How All Of The 'Black Mirror' Episodes Are Secretly Connected
By now, you've probably binge-watched your way through Black Mirror Season 3 and are trying to decide which episode you enjoyed the most. While you've been enjoying Charlie Brooker's dark science fiction anthology series, you may not have noticed that all of the episodes are actually connected, albeit loosely. And no, I'm not talking about the fact the connected theme about the consequences of technology. I'm talking about actual storyline and character connections.
Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker has noted that "each episode has a different cast, a different setting, even a different reality. But they're all about the way we live now – and the way we might be living in 10 minutes' time if we're clumsy." Although recently on a Reddit Ask Me Anything, Booker admitted that they all actually "take place in the same psychological universe" with "sometimes explicit links." Hit the jump, and we'll explore the Black Mirror connections.
Before we dive in, let me first explain that we are not ruining some big reveal. These are more like easter eggs than anything else. Brooker told Thrillist that he's "read a couple things where people have tried to work out whether this whole thing is set in one coherent universe, and my view is if they want to believe that, that's fine."
"But I don't approach it that way, any more than The Twilight Zone was set in one coherent universe. It's probably all in the same psychological universe."
On Reddit, he added that: "there have been ideas for 'expanded' versions of some of the stories."
"I have an idea for a sequel to White Bear for instance. Sometimes the tech (or something similar to it) shows up again in other episodes if there's an irresistible story to be told."
While the first five episodes of Black Mirror feature virtually no references to previous stories and characters, it seems as if Brooker decided this might be a fun thing to entertain sometime during the second season of the series. And now it looks like it may even be possible that we could see sequels or revisit some of these characters in future Black Mirror stories.
Be warned, plot points might be spoiled for the first three seasons of this show in the Black History connections timeline below:
The Waldo Moment
In the Black Mirror Season 2 episode "The Waldo Moment" directed by Bryn Higgins, you can see Jessica Brown Findlay's character Abi Khan on a billboard next to a Waldo advertisement. This is a reference to "Fifteen Million Merits," the second episode of the first season of Black Mirror which features Abi entering to be a contestant on an X-Factor style game show called Hot Shots, which offers a chance for people to get out of the slave-like world around them.
On television, we see the headline: "Geraint Fitch cleared of wrongdoing following paparazzi scuffle," which is the same headline that was also featured on television network UKN in both "The Waldo Moment" and "The National Anthem."
White Christmas
In the 2014 television special "White Christmas" directed by Carl Tibbetts also features a few references to "Fifteen Million Merits." In the Karaoke scene, a song is sung entitled "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)", which is the same song sung by Abi on the TV show 'Hot Shot'. Series creator Charlie Brooker explains to Thrillest the inensions behind the inclusion:
We had the Irma Thomas song come back in because it does sort of nest the whole thing together in some kind of artistic universe, to sound wanky for a moment. So it is deliberate, but it's not part of some grand unveiling that this is all set in the year 2030 or something.
On television, we not only see a "Hot Shots" special featuring breakout winner Selma, the Toy Soldiers segment also featured in "Fifteen Million Merits," and a shot of the television show from season two episode "The Waldo Moment". "CALLOW ANNOUNCES DIVORCE" also shows up as a news snippet.
One of the television stations is named "UKN," which was featured in "The National Anthem" from season one of the series. Also, the bottom scroll mentions PM Liam Munroe, the politician who served as the main antagonist from season two episode three "The Waldo Moment." Liam Monroe was elected to during "The Waldo Moment," which seems to suggest that the events in "White Christmas" take place after after "The National Anthem."
The news scroll also mentions "Skillane appeal bid rejected," a reference to Lenora Crichlow's character Victoria Skillane, a criminal who kidnapped and murdered a little girl from season two episode two "White Bear." It appears her court appeal in was rejected and is now in the sentencing phase of her trial.
And lastly, one of the viewers watching Harry try to pick up Jennifer at the Christmas party has the online screenname "Pie-Ape," which was a derogatory term for fat people used in "Fifteen Million Merritts." While another one of the online viewers has the screenname "I am Waldo," a reference to "The Waldo Moment."
The Entire History of You
In the third episode of season one entitled "The Entire History of You" directed by Brian Welsh, Bethany seems to be using the same brand of pregnancy test as the one displayed in season two episode one "Be Right Back." The designs are different which might indicate different years, but the animation is the same.
Nosedive
In season three episode one Nosedive directed by Joe Wright, we see a lot of Bryce Dallas Howard's social media screens which contain a lot of information. One of the social updates is posted by "Michael Callow," the former Prime Minister w ho was blackmailed by cyberterrorists in season one episode one "The National Anthem." His social media update reads "Just got thrown out of the zoo again :(" which is a reference to what he was forced to do with a pig in that story.
Lacie Pound is obliged to hitch a ride with a bunch of fans headed to a fan convention for a science fiction television show called "Sea of Tranquility," which is the "HBO moon Western" that the special effects expert worked on who was called in to digitally remove the Prime Minister in "The National Anthem."
Playtest
Season three episode two "Playtest" directed by Dan Trachtenberg features references to three different episodes: The White Bear logo from season two episode two "White Bear" appears as one of the QR code-like icons that turn into the gopher holes in the game playtest room.
On the cover of the magazine featuring Saito CEO Shou Saito, we see a mention of the company Granular, the company that makes the robotic bees in season three episode six "Hated in the Nation."
Hannah John-Kamen, the actress who plays Selma from "Fifteen Million Merits", plays the character Sonja in Playtest. I can't imagine that they are playing the same individual with different names, but it's a connection worth mentioning.
Shut Up and Dance
Season three episode three "Shut Up, and Dance" directed by James Watkins references three prior episodes. While looking at a computer screen, we see a bunch of news stories in the sidebar:
The "One Smart Cookie" advertisement in the top right promises to show "the kitchen tech of tomorrow" referencing the consciousness replicating cookies in "White Christmas." A tweet in the top scroll is also talking about the news that "Michael Callow is getting divorced."
And a news scroll on the top mentions the premiere of a talent show called "15 Million Merits," which is weird because that's the name of an episode of Black Mirror. I'm betting that wires got crossed on this Black Mirror easter egg and it was actually supposed to be referencing the tv show Hot Shots from the season one episode "Fifteen Million Merits." Or maybe that episode of Black Mirror has been adapted into a whole television series in this universe.
On Kenny's laptop, we see a Waldo sticker, a reference to the cartoon bear who campaigns against Liam Monroe from season two episode three "The Waldo Moment."
Men Against Fire
In season three episode five "Men Against Fire" directed by Jakob Verbruggen Raiman sings "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)," the same song that Abi Khan sang on 'Hot Shots' in "15 Million Merits."
Hated in the Nation
Season three episode six "Hated in the Nation" directed by James Hawes features a bunch of references to previous stories.
The story introduces the idea of the most hated people on social media being killed off by a technological terrorist. People vote who they want to be killed on a social network app like Twitter using the hashtag "#DeathTo." One of the twitter posts we see on the screen says #Deathto Victoria Skillane, a reference to the main character in season two episode two "White Bear."
We also learn that Blue Coulson left the force due to the "Ian Rannoch case," Victoria Skillane's fiance also from "White Bear."
We see a mention of season three episode two "Playtest" in the news scroll on tv that says "Shou Saito announces immersive new gaming system."
While Karin Parke watches television, we see the news ticker mention that the military has announced the "MASS Project", a reference to season three episode five "Men Against Fire" which involved soldiers with implants called MASS to augment reality and help with strategic operations.
Also, there is a very brief mention to Shou Saito from "Playtest" with the video game legend announcing the Harlech Shadow VI.
Among the things we see trending on Twitter, the announcement of the Harlech Shadow V (the previous version of the system announced above) and "#FreeTheWhiteBearOne" a reference to the episode "White Bear" and Michael Callow, the former Prime Minister in season one episode one "The National Anthem."
Meanwhile, we get a final update on Victoria Skillane's situation from "White Bear" via an on-screen scroll informing us that she tried to kill herself in her jail cell. The fact that it says it was an attempt assumes that she survived.
I want to thank Reddit, Inverse and more Reddit for some of the images and information contained in this piece.