Nathaniel Nelson / Winonan

In today’s TV landscape, “Black Mirror” is a bit of an outlier. Taking cues from “The Twilight Zone,” “Black Mirror” is more of a series of short films than an actual TV show. Every episode uses a different approach to sci-fi horror, each rooted in our relationship to technology. Just in time for Halloween, season three of “Black Mirror” takes full advantage of the format to bring the series to disturbingly twisted new heights, using its impeccable pseudo-reality to bring the terror and anxiety right to our doorstep.

The first episode of the season, “Nosedive,” is a beautiful shot take on a future where our lives are governed by the perception of our peers. The world is ruled by a ratings system, where individuals try to become ‘influencers’ by raising their rating as high as possible. While this seems far-fetched, it’s a perfect depiction of a world like ours where every action is readily available online, and a civilization which is quick to judge. Bryce Dallas Howard’s performance is wonderfully off-kilter, and the anxiety and discomfort begins to seep in almost immediately. The film is uncomfortably clean and realistic, kicking off the season with a bang.

“Playtest” is the title of the second episode, which is easily the most horror-based of the season. It stars Wyatt Russell as a tourist who picks up a job as a playtester at a video game development studio whose new technology connects directly to the player’s brain stem. The player then begins a VR journey through the most intimate survival horror experience the world has ever seen. The fears here begin small and typical, then begin to ramp up to straight Cronenberg-style body horror. It’s intense, terrifying and completely human. By using the game as a tool to look into and display a player’s innermost fears, the episode allows a deep look into the repressed anxiety of human nature.

Next is the least far-fetched of the season, “Shut Up and Dance.” Starring Alex Lawther, this one is focused on cyber-bullying and extortion, but quickly takes a dark turn. Unlike the rest of the series, this one isn’t set in an alternate future, but instead just a twisted version of the modern day. The story here could happen on any given day. In essence, that’s what makes this episode so compelling. While arguably the weakest of the set, this third piece is still a crazed look into the perpetual accessibility of our innermost secrets, and the futility of leading a double life in the technological age.

Instead of the typical horror angle, the series’ fourth piece, “San Junipero,” goes after romance. In the town of San Junipero, people are able to freely travel between eras to party and enjoy themselves. The catch: the whole world is digital. The two leads, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis, have electric chemistry and help this episode to become a standout of the season. It looks at the current LGBTQ climate and presents a story that unfolds naturally, but is never without suspense. Avoiding any spoilers, the episode takes a dark twist in the last half that helps push home the idea of a digital eternity.

The fifth episode, titled “Men Against Fire,” is a bit on the weak side overall. Set in a future where humans are fighting against creatures dubbed ‘Roaches,’ the episode ends up revealing its hand too quickly and stumbles on its execution. While the show still succeeds in its ethical commentary on high-tech warfare and the removal of humanity, this falls a bit flat in the end.

Finally, we get to “Hated in the Nation.” This is the exact kind of thing that “Black Mirror” was made for. As the first police procedural of the series, it follows two detectives as they track a series of disturbing murders, uncovering a macabre game played by one individual against an entire nation. The focus on social media and its lack of repercussion come out in full swing, serving as the most timely and impactful of the batch. We’ve all said things online that can come off as unsavory, and here, series creator Charlie Brooker manages to spin that concept into a hellish futuristic scenario, complete with replacement mechanical bees.

One of the ingenious things about “Black Mirror” is that even though it appears to be about technology, the true star is humanity; specifically, humanity’s penchant for mistakes and oversights, and the lack of true peaceful understanding. Utilizing concepts and ideals that are pervasive in modern society, Brooker and company manage to create a show that is not only an absolute wonder to watch, but one that capitalizes on the anxieties of society on the brink of technological fusion. While every episode isn’t perfect, the third season of “Black Mirror” takes the concept into the next era, and will surely cause some waves in the sci-fi community. 4.5/5

-By Nathaniel Nelson