Spanning five seasons and two specials, Netflix’s “Black Mirror” garnered widespread critical acclaim for its explorations of the darker side of human nature, often promoted by technological innovation.

After a four-year gap between its fifth and sixth seasons, the science fiction satirical drama feels as if it’s starting to decline in quality and energy. Despite some highlights in this season, “Black Mirror” Season 6 forces viewers to tough out many low points to get to the high ones. With five episodes with extensive runtimes, viewing is a task.

JOAN IS AWFUL

“Joan is Awful” follows the story of Joan (Annie Murphy), an average person who finds her daily life used as subject matter for an AI-generated show debuting on “Streamberry” — an obvious self-deprecating stand-in for Netflix. The episode comments on the ways algorithms aim to cater to consumers, but instead reduces people down to distorted “entertaining” versions of themselves.

One of the most upbeat and humorous “Black Mirror” installments to date, most of the runtime focuses on Joan’s escalating outbursts as more and more unflattering depictions of her daily activities ruin her life. Overly theatrical performances from Murphy and Salma Hayek make for lots of awkward comedy, and the story even manages to land on a positive ending that bucks the trend of the show’s extremely grim finales.

The ending still features a twist that escalates the metacommentary to a place where the cynical view of consumers becomes part of the point. However, this critical attitude toward media consumers (especially the show’s own viewers) is so extreme that it feels unconvincing. 

Even as the happy ending suggests that “Black Mirror” wants viewers to rebel against the corporatocracy it’s warning against, its contradictory tone makes it pretty hard to take “Joan is Awful” as anything but a fake protest sign.

2.5 “I really loved this!”s of out 5

LOCH HENRY

In “Loch Henry,” filmmaking couple Pia (Myha’la Herrold) and Davis (Samuel Blenkin) arrive at the titular loch to produce a documentary on a local phenomenon when they’re redirected toward a more salacious subject that dredges up Loch Henry’s darkest secrets.

Season 6’s meta-critiques of streaming services continue as “Loch Henry” directly confronts the ethics of true crime content. Pia and Davis’ efforts to create a true crime documentary lead them to resurrect a local bar’s business while confronting Loch Henry’s brutal history — a situation that causes deep distress for Davis and the elderly bar owner (John Hannah). 

The episode critiques true crime entertainment through the duplicitous “Streamberry” executive that compares the Loch Henry case to the more marketable Ted Bundy, as well as the insensitive Pia, who decides to push for the murder story despite her boyfriend’s pleading not to. When disaster strikes in true “Black Mirror” fashion, the show makes the culprit clear.

However, ideological clarity does not immediately equal quality, and the episode’s attempts to subvert expectations and generate a mysterious atmosphere end up feeling boring and unfulfilling. Showing the behind-the-scenes perspective of the production doesn’t make the true crime story feel any more novel, and this coupling doesn’t generate much more than boredom.

1.5 generic true crime series out of 5

BEYOND THE SEA

“Beyond the Sea” tells the story of two astronauts, Cliff (Aaron Paul) and David (Josh Hartnett) as a horrific tragedy on Earth derails their space mission during an alternate 1969.

A well-told story about the emotional realities that can emerge from unforeseen calamities, the episode allows its characters to gradually develop over its 80-minute runtime. Aside from the inciting brutal crime and the usual “Black Mirror” destination, the astronauts and their loved ones deal with difficult decisions and unavoidable truths about themselves, with brilliant supporting performances from Kate Mara as Cliff’s wife, Lana, and Rory Culkin as Kappa, the homicidal Charles Manson stand-in who sets the tragic chain of events in motion.

Watching the characters slowly confront their greatest hidden fears feels compelling because of the attention paid to the small details of their plight, with each moment of unease and discomfort curdling into chilling horror born from detailed character dynamics unfurling subtly yet skillfully.

Getting too specific with “Beyond the Sea” would rob it of its complex, surprising secrets. By returning to the twisted yet simple character study style of older “Black Mirror” episodes, “Beyond the Sea” manages to come out ahead of its more theoretically innovative but flawed fellow episodes in Season 6.

4 space-goop dinners out of 5

MAZEY DAY

“Mazey Day” follows Bo (Zazie Beetz), a money-desperate retired paparazzo who decides to take on a lucrative job photographing troubled movie star Mazey Day (Clara Rugaard) after she abruptly disappears from the public eye.

Easily the weakest episode of Season 6, so little of note happens that the actual “Black Mirror” element, an ill-fitting supernatural component that doesn’t mesh with the show’s spirit, is only introduced in the final 11 minutes after the audience has presumably been bored to sleep by the episode’s trite story and excessively cynical characterization. The climax throws in some quick, brutal action at the finish line, but it moves too quickly for the twist to register as anything besides a cheap, cynical final note.

Nearly the entire runtime splits focus between two storylines: Bo’s investigative pursuit of Mazey and the barely contained vitriol that the “Black Mirror” writers spit at the paparazzi. The former lacks the detail and urgency necessary to keep an audience invested, and the latter relies on dated, one-dimensional caricatures of the paparazzi that result in off-the-mark, obnoxious satire.

0.5 sham journalists out of 5

DEMON 79

“Demon 79” follows Nida (Anjana Vasan), an Indian-British department store clerk surrounded by racist British nationalism in 1979, who finds herself compelled by the demon Gaap (Paapa Essiedu) to commit three murders in three days to prevent the apocalypse.

Aside from a quick but crucial reference to other “Black Mirror” episodes in the latter half of the episode, “Demon 79” leans into only a very grounded supernatural element that provides a very blunt jumping-off point to catalyze Nida’s fury against her prejudiced neighbors. This allows the episode to dig directly into the histories of racist and fascist organizations in Britain that have been downplayed by history. 

Simultaneously, Nida and Gaap’s uncomfortable partnership takes center stage, and their banter while accumulating murders is charming. Their chemistry leads to great contrast in scenes when Nida is confronted by characters like Michael Smart (David Shields), a populist politician whose charming facade hides a truly demonic hatred for immigrants.

As Nida’s growing rage toward her neighbors clashes with her guilt over the killings, her urgency will leave the audience invested even when the apocalyptic threat isn’t being pushed into her face. These ingredients give “Demon 79” a strong dramatic and agreeable propulsion. For the second time in Season 6, “Black Mirror” proves that less is more, and these character dramas with inflections of genre elements allow the show to truly shine.

4 bashed skulls out of 5