Common People

Charlie Brooker diagnoses the next mutation of AI to make us feel the symptoms of what could be coming at us just two minutes into the future.

This isn't about rogue tech. This is tech doing what it's supposed to do. An hour after it's ended, you are still wondering how this feels so real and now even though it isn't here yet. It's your conscience screaming resonance.

For 7 seasons now over 14 years, Charlie Brooker has been doing this. His message has never been about "look what's coming". It's much better than that. It says "You agreed to this".

Our moral compass has gone to dogs. And the way we are programmed, we just cannot see it unless...

This episode is haunting. This harkens back to the core of what made black mirror so good, relevant, and terrifying in its early infancy. Time after time in this episode I just was hit with wave after wave of astonishment and dread. I have incredibly high hopes for season 7 based on the first episode and, for me, signals a return to their peak.

Great acting performances, unbelievable plot, and phenomenal overall storytelling. This episode will already be one of my go-to picks for people to watch.

I think what makes it so effective is that the themes this episode touches on are hauntingly accurate for our time. Terrific start.

I am so glad they put this episode first. It really feels like the old black mirror is back. Amazing concept, well thought out execution, sad and dark but also realistic. The acting was also great. Even though it was based in America it had the British grit feel that I feel was missing in the previous few seasons.

What made it so depressing is the fact it really feels like it could/ would happen this way. This episode touches on many themes such as the subscriptions, the lengths someone would go to make money, healthcare and also at some points could have been a metaphor for addiction.

This episode alone is already better than all of the previous season in my opinion.

Just wow. Black Mirror is back-and with a bang. This episode delivers a brilliant mix of storytelling, emotion, and tech-driven tension. From the opening moments, the pacing pulls you in, layering suspense with a deep emotional core. Every scene adds something unexpected-whether it's a surprise twist, a moment of quiet heartbreak, or a brutal commentary on the direction we're heading.

The performances are top-notch. Rashida Jones and Chris O'Dowd shine in roles that feel raw and real, pulling you into the struggles of everyday people caught in the jaws of high-tech promises. And Tracee Ellis Ross? Chillingly perfect as the face of corporate AI-equal parts charm and menace.

What really hit me was the way the episode tackled modern tech and capitalism. It's not just speculative fiction-it feels uncomfortably close to reality. Streaming consciousness, in-app purchases for memories, ads in your literal afterlife... it's satire, but it's also a warning.

The ending left me surprised and thinking. It wasn't just a twist for shock value-it added a layer of depth that stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

If this is how Season 7 starts, we're in for something truly special. Dark, emotional, provocative-this is Black Mirror at its best.

And we're back. Almost forgot the feeling of watching a Black Mirror episode for the first time, but this is the show that I remember. Had my jaw on the floor a few times, and that ending...

Driving 'common people' to the edge is something that's already happening. This is a satire on memberships, capitalism and the stuff people pay to see. If this is the first episode of this season, I can't wait to see what's next. Maybe I should rewatch the rest of the show, but this might be one of the more depressing episodes in this show, and if you watched the rest, you know that says a lot. Don't think I'll be watching the rest today, will have to process this one first.