'White Christmas'?

Rafe Spall plays Joe Potter, the man sharing a snowbound outpost with Jon Hamm's Matt, and his confession forms the special's final story.

In 'Hated in the Nation', which veteran detective leads the drone-insect investigation?

Karin Parke is the seasoned detective who, with tech-savvy partner Blue Coulson, traces the weaponised drone insects to hacker Garrett Scholes.

Brooker called 'San Junipero' a deliberate 'raspberry-blow' at fans worried about what?

It was the first episode written for Netflix.

Which actress plays social-media striver Lacie in 'Nosedive'?

Bryce Dallas Howard plays Lacie Pound in 'Nosedive', a performance that earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.

Which actor plays playtester Cooper in 'Playtest'?

Wyatt Russell, son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, plays Cooper, the American backpacker who signs up for a game test in London.

Which Game of Thrones actor plays Hector in 'Shut Up and Dance'?

Jerome Flynn, Bronn in Game of Thrones, plays Hector, a married man blackmailed over a planned hotel tryst; Alex Lawther plays teenager Kenny.

Which two actresses play Kelly and Yorkie in 'San Junipero'?

Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays Kelly and Mackenzie Davis plays Yorkie, the two women who meet in the simulated beach town and choose to spend eternity there.

Which actresses lead the police procedural 'Hated in the Nation'?

Kelly Macdonald and Faye Marsay play the two detectives, a veteran and a tech specialist, who trace a string of deaths to hacked autonomous drones.

Which Series 4 episode was shot in Canada?

'Arkangel' was shot in Ontario, Canada, in late 2016, with Canadian locations standing in for its small-town American setting.

What was Netflix's Series 4 promotional campaign of daily posters and trailers called?

It ended with the 29 December 2017 release date reveal.

Which actress plays new programmer Nanette Cole in 'USS Callister'?

Cristin Milioti plays Nanette Cole, the new coder whose digital clone leads the crew's escape from Daly's private game.

Which actress plays Mia, whose hit-and-run drives the plot of 'Crocodile'?

Andrea Riseborough plays Mia, an architect who kills to bury a hit-and-run from years earlier; Kiran Sonia Sawar plays the insurance investigator Shazia.

Which two actors play Amy and Frank in 'Hang the DJ'?

Georgina Campbell plays Amy and Joe Cole plays Frank, the couple who rebel against the System together in its final simulated run.

Which actress plays Bella, fleeing a robot 'dog' in the black-and-white 'Metalhead'?

Maxine Peake plays Bella, the scavenger hunted across a bleak landscape after a warehouse raid goes wrong; the episode has almost no dialogue.

Which magician wrote one of the three stories in 'Black Museum'?

Penn Jillette's unpublished short story 'The Pain Addict' became the museum's first tale, about a doctor who feels his patients' sensations; Douglas Hodge plays owner Rolo Haynes.

Netflix's 'iamwaldo' viral messages targeted users of a website in which country?

Ekşi Sözlük users were told 'We know what you're up to.'

Roughly how many potential viewing paths does Bandersnatch contain?

Netflix said Bandersnatch offers over one trillion possible paths through its branching story, funnelling into only a handful of main endings.

Which actor plays Stefan in Bandersnatch?

Will Poulter plays star programmer Colin Ritman.

Which two actors play Danny and Karl in 'Striking Vipers'?

Anthony Mackie plays Danny and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Karl, with Nicole Beharie as Danny's wife Theo.

Which actor plays rideshare driver Chris, the kidnapper in 'Smithereens'?

Andrew Scott plays Chris, a grieving rideshare driver whose kidnap of a Smithereen intern leads to a standoff in a field with police watching.

Which pop star plays Ashley O in 'Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too'?

Miley Cyrus plays Ashley O, a pop star whose manager keeps her sedated while a doll copy of her personality befriends Rachel; Angourie Rice and Madison Davenport play the sisters.

Which production company did Brooker and Jones found in 2020?

Brooker and Jones founded Broke and Bones in January 2020 with Netflix backing, while the rights to Black Mirror itself stayed with Endemol Shine, later Banijay.

Which Series 6 episode did Brooker write first, deliberately avoiding technology?

Brooker wrote 'Demon 79' first for series six, deliberately setting it in 1979 without modern technology to stop the show being 'about consciousness uploaded into a little disc'.

Which Schitt's Creek star plays Joan in 'Joan Is Awful'?

Annie Murphy, Alexis in Schitt's Creek, plays Joan Tait, while Salma Hayek plays Joan in the show-within-the-show.

Which two actors play astronauts Cliff and David in 'Beyond the Sea'?

Aaron Paul plays Cliff and Josh Hartnett plays David, astronauts who spend time on Earth by inhabiting artificial replica bodies.

In what year is 'Mazey Day', the werewolf episode, set?

'Mazey Day' is set in 2006, at the height of paparazzi culture; Zazie Beetz plays Bo, a photographer chasing the troubled starlet Mazey.

Which two actors play Nida and the demon Gaap in 'Demon 79'?

Anjana Vasan plays shop assistant Nida and Paapa Essiedu plays Gaap, the demon who appears to her in the guise of a Boney M. singer.

Which director of 'USS Callister' expressed early interest in a spin-off series?

Haynes returned to direct 'Into Infinity' and 'Bête Noire'.

Which Series 7 newcomers were announced in September 2024?

Netflix's September 2024 cast announcement for series seven named Awkwafina, Issa Rae, Paul Giamatti and Tracee Ellis Ross among the newcomers, alongside returning Billy Magnussen.

In 'Bête Noire', what is the name of the former schoolmate who joins Maria's workplace?

Verity Greene, a girl Maria spread a cruel rumour about at school, turns up at her workplace carrying a quantum device that lets her rewrite reality.

Which phrase from a satirical Toast article parodies Black Mirror plots?

'What if phones, but too much' came from Daniel M. Lavery's piece in The Toast summarising every Black Mirror plot, and became shorthand for the show's formula.

Which two actors play Mike and Amanda in 'Common People'?

Chris O'Dowd plays welder Mike and Rashida Jones plays teacher Amanda; Tracee Ellis Ross plays the company rep Gaynor.

What is the initial monthly Rivermind subscription fee in 'Common People'?

The basic Rivermind plan starts at $300 a month after free surgery, then climbs through pricier Plus and Lux tiers while the base tier fills with adverts.

In 'Bête Noire', Maria develops recipes for what kind of company?

Maria develops new bars for a chocolate maker; her miso-jam creation is judged disgusting until reality begins shifting around her.

Which entertainment tech company recruits Brandy Friday in 'Hotel Reverie'?

ReDream, run by Kimmy, inserts Brandy's consciousness into a digital recreation of the old film so the remake can be shot from inside it.

Which magazine did 'Plaything' protagonist Cameron Walker review games for in the 1990s?

Brooker himself wrote for PC Zone in the 1990s.

Which two Bandersnatch actors reprise their roles in 'Plaything'?

Will Poulter returns as Colin Ritman and Asim Chaudhry as Tuckersoft boss Mohan Thakur; Peter Capaldi plays the older Cameron.

Which actor plays lonely Phillip in the acclaimed 'Eulogy'?

Paul Giamatti plays Phillip, who is asked to contribute memories of his late ex Carol to her memorial; Patsy Ferran plays The Guide.

In 'Into Infinity', how has Nanette's cloned crew been surviving inside the game?

Cut off from the game's economy, the clones survive by robbing players of their credits and loot, which other players put down to cheaters or glitches.

Which composer wrote the original score for 'San Junipero'?

Clint Mansell, the former Pop Will Eat Itself frontman and Requiem for a Dream composer, wrote San Junipero's synth score, interwoven with period pop songs.

Which two cities hosted the filming of 'San Junipero'?

San Junipero was shot in London and Cape Town, with Cape Town's coast standing in for the Californian beach town of the title.

Bandersnatch was named after a real 1984 game planned by which developer?

Imagine Software, the Liverpool studio behind Arcadia, trumpeted Bandersnatch as a 'megagame' before collapsing in 1984 and leaving it unreleased; the name is a Lewis Carroll creature.

Which second-hand retailer's logo did Brooker design early in his career?

Brooker designed the logo for CeX, the Computer Exchange second-hand chain, in the early 1990s, before his cartoons and game reviews for a PC games magazine.

Which Guardian TV column did Brooker write from 2000 to 2010?

Screen Burn ran in The Guide for a decade; Screenwipe was his BBC series and TVGoHome his website.

In 'Hang the DJ', how many simulated realities were run to test Amy and Frank's match?

The System ran 1,000 simulations and the pair rebelled in 998 of them, so the real-world app rates Frank and Amy a 99.8% match as 'Panic' by the Smiths plays.

Which director made the black-and-white episode 'Metalhead'?

David Slade, director of Hard Candy and 30 Days of Night, shot the 41-minute 'Metalhead' entirely in black and white and later directed Bandersnatch.

In 'Men Against Fire', what do the soldiers call the humanoid 'mutants' they hunt?

The soldiers call their targets 'roaches'; Stripe learns his MASS has been altering his perception so ordinary people look like snarling monsters, an idea shaped by S.L.A. Marshall's book Men Against Fire.

In 'Hated in the Nation', which social-media hashtag marks the drone insects' victims?

The '#DeathTo' game invites users to nominate targets; the trap then turns on everyone who used the tag, 387,036 people, in the 89-minute episode.