Black Mirror has always had a reputation for creeping out its viewers and season 6 is no different but which episodes are the scariest and what scares should fans look out for from Demon 79 and Mazey Day to Loch Henry and Joan Is Awful?
*WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Black Mirror season 6*
Ever since it first began airing on Channel 4 back in 2011, Black Mirror has had a knack for disturbing its fans, primarily about what society might end up like if nightmarish technology is allowed to go too far.
Season 6 of Black Mirror is a little different, as some of the Netflix show’s latest episodes delve into the realm of the supernatural while others lean heavily into comedy.
To help Black Mirror viewers either avoid or aim for the scariest episodes in season 6, we’ve put together a handy guide, ranking the episodes based on how creepy we found them.
5. Joan Is Awful
The first episode in season 6 is arguably the closest thing to a comedy we’ve seen from Black Mirror as the titular Joan has her ordinary life turned into a prestige TV drama where she’s played by Selma Hayek.
There aren’t really any scares to talk about in Joan Is Awful, except for the realization that all of these big tech companies can include whatever they like in their terms and conditions, so it’s a wise idea to read them.
4. Demon 79
Events take a supernatural turn in this episode as the lead character Nida reluctantly joins forces with a demon after discovering a mysterious talisman.
Nida is tasked with killing three people in order to prevent the end of the world and so it goes without saying that Demon 79 does include some gore, notably when Nida takes a hammer to a man’s head and when we’re shown a dead body after it’s been pulled from a river.
Arguably the most frightening aspect of this episode though is the racial abuse and prejudice that Nida suffers throughout, while there are also some uncomfortable sexual advances from one of her would-be sacrifices and the first appearance of Gaap the demon is somewhat creepy until he takes the appearance of Bobby Farrell from Boney M.
3. Beyond the Sea
Beyond the Sea is another episode that features plenty of gore as it focuses on a pair of astronauts, David and Cliff, who have robotic replicas back on Earth to allow them to be with their families while their human bodies are up in space.
An early scene sees one of the astronauts have a run-in with a group of murderous cultists who break into their house and off the replica’s arm, revealing wires and circuitry inside.
The scariest thing about this Black Mirror episode, though, is that they don’t stop there as the group also murders the astronaut’s family, leaving blood smeared over the walls and floor while a similar incident also takes place towards the end of the episode.
2. Mazey Day
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to discuss the scares of Mazey Day without spoilers, so consider this a warning if you want to go in blind.
This episode centers on a paparazzi photographer named Bo who sets out to discover the whereabouts of the world-famous actress Mazey Day who recently disappeared from her latest film set after apparently running someone over with her car.
After tracking Mazey down, Bo is not prepared for what she finds as she discovers that Mazey has been chained up and left alone in a house in the woods as it’s revealed that she’s actually a werewolf.
Unsurprisingly, Mazey’s transformation into the furry beast isn’t a pleasant watch and the murderous rampage she then goes on is packed with gore as she slashes and bites anyone in her way.
The ending of the episode is truly horrifying, though, as the werewolf gets shot and turns back into Mazey, leaving the young woman covered in blood and begging for Bo to kill her.
But rather than pulling the trigger herself, Bo passes the gun to Mazey and then proceeds to take photographs as the distraught actress takes her own life.
It should also be noted that Mazey Day features plenty of flashing lights as photographers take pictures throughout.
1. Loch Henry
And finally, we come to Loch Henry, the episode we at HITC found to be the most nightmare-inducing.
The episode begins in peaceful fashion as a couple of budding filmmakers, Davis and Pia, travel to a quiet Scottish village in the hopes of filming a nature-themed documentary.
That quickly changes when Pia gets wind that the village was once home to a brutal rapist and serial killer after Davis and his friend, Stuart, recount the chilling tale.
The trio then begin to investigate the case themselves and find their way into the eerie underground bunker where the killings took place.
If that wasn’t enough, matters take another horrifying turn when Pia discovers a videotape of the murders taking place and it’s revealed that the original killer was actually an accomplice of two other individuals.
The two other people involved took pleasure in torturing and murdering their victims and the found footage of them committing the acts is enough to make your skin crawl.
Loch Henry doesn’t feature much in the way of gore but the sense of dread the episode instills makes it the scariest installment in Black Mirror season 6, at least for us.
Black Mirror season 6 is available to stream now on Netflix after releasing on Thursday, June 15, 2023.
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