A few years ago, nobody could have predicted that Donald Trump would not only run for president, but end up on the final ballot. Few outside certain secret circles could imagine that the Prime Minister of Britain would have to fend off reports that he'd sexually defiled a pig. And yet, Black Mirror kind of saw it all coming.
That's Black Mirror as in the British show everyone has been telling you to check out for years now. It's the cult fave that's returning for a third season, which will stream on Netflix beginning Friday, October 21. It's the reason why nobody is around to hang out with you this weekend.
So what's the appeal? Without question, it's the storylines and plot twists dreamed up by creator Charlie Brooker. They're often effed-up and far-fetched, but have also been proven to be oddly prescient. Just ask David Cameron, the former British PM whose peculiar porcine antics in university were foreshadowed in season 1's "The National Anthem."
It's the Twilight Zone for modern, technology-obsessed times, with important takes on politics and human nature. Each and every episode has a way of getting under the viewer's skin, leaving them both haunted, horrified, and, often — given the open-ended conclusions — scratching their heads in confusion.
Intrigued? There's still time to squeeze in a binge-watch before we being recapping season 3 on Friday. Until then, consider these highlights (or lowlights, depending on how you look at it) from seasons 1 and 2. Spoilers ahead!
"The National Anthem" (2011)
This season 1 plot saw British Prime Minister Michael Callow (Rory Kinnear) being forced to have sex with a pig live on national TV in order to rescue the kidnapped Princess Susannah. Callow complies, the royal is saved, and the PM's popularity soars. That's probably hard for David Cameron to hear, given the beating his political career took last year when Lord Ashcroft claimed he'd (sorry, there's no delicate way to put this) stuck his penis inside the mouth of a dead pig. FYI, he's now out of a job.
Video: Courtesy of Channel 4."White Christmas" (2014)
Imagine Jon Hamm as a devastatingly handsome Cyrano de Bergerac stand-in armed with futuristic technology and a copy of The Game. This Christmas special had a few disturbing storylines, but the one in which Hamm plays a seduction specialist who basically drives his client to his death really got under our skin. For his crimes, Hamm's character is listed as a sex offender.
Video: Courtesy of Channel 4."The Waldo Moment" (2013)
If this episode about a blue cartoon bear named Waldo running for political office makes you think about Donald Trump, you're not alone. According to an interview Charlie Brooker gave to The Daily Beast , e ven he's startled by the similarities. "You look at it now and go, ‘Fuck me — that’s Trump,'" he said of the episode. "Originally, it was based on Boris Johnson in the U.K., who also fucked the country up. It’s less funny now.”
Video: Courtesy of Channel 4."Fifteen Million Merits" (2011)
The fate of reality-TV hopeful Abi (Jessica Brown Findlay) still breaks our hearts. And yet, we wouldn't be surprised if a similar situation played out in real life.
Video: Courtesy of Channel 4."Be Right Back" (2013)
Watching Hayley Atwell have sex with a clone made to replace her dead partner (Domhnall Gleeson) is hella creepy.
Video: Courtesy of Channel 4."The Entire History of You" (2011)
A man learns the harsh truth about his family life thanks to a memory grain that allows people to revisit past experiences. We'd rather be in the dark, thanks. Fun fact: Robert Downey Jr. has optioned the script, reportedly hoping to turn it into a film.
Video: Courtesy of Channel 4.
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