A Black Mirror Director Has A Theory About Why There's Only One Christmas Episode

There are shows that feel like a warm, fuzzy blanket that wraps around the viewer, making them safe — and then there's "Black Mirror." The science fiction anthology series created by Charlie Brooker is sort of a contemporary "Twilight Zone" that picks apart our relationship to technology, and it's usually about as comforting as a frozen snowball to the face. Despite its not-so-jolly nature, the show got a truly fantastic holiday special in 2014 with the episode "White Christmas," which followed three stories shared by two men named Matt (Jon Hamm) and Joe (Rafe Spall) on Christmas Day. "White Christmas" is a phenomenal "Black Mirror" episode that features some of the show's more inventive concepts, with one of the stories even helping to inspire the nightmarish Apple TV hit "Severance." 

So, why hasn't "Black Mirror" returned to the holiday for another round? According to director Carl Tibbetts, who helmed not only "White Christmas" but the critically-acclaimed Aaron Paul-starring episode "White Bear," it's all just a matter of finding the right material. In an interview with RadioTimes, the director explained that it takes a certain kind of story to merit setting things at Christmastime. Not only that, but when your first Christmas episode is as good as "White Christmas," it can be a little intimidating to even try. 

When looking back on the episode and pondering whether Brooker would ever be open to doing another Christmas special, Tibbetts was adamant that it would have to be something really unique to make them go back to the Christmas well:

"They've done one, haven't they? So, you'd have to have a reason to do another one. You'd have to have a good story. You'd have to have a good reason to make something Christmas. I don't know why they did it, I've never asked them. It's fun and silly, but I guess if they've got a good reason, if Charlie has a really good idea to make something Christmas, he'll go for it again."

Tibbetts is right, honestly, because there are lots of great Christmas episodes of shows out there, but there are just as many bad or totally forgettable ones. "White Christmas" works because its so well put together, and the Christmas element is tied throughout the story without being overbearing, which could be difficult to pull off again. Keeping the tone just right was challenging enough the first time around, after all, and though part of the story for "White Christmas" was cut for being too bleak, it's still some seriously feel-bad entertainment. If the idea is right, we could see a "Black Mirror" Christmas special again, but it would honestly be somewhat of a Christmas miracle.