SEATTLE — Season 6 of “Black Mirror” marks a departure from the series’ modern tech horror themes and takes viewers on more unexpected rides than ever.
The anthology show features five new episodes starring an array of familiar faces.
Episode one is titled “Joan is Awful,” and stars Annie Murphy as the title role – an average woman who's shocked to see her real life playing out on a streaming channel with Salma Hayek in the starring role.
Murphy said in some ways, she can relate.
"I just kind of consistently at this point feel like nothing is real and that I'm living in a simulation - like, what?" she said, laughing.
The episode is the first comedy edition of the show.
"They're very creepy, the episodes - fascinatingly creepy. They're not known for super funny,” Hayek Pinault said. “Except ours."
Episode 3 offers a distinctly different kind of tone – dark, suspenseful and devastating.
Kate Mara, Aaron Paul and Josh Hartnett star in a chilling period piece called “Beyond the Sea.” Set in an alternative 1969 reality, it follows two astronauts on a 6-year space mission who can only contact their families on earth through avatars.
The isolation and loneliness reflect universal feelings during the pandemic lockdown.
"I found it relatively easy to understand what (my character) was feeling because I rely so intensely on my family,” Mara said.
Hartnett added, "The isolation part is something I think we all understand now. I find that this particular story is so much about loneliness and loss of love and the idea of hope being kind of banished."
Episode four takes yet another turn, adding a thriller to the mix.
Set roughly 20 years ago, it's about a young actress named Mazey Day who’s involved in a hit and run - when celebrity culture was driven by aggressive paparazzi rather than Instagram.
"It has changed it, but I think it's changed it into an obsession with a curated image,” said Zazie Beetz, who plays a photographer. "I think the idea of what a super star is has broken down in the last 20 years."
As is true in all of season 6, expect the unexpected in episode four. But every short film does have a constant - they're all black mirrors, reflecting the dark sides of humanity. And that may be exactly why audiences keep watching.
"Even most of the time it is harsh truths, but it's still truth,” said Clara Rugaard, who plays Mazey. “And I think people want truth."
All seasons of “Black Mirror” are now streaming on Netflix.
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