History of Black Mirror in Timeline
Black Mirror is a British anthology series created by Charlie Brooker, primarily set in near-future dystopias. Each episode functions as a standalone story exploring the dark sides of technology and its potential impacts on society. Inspired by The Twilight Zone, the series uses speculative fiction to comment on contemporary social issues related to technology and media, often raising ethical questions about technological advancements. Most episodes are written by Brooker with Annabel Jones as executive producer.
1959: The Twilight Zone
In 1959, The Twilight Zone was released, and later inspired Brooker.
1964: Release of "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)"
In 1964, Irma Thomas released the song "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)", which appears in several Black Mirror episodes.
1964: The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone ran until 1964, and later inspired Brooker.
1979: Tales of the Unexpected
In 1979, Tales of the Unexpected was released, and later inspired Brooker.
1980: Hammer House of Horror
In 1980, Hammer House of Horror was released, and later inspired Brooker.
1988: Tales of the Unexpected
Tales of the Unexpected ran until 1988, and later inspired Brooker.
2004: Reference to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
In 2004, the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was released which shares the "mind-game films" genre with Black Mirror.
2006: Brooker and Jones work together on Screenwipe
From 2006 to 2008, Brooker and Jones worked together on Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe.
2008: Brooker and Jones work together on Screenwipe
From 2006 to 2008, Brooker and Jones worked together on Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe.
2008: Brooker completes production of Dead Set
In 2008, Charlie Brooker completed production of Dead Set, a zombie-based drama series, before creating Black Mirror.
2009: Brooker works on Newswipe
From 2009 to 2010, Charlie Brooker worked on Newswipe and other programmes before deciding to create Black Mirror.
2010: Brooker works on Newswipe
From 2009 to 2010, Charlie Brooker worked on Newswipe and other programmes before deciding to create Black Mirror.
2010: Inception of Black Mirror
In 2010, Brooker and Jones began working on Black Mirror.
2010: Reference to Inception
In 2010, the movie Inception was released which shares the "mind-game films" genre with Black Mirror.
December 2011: Series aired weekly
From 4 December 2011, Black Mirror aired weekly. "The National Anthem", "Fifteen Million Merits", and "The Entire History of You" were among the episodes produced.
December 2011: Series premiered on Channel 4
In December 2011, Black Mirror premiered on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom.
2011: American Horror Story Premiere
American Horror Story premiered in 2011, along with Black Mirror it has been credited with repopularising the anthology format.
2011: How TV Ruined Your Life
In 2011, Brooker produced the series How TV Ruined Your Life, exploring technology, a topic he later focused on in Black Mirror.
2011: First series aired on Channel 4
In 2011, the first series of Black Mirror aired on the British network Channel 4.
2011: Debut of Black Mirror
Since its debut in 2011, many new dystopian sci-fi programmes had emerged.
November 2012: International Emmy Award
In November 2012, Black Mirror won Best TV Movie/Miniseries at the International Emmy Awards, marking an early recognition of the show's quality.
February 2013: Second series ran on Channel 4
In February 2013, the second series of Black Mirror aired on Channel 4.
November 2013: Black Mirror available in the US via DirecTV
From November 2013, Black Mirror was first made available in the US via DirecTV, with episodes airing on Audience and available online.
2013: Channel 4 Passed on Recommission
Endemol stated that Channel 4 had the opportunity to recommission Black Mirror since 2013 but passed on this and subsequent co-production offers.
2013: "The Entire History of You" Optioned for Film
In 2013, Robert Downey Jr. optioned the Black Mirror episode "The Entire History of You" to potentially be made into a film by Warner Bros. and his production company Team Downey.
2013: Second series aired on Channel 4
In 2013, the second series of Black Mirror aired on the British network Channel 4.
December 2014: First Two Series Released on Netflix in the US
On 1 December 2014, the first two series of Black Mirror were released on Netflix in the United States after they bought exclusive streaming rights, leading to increased audience attention for the programme.
2014: "White Christmas" special aired on Channel 4
In 2014, the special episode "White Christmas" aired on Channel 4.
September 2015: Netflix Commissioned Episodes
In September 2015, Netflix commissioned 12 episodes of Black Mirror. By this point, the series was available in around 80 territories.
September 2015: Netflix purchased the programme
In September 2015, Netflix purchased Black Mirror and commissioned a series of 12 episodes, later divided into two series.
2015: Humans Series Premiere
Humans, science-fiction television, premiered in 2015 and critics have compared it to Black Mirror.
March 2016: Netflix Outbid Channel 4 for Rights
In March 2016, Netflix outbid Channel 4 for the rights to distributing the third series of Black Mirror in the UK, with a bid of US$40 million.
July 2016: Brooker Begins Writing Series Four
Charlie Brooker began writing the fourth series of Black Mirror in July 2016, aiming for more variety and incorporating more hope than in previous series.
July 2016: Titles of Series Three Episodes Announced
In July 2016, the titles of the six episodes that make up series three were announced, along with the release date.
October 2016: Series Three Trailer Release
In October 2016, a trailer for the third series of Black Mirror was released, building anticipation for the upcoming season.
October 2016: Third series released on Netflix
On 21 October 2016, the first six episodes of the third series were released simultaneously on Netflix worldwide.
2016: Brooker Discusses Potential Sequels
In 2016, Charlie Brooker shared that he had ideas for sequels to "White Bear" and "Be Right Back", but they were unlikely to be made.
2016: Third series aired on Netflix
In 2016, the third series of Black Mirror aired on Netflix.
May 2017: Series 4 Episodes Unofficially Announced
In May 2017, a Reddit post revealed the names and directors of the six episodes in series 4 of Black Mirror.
June 2017: Filming Concludes for Series Four
Filming for the fourth series of Black Mirror concluded in June 2017, paving the way for post-production and eventual release.
August 2017: First Trailer for Series 4 Debuts
The first trailer for the fourth series of Black Mirror debuted on August 25, 2017, offering a glimpse into the new episodes.
December 2017: Fourth series released on Netflix
On 29 December 2017, the fourth series of six episodes was released on Netflix.
December 2017: Release Date Announced for Series 4
On December 6, 2017, Netflix announced that the release date for the fourth series of Black Mirror would be December 29, 2017, concluding the "13 Days of Black Mirror" promotional campaign.
2017: No Plans for "San Junipero" Sequel
In 2017, Charlie Brooker stated that there were no plans for a sequel episode to the popular "San Junipero".
2017: Fourth series aired on Netflix
In 2017, the fourth series of Black Mirror aired on Netflix.
2017: Brooker Considered Writing for Electric Dreams
In 2017-2018, Channel 4 suggested that Brooker could write an episode of Electric Dreams, an adaptation of short stories by Philip K. Dick.
2017: Room 104 Premiere
Room 104 was one anthology series that was part of this phenomenon in 2017.
March 2018: Fifth Series Announced by Netflix
On March 5, 2018, Netflix officially announced the production of the fifth series of Black Mirror.
December 2018: "Bandersnatch" Release Announced
On December 27, 2018, Netflix announced the release of the interactive film "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch" for the following day. The film is set in 1984.
2018: Humans Series End
Humans, science-fiction television, ended in 2018, after critics had compared it to Black Mirror.
2018: Brooker Considered Writing for Electric Dreams
In 2017-2018, Channel 4 suggested that Brooker could write an episode of Electric Dreams, an adaptation of short stories by Philip K. Dick.
2018: Release of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Inside Black Mirror
In 2018, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, an interactive film, was released. Additionally, Inside Black Mirror, a companion book to the first four series, was published. Soundtracks to many episodes have also been released as albums.
2018: Brooker and Jones report on Netflix bid
In 2018, Brooker and Jones reported that although they and Netflix were both keen to have Channel 4 as equal partners, Channel 4 were evasive about the Netflix bid.
2018: Channel 4 Agreed on Third Series
In 2018, Brooker reported that Channel 4 agreed on a third series of four episodes, but requested detailed synopses in advance, which led to some issues regarding the suitability of the ideas for Black Mirror.
2018: Channel 4 Budget Concerns
In 2018, Channel 4's head of comedy noted that the budget for Black Mirror was surprisingly high, leading to discussions about whether it should be under the drama department instead. The new head of comedy did not have an existing relationship with Brooker and Jones.
2018: "The Entire History of You" Film in Development Hell
In 2018, Jesse Armstrong, the writer of "The Entire History of You", indicated that the film adaptation of the episode was in "development hell".
2018: "USS Callister" Wins Emmy Awards
The Black Mirror episode "USS Callister" received three Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Television Movie, and four Emmy nominations in 2018, solidifying its status as a critically acclaimed episode.
May 2019: Trailer Released for Fifth Series
On May 15, 2019, a trailer was released for the fifth series of Black Mirror, revealing that it would consist of three episodes.
June 2019: Fifth series released on Netflix
On 5 June 2019, the fifth series, consisting of three episodes, was released on Netflix.
2019: "Bandersnatch" Wins Emmy
"Bandersnatch" won two Emmys in 2019, including Outstanding Television Movie, making it the third consecutive win for Black Mirror in that category.
2019: Fifth series aired on Netflix
In 2019, the fifth series of Black Mirror aired on Netflix.
2019: Ranked as One of the Best TV Shows of the 21st Century
Readers of Digital Spy voted that Black Mirror was 13th-best TV show of the 21st century in 2019.
2019: The Twilight Zone Reboot
The 2019 reboot of The Twilight Zone, the primary show to inspire Black Mirror, can be seen as an example of success attributed to changing profit incentives from increased streaming television consumption.
January 2020: Brooker and Jones Depart House of Tomorrow
Around January 2020, Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones announced their departure from House of Tomorrow, citing intellectual property issues.
February 2020: Brooker and Jones Establish Broke and Bones
By February 2020, Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones had established Broke and Bones, a new production company.
May 2020: Brooker Questions Future of Black Mirror
In a May 2020 interview, Charlie Brooker questioned whether the public mood would suit a sixth series of Black Mirror, expressing interest in more comedic projects.
July 2020: Netflix Arranges Contract with Broke and Bones
By July 2020, Netflix had arranged a long-term contract for series and other production rights with the Broke and Bones production company, although rights for Black Mirror still remained with Endemol.
2020: Included in Lists of Best TV Shows of the 21st Century
The Guardian included Black Mirror in 23rd place as one of the best television shows of the 21st century in 2020.
2020: Upload Series Premiere
Upload, science-fiction television, premiered in 2020 and critics have compared it to Black Mirror.
2021: Solos Premiere
Solos was one anthology series that was part of this phenomenon in 2021.
May 2022: Sixth Series Announced by Netflix
In May 2022, Netflix announced a sixth series of Black Mirror, to consist of more than three episodes, produced by Broke and Bones.
2022: Sixth series commissioned
In 2022, the sixth series of Black Mirror was commissioned.
April 2023: Teaser Trailer Released for Sixth Series
On April 26, 2023, the first teaser trailer for the sixth series of Black Mirror was released, announcing a June release date.
June 2023: Sixth series released
On 15 June 2023, the sixth series of Black Mirror was released.
November 2023: Seventh Series Announced
In November 2023, a seventh series of Black Mirror was announced, promising further explorations into the dark side of technology and society.
December 2023: Variety Ranks Black Mirror Among Greatest TV Shows
In December 2023, Variety ranked Black Mirror 95th in its list of the 100 greatest TV shows of all time, recognizing its impact and influence on television.
2023: Sixth Series Viewing Figures
In 2023, Netflix reported that the sixth series of Black Mirror garnered 60 million viewing hours in the week of its release, solidifying its continued popularity.
2023: Sixth series aired on Netflix
In 2023, the sixth series of Black Mirror aired on Netflix.
March 2024: "USS Callister" Sequel Announced
In March 2024, it was announced that one of the six episodes of the seventh series would be a sequel to "USS Callister", marking the first Black Mirror story to receive a continuation.
September 2024: Cast Announced for Series 7
On September 19, 2024, Awkwafina, Issa Rae, Paul Giamatti, Billy Magnussen and Tracee Ellis Ross were announced to have joined the cast of series 7, with Magnussen reprising his role from the fourth series' "USS Callister".
April 2025: Seventh series released
On 10 April 2025, the seventh series of Black Mirror was released.
2025: Seventh series aired on Netflix
In 2025, the seventh series of Black Mirror aired on Netflix.
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