At first glance, Black Mirror appears to be nothing more than a quaint little British television show on Netflix, offering only 2 seasons of 3 episodes each. If you venture past the odd but intriguing title, you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised at this show’s ingenuity. Each episode portrays an alternate reality, often showcasing a new technology that is at the center of the reality’s focus. By the end of each episode, viewers are left associating a negative connotation with said technology, likely intending to warn them of the danger technology poses in the near future in our own world.

Black Mirror is certainly an unconventional television show in that each episode asks a question beginning with “What if…?” and proceeds to answer it. It doesn’t waste time developing characters and backgrounds, instead delving directly into the circumstances of what life would be like with this different technology.

Personally, my favorite episode is titled “Fifteen Million Merits.” It depicts a world in which the majority of the population is forced to exercise on stationary bikes that produce electricity, in exchange for virtual currency called “merits,” used for the most part to buy virtual cosmetic items. The only hope to escape this miserable lifestyle for one woman is the limited opportunity to be on a talent show that will allow her to leave the dreaded “bike” forever.  If you want to know more you’ll have to watch for yourself, but what struck me about it was the protagonist’s dynamicism, which is evident in every single episode.

If you’re looking for a profound show to binge watch, I wouldn’t recommend anything other than Black Mirror. A third season is being released to Netflix on October 21st, and I can only imagine the direction the series will take. So mark your calendars- I know I have.