The latest season of Black Mirror included a particularly heartbreaking episode that continues to resonate with viewers a year later, and many consider it one of the show’s most powerful installments.
Because Black Mirror tells a different story in each episode, not every one is equally impactful. But the best episodes are truly unforgettable, offering disturbing and thought-provoking looks at how we interact with technology. The show’s newest season includes an episode that is particularly devastating and stays with you long after the credits roll.
What’s particularly impactful is that it perfectly illustrates the path the world appears to be on.
Common People Is One Of The Most Harrowing Black Mirror Episodes Of All Time
The first episode of Black Mirror season 7, “Common People,” begins by building a connection between its main characters: Welder Mike Waters (Chris O’Dowd) and teacher Amanda (Rashida Jones). The story takes a turn when Amanda receives a devastating diagnosis: an incurable brain tumor. Fortunately, thanks to medical breakthroughs, she’s able to have the tumor removed and replace the lost tissue with artificial components.
This is when the episode’s true darkness starts to emerge.
Life appears to be getting back to normal for the couple, but they soon discover there are problems with Amanda’s new brain tissue. It only works properly within a limited range, and she unexpectedly starts repeating commercials for the company that created the technology. To fix these issues, they’re required to pay ongoing fees, putting a strain on their finances.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. That’s why Mike resorts to streaming himself online, even if it means doing humiliating things for money from strangers.
The episode concludes with a devastating scene where Mike, overwhelmed by the cost of his wife’s care, feels he has no options left. This Black Mirror episode from season 7 resonates deeply because it realistically depicts the burden of medical debt, confusing subscription services, and the power of large corporations – issues many people are facing today.
Common People Has Aged Really Well & Feels More Relatable Than Ever
While the extreme scenario depicted in Common People hasn’t quite come to pass, the feeling of being overwhelmed by subscriptions is definitely real. It seems like everything now requires a subscription, and many of those basic plans barely offer enough value.
Healthcare is more expensive than ever, and it’s increasingly frustrating that access to essential services often feels dependent on your ability to pay. Similar to what’s shown in the Black Mirror episode, the way entertainment and content are now heavily focused on profit has led to audiences becoming less and less affected by what they see.
What once seemed like far-fetched, nightmarish situations from the TV show Black Mirror are now beginning to feel worryingly possible in real life.
Read More
- All Golden Ball Locations in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
- NBA 2K26 Season 5 Adds College Themed Content
- Hollywood is using “bounty hunters” to track AI companies misusing IP
- What time is the Single’s Inferno Season 5 reunion on Netflix?
- BREAKING: Paramount Counters Netflix With $108B Hostile Takeover Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
- Elder Scrolls 6 Has to Overcome an RPG Problem That Bethesda Has Made With Recent Games
- Mario Tennis Fever Review: Game, Set, Match
- Heated Rivalry Adapts the Book’s Sex Scenes Beat by Beat
- All Itzaland Animal Locations in Infinity Nikki
- EUR INR PREDICTION
2026-02-23 04:38