Black Mirror has undeniably gained considerable popularity in the last 2 years, benefitting from Netflix injecting a healthy dose of money and production power into a previously understated British gem. The power of the show is down to the consistent quality of stories, but this has begun to devolve slightly with the arrival of the American audience. There is no doubt more quality stories may be on the way, but there is certainly a fear that executive decisions may end up harming this television treasure.

The best of the show is undeniably in the first 2 seasons (when Charlie Brooker was at the helm); this was when Black Mirror wholeheartedly embraced the bleakness of its stories, each one a tormented glance at a future better off avoiding. A personal favourite, "The Entire History of You" is a prime example - unrelenting, thought provoking and disturbingly real. Part of the charm is also the continuous employment of lesser-known British actors, many of whom have gone onto many bigger things following having shown their qualities (such as Domhnall Gleeson and Daniel Kaluuya).

Since Netflix obtained the rights to the show, some of this quality has lapsed from time to time: misfire episodes were more common in seasons 3 and 4, alongside a sincere lack of despair usually portrayed in the show. No doubt there were still some strong showings ("Shut Up and Dance" is another good episode), but these were diluted by the presence of tame episodes like "San Junipero" and "Metalhead". This also correlated with the use of more and more famous actors (such as Dallas Bryce Howard and Jimmi Simpson), which to me signifies a weaker story propped up by bigger names.

As eager as I am for the new season to be released, there is certainly an air of apprehension: seeing Anthony Mackie and Miley Cyrus in the trailers screams overcompensation, alongside the clear budget raise each episode is displaying already. We can only hope that the episodes this coming season have not been sterilised for the mass market, and still hold the gravity that made this show great.