Black Mirror Season 7 Delivers the Best Episode in Years!

Is “Common People” the best BLACK MIRROR Season 7 episode? Oh yes, it very easily could be argued that it is. Not least due to its all-too-realistic elements. In fact, it might be the best Black Mirror episode in years. Find out why that’s the case here…

Could the best Black Mirror Season 7 episode really be the very first one? Well, if you’ve just finished binge-watching Black Mirror Season 7, and you’re still reeling, you’re not alone. This season delivered some strong contenders, but one episode stands out: “Common People”.

This episode isn’t just Black Mirror storytelling at its best. It’s timely. And it is haunting. Also, it’s hitting a nerve with just about everyone trying to survive in a world of soaring costs. Not least when it comes to healthcare.

Let’s dive into what makes “Common People” the best episode of Season 7 – and arguably one of the most socially relevant Black Mirror episodes ever made.

Why Does the “Common People” Episode Hit So Hard in 2025?

It’s not just the storytelling that makes “Common People” the standout episode of the season. For me, it’s how deeply rooted it is in the reality we’re living in right now. 

With healthcare costs in the U.S. still skyrocketing and more decisions constantly being outsourced to AI and algorithms, this episode lands like a gut punch. Black Mirror takes the use of AI, crazy subscription tiers, and the constantly increasing cost of living that logical step further.

The show’s creator, Charlie Brooker, has always been sharp with satire, but “Common People” feels more like a warning shot than fiction. It asks the brutally relevant question: What happens when basic human rights become luxury services?

And let’s be honest—if you’ve ever skipped a medical visit because of cost, or waited to buy medication until your next paycheck, this episode hits home.

That is why “Common People” is the best Black Mirror Season 7 episode.

Recap of “Common People” (Spoiler Warning)

“Common People” is the standout episode of Black Mirror Season 7. Let’s dive into why it’s the best of the season – and even among the very best of the entire anthology series. Especially given how it hits hard in today’s world of rising healthcare costs.

We meet the sweet school teacher, Amanda (Rashida Jones), just living her life and hoping to get pregnant with her loving husband, Mike (Chris O’Dowd). They’ve been married for a while and have been unsuccessful in adding to their family, but they remain hopeful.

All of that changes when Amanda collapses at work and falls into a coma. The prognosis is dire: Amanda has a brain tumor and might never wake up again.

The high-tech miracle of “Common People”

However, in sweeps Gaynor (Tracee Ellis Ross) with what sounds like a miracle. A new technological start-up called Riverside can copy the affected part of her brain and upload it to the cloud.

The tumor-riddled part of her brain will then be removed and replaced with high-tech matter, replacing the actual brain tissue. This tech-brain matter can receive her brain data from the cloud, and she will be as good as new.

Sure, it’s experimental and hasn’t rolled out everywhere, so there are limitations. However, the operation is free, and they “only” have to pay a monthly subscription for her to keep access to her brain in the cloud.

They agree, and Amanda wakes up feeling like herself. Finding the extra money for the monthly subscription isn’t easy. Mike is constantly working extra shifts and doing overtime, but he can hardly make ends meet.

Time for an upgrade?

Amanda needs to sleep more than before her brain was partially replaced with the high-tech brain matter. Again, this is something you can live with.

But then something new happens that you cannot live with: Commercials begin playing directly from Amanda. Suddenly, she becomes a real-life spokesperson for whatever product seems to fit the situation.

Only Amanda has no idea it’s happening.

They go back to see Gaynor at Riverside. It turns out there’s a new and improved subscription tier. However, Amanda is on the “Common” tier, which now includes commercials. They simply need to upgrade in order to avoid commercials.

On the upside, they can travel further geographically as well. Of course, there’s a price. And it’s quite steep. Also, it’s on top of their existing subscription fee.

Mike wants what’s best for his wife, so he agrees to the upgrade, and all is well.

For a while.

The subscription nightmare

As time passes, it seems that Amanda needs to sleep more and more. A lot more. Back to Riverside yet again, and – surprise, surprise – there’s yet another new tier in the subscription model. Now, they need to upgrade again to allow Amanda to be awake more.

With the latest tier, you can also choose your own mood and certain abilities. Essentially making you a sort of superhuman. This is due to drawing on the intellect, talent, and downright brainpower of everyone else in the program.

This latest super luxury tier is even more expensive, and it is impossible for them to manage. However, they can also buy just a little time. By the minute, hour, or day. This is cheaper, and you just buy the time on what looks like a calling card.

You then scratch to reveal a QR code, so when Amanda looks at the code, her eye scans it, and the effect is immediate. It’s amazing and wonderful, but also ridiculously expensive. To help out, Mike goes onto an online service where people pay you to do stupid stuff.

Ending of the “Common People” Black Mirror episode explained

After going on the website where people do stupid stuff, one of Mike’s idiotic colleagues at work reveals this side hustle. He gets into a fight with the same co-worker and loses his job. Of course, this means they can only afford (barely!) the common tier at Riverside now.

Eventually, Amanda is sleeping constantly or doing commercials. Mike, meanwhile, is pulling out teeth online for strangers. All to buy her luxury minutes when possible.

In the end, when Amanda has a moment of being awake and clear-minded, thanks to the luxury minutes Mike has saved up for, Amanda says it’s over.

She wants to give up and needs Mike to help her. She asks him to do it when she “isn’t there,” which means during a commercial break. He agrees, and almost immediately after the luxury minutes end, she starts a commercial.

Mike smothers his beloved wife with a pillow and then goes to his computer with a box cutter in his hand. It seems he was able to afford those final luxury minutes for Amanda cause he made a deal to slit his own throat on camera for some idiot’s enjoyment.

Why “Common People” Is the Best Episode of Black Mirror Season 7

Among all the episodes in Season 7, “Common People” is not just great storytelling; it’s a masterclass in social commentary.

Is the Black Mirror healthcare episode of Season 7 fiction or simply foreshadowing? One could easily argue that it’s the latter.

Here are a few reasons why:

• The “Common People” episode taps directly into 2025’s biggest anxieties, especially around rising healthcare costs.

• Black Mirror explores how technology and class intersect, leaving vulnerable people behind.

• It gives us a clear and chilling explanation of how tech can be weaponized against the poor.

In short, all these reasons make “Common People” the best episode of Black Mirror Season 7. It delivers on every single level: Story, relevance, emotional impact, and unforgettable themes.

Watch the best Black Mirror season 7 episode on Netflix now

While I’ve focused on the “Common People” episode in this feature, all episodes in season 7 of Black Mirror are amazing. In our full review of the season, not one episode was rated under 4 out of 5.

As a whole, Black Mirror Season 7 was given a top rating of 5 out of 5.

Still, we wanted to give “Common People” more of a platform. It isn’t just the best episode of Black Mirror Season 7, it’s a powerful piece of cultural critique.

Sure, it’s science fiction, but barely in any way except that “brain in the cloud” idea. And that’s the miracle and positivity in the episode. All the nightmarish elements are very much current in our world today.

“Common People” forces us to ask uncomfortable questions about value, identity, and the cost of survival in a system that’s constantly monetizing existence. If you only watch one episode from Black Mirror Season 7, then make it this one.