Anthony Mackie Was in the Best Episode of ‘Black Mirror’s Weakest Season

Every Black Mirror run has much to offer, but Season 5 is regarded as the series’ weakest outing by some fans. Yet within this collection emerged “Striking Vipers,” an episode that ventured into uncharted territory. Actor Anthony Mackie’s performance shone in what viewers consider the season’s best episode, setting the right tone for the narrative. Set to headline Peacock’s second season of Twisted Metal this July, Mackie is qualified to tackle challenging material.

Black Mirror

Release Date

December 4, 2011

Network

Channel 4, Netflix

Directors

Owen Harris, Toby Haynes, James Hawes, David Slade, Carl Tibbetts, Ally Pankiw, Bryn Higgins, Dan Trachtenberg, Euros Lyn, Jodie Foster, Joe Wright, John Hillcoat, Sam Miller, Tim Van Patten, Uta Briesewitz, Colm McCarthy, Jakob Verbruggen, James Watkins, John Crowley, Otto Bathurst, Anne Sewitsky, Brian Welsh

Writers

Jesse Armstrong

A Brief Look at Mackie’s Acting History

Universal

Debuting in Eminem’s 8 Mile (2002), Mackie has chalked up notable performances in Spike Lee’s She Hate Me (2004), Half Nelson (2006) alongside Ryan Gosling, and Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker (2008). However, it was his portrayal of Sam Wilson, aka Falcon, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that brought him widespread recognition. Starting with Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Mackie became a central figure in the franchise, eventually taking up the Captain America mantle. His range is vast, featuring in dramatic films like Detroit (2017) and the upcoming Twisted Metal series, where he plays John Doe in the post-apocalyptic video game adaptation premiering at the end of July.

Technology Wasn’t Always at the Forefront of Season 5

Netflix

In the largely underrated “Striking Vipers,” childhood friends Danny (Mackie) and Karl (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) reconnect through a virtual reality fighting game, similar to the late-’80s classic Street Fighter. Their nostalgic gaming sessions turn into something more intimate when they discover they can experience physical sensations through their avatars. Danny, trapped in suburban domesticity with his wife Theo (Nicole Beharie), finds himself drawn into this virtual relationship that challenges his understanding of himself and his marriage.

Through desire and companionship, “Striking Vipers” is a story about how technology might reshape human connections, building to a conclusion that attempts to reconcile virtual experiences with real-world relationships. As NME stated, “This is the most personal season of the show we’ve had yet, and in a time when the boundary between humanity and technology is narrower than ever, that’s not a bad thing at all.”

‘Black Mirror’ Season 5 Has Its Moments

Netflix

The rest of Black Mirror Season 5 may not have matched “Striking Vipers'” impact, but it offered two other productions, both with big stories to tell. Audience reviews were mixed, while critics felt the episodes didn’t reach their potential. In “Smithereens”, taxi driver Chris (Andrew Scott) takes on a social media giant in a drastic way to make his point. The Ringer stated, “It seems impossible for a show as creative as Black Mirror, with a lead actor as charismatic as Andrew Scott, to produce a boring episode of television. But that’s exactly the case with “Smithereens…”

If “Smithereens” looked at the dark side of social media, “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too” followed suit with the perils of the entertainment industry. When a robot doll is created in the shape of Ashley O (Miley Cyrus), the superstar’s existence is in danger. Like “Smithereens,” it had its plus points, but Mashable wanted the episode to probe deeper, sharing, “While ‘Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too’ does present fascinating central players and an unpredictable storyline, it barely scratches the surface of its own ideas.”

Peacock

Through Twisted Metal, Mackie continues his pattern of taking on genre projects across different mediums, this time rooted in gaming again. The Peacock series, based on the video game franchise, casts him as John Doe, an amnesiac milkman in a post-apocalyptic setting. Following John and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz), they compete in the Twisted Metal tournament, a deadly vehicular combat competition overseen by the untrustworthy Calypso (Anthony Carrigan).

Season 2 launches July 31, 2025, with an unconventional release pattern: three episodes initially, then twice-weekly drops until August 28. This structure aims to keep viewers hooked over an extended period. Whether Twisted Metal will match the cultural impact of Mackie’s Black Mirror appearance remains to be seen, but it’s another chance for the actor to lead a high-concept series.

You can view the original article HERE.