8 gripping TV shows to watch if you love ‘Black Mirror’ | The Express Tribune
If you’re obsessed with Black Mirror’s sharp social commentary, unsettling twists, and futuristic dread, you’re probably already counting down the seconds until Season 7 drops on April 10 on Netflix.
This new season promises a return to the “OG Black Mirror” vibe that made the series a cultural phenomenon, with six new episodes steeped in nostalgia and covert horror.
Creator Charlie Brooker teases the first-ever Black Mirror sequel — a continuation of the much-loved “USS Callister” episode plus a dazzling cast including Awkwafina, Paul Giamatti, Issa Rae, Peter Capaldi, and Will Poulter.
While you wait (or once you’ve binged it all in a night, no judgment), here are 8 mind-bending shows that will scratch that same dark, thought-provoking itch.
1. Westworld (2016–2022)
A futuristic theme park where guests live out fantasies among hyper-realistic androids sounds thrilling — until the AI starts gaining consciousness. Westworld unpacks deep philosophical questions about identity, reality, and free will, all wrapped in breathtaking visuals and layered storytelling.
2. Severance (2022–Present)
Imagine separating your work self from your personal self — literally. Severance dives into the eerie consequences of such a procedure, painting a chilling corporate dystopia where employees’ minds are split into two distinct existences. Tense, surreal, and disturbingly relatable.
3. Altered Carbon (2018–2020)
Set in a future where consciousness can be transferred between bodies, Altered Carbon explores immortality, class disparity, and the soul’s fragility. Packed with action and noir influences, it offers a rich, visual feast for fans of tech-heavy, philosophical sci-fi.
4. Love, Death + Robots (2019–Present)
Each short animated story in this anthology hits you like a mini Black Mirror punch to the gut. With wildly different animation styles and themes ranging from AI horror to dystopian futures, Love, Death + Robots is like snacking on bite-sized doses of chaos and beauty.
5. The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Before Black Mirror, there was The Twilight Zone. Rod Serling’s original anthology series masterfully explored morality, fear, and human nature, using sci-fi and fantasy as sharp mirrors to society. The black-and-white episodes still feel eerily relevant today.
6. The Twilight Zone (2019–2020)
Jordan Peele’s reboot of the classic series brings modern anxieties into the Twilight Zone’s unsettling world. Tackling issues like surveillance, racism, and technology addiction, this version retools the original’s spine-chilling moral lessons for a new generation.
7. Inside No. 9 (2014–2024)
This British anthology series offers sharply written, genre-bending stories set around the number nine — whether it’s a room, a house, or even a shoe size. Twisted humor, shocking endings, and inventive storytelling make it a must-watch for anyone who loves Black Mirror’s unpredictability.
8. Upload (2020–Present)
What happens when your afterlife is a digital simulation? Upload explores a corporate-controlled virtual afterlife full of hilarious, touching, and chilling moments. It’s a lighter but still deeply thought-provoking exploration of tech and mortality.