Just in case anyone's curious, here's my ranking of the episodes (S1 E1 purposely removed and spoilers removed). This list will change after season 5.
My limited ranking of favorite Black Mirror episodes
1. White Christmas (S2 E4)--this is one of the critically high ranked episodes of Black Mirror, but there's a reason for that and it's not just Jon Hamm. This one has everything with virtual assistants (willing and unwilling), misuse of technology by law enforcement, and blocking people in real life. It seems like an upgrade on "the grain" technology of "The Entire History of You" (S1 E3) with the personal block option.
2. 15 Million Merits (S1 E2)--mostly because I feel sorry for what happened to the characters; groupthink and mob mentality.
3. Shut Up and Dance (S3 E3)--just because I never saw the big plot twist until the end. It is horrible, of course.
4. Playtest (S3 E2)--this one was riveting and had a twist at the end.
5. Nosedive (S3 E1)--accurately describes social media and the freedom of having nothing to lose when not fitting in.
6. Hang the DJ (S4 E4)--why dating is horrific, yet not without hope for beating the system. Best quote ever: "Amy asks Frank: ‘What if actually all [the System is] doing is wearing us down? Putting us in one relationship after another, in random sequences. Each time you get a little bit more pliable, a little bit more broken, until eventually it coughs up the final offering and says that’s the one. And by that point, you are so defeated and so exhausted that you just accept it, you settle. Then you have to spend the rest of your life convincing yourself you didn’t.’" (
http://metro.co.uk/2017/12/30/black-mirror-series-four-review-hang-the-dj-is-a-look-at-dating-apps-which-will-make-you-believe-in-true-love-7191361/) I keep voting this one up because I want to believe in romantic love even though what I really want is agape love.
7. Metalhead (S4 E5)--this was just beautifully filmed in stark black and white and reminded me of the Terminator movies (i.e. the 1st and 2nd ones) with the battle between woman and machine.
8. Hated in the Nation (S3 E6)--this one may seem more like a suspense movie than a typical Black Mirror episode, yet no episode is completely typical. The ending seems bleak until a satisfying twist sets things right again.
9. USS Callister (S4 E1)--riveting and unexpected ending in a Star Trek-esque game world.
10. Men Against Fire (S3 E5)--war is hell
11. San Junipero (S3 E4)--the LGBT counterpart, in a way, to Hang the DJ. This episode won an Emmy and was highly praised, yet I like Hang the DJ better.
12. Be Right Back (S2 E1)--I liked and hated this one; the closure or acceptance never occurred in a healthy, naturally grieving way.
13. White Bear (S2 E2)--the groupthink and mob mentality make this episode totally horrifying
14. Crocodile (S4 E3)--how things escalate when one cover up leads to another and then another.
15. The Entire History of You (S1 E3)--this should be higher on the list, since it is fantastic, yet it was a bit predictable and sad.
16. Arkangel (S4 E2)--why humans should never be microchipped.
17. Black Museum (S4 E6)--frankly, this is the most disturbing episode in Season 4 yet the one that sticks with me the most.
18. The Waldo Moment (S2 E3)