Claim: Black Mirror was announced on Channel 4.

Black Mirror is a British science fiction television anthology series created by Charlie Brooker and centred around dark and satirical themes that examine modern society , particularly with regard to the unanticipated consequences of new technologies . Episodes are standalone works , usually set in an alternative present or the near future . The show was first broadcast on the British Channel 4 , in 2011 . In September 2015 , Netflix commissioned a third season of 12 episodes . The commissioned episodes were later divided into two seasons of six episodes ; the third season was released on Netflix worldwide on 21 October 2016 .   Regarding the programme 's content and structure , Brooker noted , `` each episode has a different cast , a different setting , even a different reality . But they 're all about the way we live now -- and the way we might be living in 10 minutes ' time if we 're clumsy . '' The series has received critical acclaim and has seen an increase in interest internationally -LRB- particularly in the US -RRB- after being added to Netflix .