Best Easter eggs in Black Mirror Season 7

Black Mirror is a sci-fi series known for nods and winks to previous episodes, and Season 7 is no different, so these are the best Easter eggs we found across the new instalments.

Although Season 7 of Black Mirror features the first sequel episode via ‘USS Callister: Into Infinity’, the Netflix series usually follows the anthology format, with each instalment a standalone story.

But Black Mirror creator/mastermind Charlie Brooker clearly likes details and references to connect episodes, with Season 6 filled with fun Easter eggs for eagle-eyed viewers to spot.

Season 7 also has its fair share of callbacks, so the following are the best of the bunch, which we’ll add to as-and-when we spot more. So be warned, there are SPOILERS ahead…

Episode 1: Common People

Autonomous Drone Insects

At the start of the Episode 1 – when teacher Amanda is addressing her classroom of kids – she asks: “Does anyone know how autonomous drone insects help with flowers?” Amanda then explains that “the ADIs buzz from flower to flower and spread pollen, which is the same way organic bees used to.”

They’re the same ADIs that were introduced during Season 3 episode ‘Hated in the Nation’ where it’s revealed that the drones were created to replace bees, but also used for government surveillance, and as a deadly weapon.

‘Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)’

Amanda and Mike spend their anniversary at a hotel, where the evening entertainment is a singing duo who tackle the song ‘Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand),’ a 1964 classic that was written by Jeannie Seely and Randy Newman, and originally performed by Irma Thomas.

It’s also a major Black Mirror Easter egg, first appearing in Season 1 episode ‘Fifteen Million Merits,’ and then popping up in the likes of ‘White Christmas,’ ‘Men Against Fire,’ ‘Crocodile,’ ‘Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too,’ and ‘Joan is Awful.’

Charlier Brooker previously told The Wrap: “It was originally selected for [‘Fifteen Million Merits’] because it has the sound of a timeless haunting classic, yet wouldn’t be familiar to most viewers.” Producer Annabel Jones added that Brooker “liked the idea of nesting all the episodes together in an artistic universe of sorts.”

Episode 2: Bête Noire

Barnies v Bernies

Episode 2 revolves around gaslighting, with Verity tormenting former bully Maria by changing her reality with a remote control, so that everything Maria believes to be fact suddenly becomes fiction. For example, in Monica’s world, she has a nut allergy. But once Verity clicks her control, nut allergies don’t exist, and no one has heard of them.

It’s like a very personal ‘Mandela Effect,’ and one of the early examples in the episode is also a callback. Maria’s boyfriend used to work for a chicken restaurant called ‘Barnies’ and he still wears the outlet’s cap. But once Verity has done her thing, it becomes ‘Bernies,’ much to Maria’s confusion and frustration.

The connection? Kenny in Season 3 episode ‘Shut Up and Dance’ works at a Barnies.

Episode 3: Hotel Reverie

There’s lots of interconnectivity in the ‘Hotel Reverie’ episode to previous episodes, as well as the rest of Season 7:

• Netflix knockoff ‘Streamberry’ appears here, having been introduced in Season 6 episode ‘Joan is Awful’
• Brandy lives on Junipero Drive, a reference to Season 3 episode ‘San Junipero’
• A poster for a film called ‘The White Bear’ hangs in the movie studio, which is also the name of a Season 2 episode
• A tech guy from Redream is wearing a ‘Space Fleet’ t-shirt, which is the fictional show in the two ‘USS Callister’ episodes.
• Space Fleet also appears briefly as part of an explainer video that pops up when Brandy is researching Dorothy
• A ‘Demon79’ video also pops up here, which was the title of a Season 6 episode

Episode 4: Plaything

Bandersnatch

Plaything is less a sequel to interactive Black Mirror movie ‘Bandersnatch,’ and more a spinoff that plays out in the same universe, via two of the same characters.

Will Poulter once again plays genius game designer Colin Ritman, who still works at software company Tuckersoft. And Asim Chaudry is back as Mohan Thakur, the owner of said company. But that isn’t where the Easter eggs end:

• Lump offers Cameron LSD in ‘Plaything,’ just as Colin did with Stefan in ‘Bandersnatch’
• Cameron has a ‘Space Fleet’ poster on his wall, which is a callback and forward to the USS Callisters
• Cameron also has a ‘Striking Vipers II’ poster, which is the name of a Season 5 episode and video game therein

Episode 6: USS Callister Into Infinity

USS Callister

Into Infinity is the first Black Mirror sequel, so the entire episode features callbacks, references, details, and nods to the first ‘USS Callister,’ which was the acclaimed and award-winning Episode 1 of Season 4. Here are a few of our faves:

• Nida Huq and Gaap from ‘Demon 79’ appear as gamers in the final scene
• Nanette is treated at the St. Juniper hospital, which harks back to the aforementioned ‘San Junipero’ episode
• On the USN news broadcast at the end of the episode, there are references to the Hotel Reverie reboot hitting Streamberry (Season 7 Episode 3), Thronglets 2 launching to critical acclaim (Season 7 Episode 4), the Rivermind CEO stepping down (Series 7 Episode 1), and the former UK PM Michael Callow entering Celebrity Vet School (Series 1 Episode 1). There’s also “mysterious talisman found in plane wreckage” which could be another reference to ‘Demon 79’

Black Mirror Season 7 is now streaming on Netflix. For more on the show, here’s why Severance fans should watch this specific episode, plus news of Black Mirror sending TCKR Systems’ Nubbin to influencers on TikTok. For more great television, check out the best new TV shows to watch this month.