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18 Black Mirror Season 7 Easter Eggs & References To New & Old Episodes
Warning! This article contains spoilers for Black Mirror season 7.
Black Mirror season 7, like its predecessors, is jampacked with many subtle and clear references to other installments in the series that draw attention to the show’s recurring themes and interconnected universes. In the sci-fi genre, Black Mirror has etched its identity as an experimental anthology series because it dares to introduce a bizarre set of technologies with each episode to highlight humanity’s toxic relationship with innovation and obsession with control. Owing to this approach, the Netflix sci-fi TV show‘s episodes usually have a standalone narrative.
The only exception to this rule has been “USS Callister,” which is the first Black Mirror episode to get a sequel installment in season 7. Although no other episodes have gotten follow-ups, sequels, or even spin-offs, they often seem to cross-reference one another in more ways than one. Instead of ending this trend, season 7 seems to double down on it, weaving many deliberate nods and Easter eggs that connect its episodes with many previous ones.
18
Amanda Mentions Autonomous Bees From “Hated In The Nation”
Episode 1, “Common People”
Rashida Jones’ Amanda in Black Mirror season 7’s episode 1, “Common People,” is portrayed as a school teacher. During one of her lessons, she briefly talks about autonomous bees, which seems to be a direct reference to season 3’s final episode, “Hated In The Nation.” In the episode, Autonomous Drone Insects (ADIs) are deployed to counter environmental catastrophe after bees nearly reach extinction. This reference to the episode has prompted many viewers to theorize that Amanda’s brain tumor was also likely caused by a bee getting lodged in her brain.
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The high-tech synthetic brain system in “Common People” can only be installed in those with severe brain injuries. Since the whole process of tracking down individuals with brain injuries and then pitching them to technology would not be too cost-effective, it is possible that the autonomous bees from “Hated in the Nation” were used to attack the brains of several individuals. The people with damaged brains were then manipulated into paying for the subscription model of the synthetic brain technology.
17
Amanda & Mike Visit The Juniper
Episode 1, “Common People”
Amanda and Mike’s favorite restaurant in Black Mirror‘s “Common People” episode is The Juniper. While this could purely be coincidental, the restaurant’s name seems a little too similar to the title of one of Black Mirror‘s most highly acclaimed episodes, “San Junipero.”
16
A Theater Plays “Hotel Reverie”
Episode 1, “Common People”
“Hotel Reverie” serves as the third episode in Black Mirror season 7. The episode primarily revolves around an actor who stars in a remake of a classic romance movie by acting in an AI-simulated reality. Eagle-eyed viewers might have noticed that Amanda and Mike drive past a theater in episode 1, which seems to be playing the movie “Hotel Reverie” from episode 3.
15
“Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)” Has Been Used In Many Episodes
Episode 1, “Common People”
When Amanda and Mike visit The Juniper in episode 1, they find a couple singing Irma Thomas’s “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is” live. This is not the first time Black Mirror has featured this song. Before “Common People,” many episodes like “Joan is Awful,” “Men Against Fire,” and “White Christmas” have also played the same track in different capacities as their background scores.
14
“Ditta” Is A Recurring Name
Episode 1, “Common People”
Amanda promotes the honey candies from a company called Ditta in episode 1. In Black Mirror season 7’s episode 2, “Bête Noire,” Ditta turns out to be the company Maria works in. Even a vending machine in the hospital where Amanda is later admitted has the brand’s name imprinted on it, establishing a clear connection between episodes 1 and 2’s narratives.
13
A Tuckersoft Building Can Be Seen Near Ditta
Episode 2, “Bête Noire”
In Black Mirror‘s spin-off choose-your-own-adventure movie, Bandersnatch, a company called Tuckersoft was featured. The same company has also been previously mentioned several times in passing throughout the series. Season 7’s episode 2 clearly features the company’s building, establishing that both Tuckersoft and Ditta exist in the same universe.
12
WayHaven Travel Hotel Is Briefly Displayed
Episode 2, “Bête Noire”
Black Mirror season 7’s episode 2 gives a glimpse of Verity’s work experience by featuring her LinkedIn profile for a few seconds. Her career background reveals she also worked at WayHaven Travel hotel, which was mentioned in Black Mirror season 3’s episode 3, “Shut Up and Dance.”
11
Bernie’s Chicken Gets A Mandela Effect Name Change
Episode 2, “Bête Noire”
Bernie’s Chicken, a restaurant chain, has been mentioned in several Black Mirror episodes: “Joan is Awful,” Shut Up and Dance,” “White Christmas,” and “Metal Head.” In season 7’s episode 2, Verity intentionally shifts her reality to alter the restaurant’s name to “Barnies” just to be able to win a debate about its spelling in her office.
10
Joan Is Awful’s Quantum Computing Device Gets A Nod
Episode 2, “Bête Noire”
Towards the ending moments of “Bête Noire,” Verity claims to have used a “quantum compiler” to be able to shift realities. The device she refers to seems to be the same quantum computing device that Streamberry uses on the titular character in “Joan is Awful.”
9
A Character Dons A Space Fleet T-Shirt
Episode 3, “Hotel Reverie”
A worker in the control room of the central movie in “Hotel Reverie” seems to be wearing a Space Fleet t-shirt. Space Fleet is a fictional TV series in the Black Mirror universe that inspired Jesse Plemon’s Robert Daly to create the central video game in “USS Callister.” Robert also dons a Space Fleet t-shirt when Nanette encounters him at the Heart of Infinity in Black Mirror season 7’s “USS Callister: Into Infinity.”
8
Hotel Reverie Reborn Streams On Streamberry
Episode 3, “Hotel Reverie”
The titular movie from Black Mirror season 7’s episode 3, Hotel Reverie Reborn, ends up releasing on the fictional streaming platform, Streamberry. Streamberry was introduced in Black Mirror season 6’s episode 1, “Joan Is Awful.” The Netflix sci-fi show also later featured it again in season 6’s “Loch Henry” episode, in which a documentary created by the main character ended up on the fictional streamer.
7
Loch Henry’s Pia Gets Namedropped
Episode 3, “Hotel Reverie”
Filmmaker Pia meets a harrowing fate toward the ending moments of Black Mirror season 6’s “Loch Henry” episode. “Hotel Reverie” drops a hidden reference to her characterization by showing how Brandy watches a video uploaded on Pia’s official YouTube channel.
6
Tuckersoft Pulls Many A String In The Black Mirror Universe
Episode 3, “Hotel Reverie”
Tuckersoft, also written as “TCKR,” has been established as the electronics manufacturing company in several Black Mirror installments, like “Bandersnatch,” “Playtest,” and “San Junipero.” Even in season 7’s episode 3, the company is revealed to be the creator of the computers that are used to develop the titular film.
5
Brandy Receives A “Junipero” Package
Episode 3, “Hotel Reverie”
Kimmy sends a package to Brandy at her home in Black Mirror season 7’s episode 3. The package explicitly mentions Brandy’s home address as “Junipero Drive.” This becomes another solid callback to the show’s renowned “San Junipero” episode.
4
Posters To Many In-Universe Games Can Be Spotted
Episode 4, “Plaything”
Since “Plaything” serves as a loose follow-up to Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, it features many elements from the movie, including Will Poluter’s Colin Ritman and the overarching Tuckersoft company.
The episode also shows a poster of Bandersnatch II, hinting at how the sequel of the dark game from the choose-your-own-adventure movie is in development at Tuckersoft. Similarly, a poster of Striking Vipers II also briefly appears on a wall, which serves as the sequel to the game Anthony Mackie’s character plays in Black Mirror season 5’s episode 1.
3
The Company That Developed The Playtest Game Gets A Nod
Episode 6, “USS Callister: Into Infinity”
When Nanette meets Jesse Plemons’ Daly again in the Heart of Infinity, he is surrounded by Space Fleet merchandise, which inspires him to keep developing his game. A closer look at one of his racks, however, reveals a box with the name “SaitoGemu.“ This happens to be the same company that tests its dangerous immersive gaming technology on American globetrotter, Cooper, in Black Mirror season 3’s episode 2, “Playtest.”
2
Nanette Ends Up In The St. Juniper Hospital
Episode 6, “USS Callister: Into Infinity”
After Daly traces down Nanette’s human version, he learns that she ended up in a hospital called St. Juniper after an accident. This continues the show’s trend of referring to the “San Junipero” episode through various fictional location names.
1
A News Ticker Refers To Many In-Universe Events
Episode 6, “USS Callister: Into Infinity”
The closing moments of “USS Callister: Into Infinity” feature a news channel’s screening on a television, which shows all the charges Walton’s human version has been arrested for. The news ticker at the bottom of the television screen during this sequence features a range of references to previous Black Mirror episodes. Some of them are as follows:
- Hotel Reverie’s official release announcement on Streamberry.
- The discovery of the talisman from “Demon 79.”
- PM Michael Callow (from “The National Anthem”) entering Celebrity Vet School.
- RiverMind CTO, from “Common People,” stepping down from their position.
