Black Mirror Season 7 Returns on Netflix with Deepfakes, AI, and Subscription Horror

The seventh season of Black Mirror, created by Charlie Brooker, is now streaming on Netflix, which acquired the series from Channel 4 starting with season three. The season maintains the show's trademark balance between sci-fi and contemporary familiarity, never venturing into distant futures. Episodes explore subscription-based mental health in "Common People" (directed by Ally Pankiw), deepfakes and AI in "Hotel Reverie" (directed by Haolu Wang), toxic masculinity and grief in "Eulogy," and video game culture in "Plaything," which features a real game, Thronglets, released on Netflix Games by Night School Studios. The season includes direct sequels: "Plaything" shares a timeline with the interactive film Bandersnatch and brings back character Colin Ritman (Will Poulter), while "USS Callister: Infinity" continues the season four episode, delving into digital personality and toxicity in gaming. "Hotel Reverie" stars Issa Rae, Emma Corrin, and Awkwafina, and is noted for its cinematography replicating 1940s Hollywood. The weakest episode is "Bête Noire," which visually represents gaslighting. The season is considered one of Netflix's best, with high production quality and relevant themes, though less biting than classics like "Fifteen Million Merits" or "Be Right Back."