Black Mirror 7 episode 5 review: What if AI could help us revisit the past with a new perspective?

Black Mirror season 7 fifth episode explores and deep dives into how AI can also be used for something good like helping us heal instead of simply haunting us.

Every time there’s a conversation about technology stealing lives, jobs, or even reality itself, there’s always a counterpoint: that humanity has consistently adapted to each new wave of innovation, evolving not in spite of tech, but alongside it. That’s a comforting thought that maybe, just maybe, the future isn’t as grim as it sometimes feels. In the right hands, technology doesn’t have to be cold or destructive, it can be healing, even tender. It’s rare for Black Mirror, a show known for its bleak dystopian visions, to offer that kind of emotional reprieve. But when it does, it becomes quietly powerful. Episode 5 of Season 7, titled Eulogy, is one such moment - a surprisingly tender story about memory, regret, and emotional healing through the lens of futuristic technology.

The episode centers on Philip, a man who has settled into a quiet, angry old age, only to receive devastating news: Carol, the woman he once loved deeply, has passed away. The announcement comes not as a traditional obituary, but as a request - to contribute his memories to a digital archive of Carol’s life, curated by an AI that allows people to experience her again through the perspectives of those who knew her. At first, Philip resists. He claims to barely remember their decades-old relationship. But when he finally gives in, a drone arrives with a small device called a Nubbin, which enables immersive VR experiences. It scans old photographs and transports users into 3D recreations of the captured moments. Guided by an AI assistant, Philip begins revisiting the past - photos with burned edges, scenes with cut-out faces - all remnants of a heartbreak he never fully processed.

The visual storytelling is stunning. Each memory Philip steps into is styled with the grainy textures of old photographs and tinged with the bittersweet warmth of nostalgia. Unclear elements like Carol’s face are pixelated, waiting for Philip’s memory to fill in the blanks of cut out or cigarette burned pictures. As Paul Giamatti’s voice gently narrates, we walk with Philip through the ruins of his love: the party where they met, the night they first connected, and the painful dinner where it all fell apart. If you’ve ever gone deep into your camera roll or flipped through old photo albums, you’ll recognize the sensation - the mix of longing, warmth, and regret that bubbles up when you realize your life was unfolding, even when you didn’t know it.

Also Read: Black Mirror 7 episode 4 review: Will we evolve with AI or let it take over us?

But Eulogy doesn’t just use tech to relive the past. It uses it to reshape it not by rewriting events, but by giving Philip a new lens through which to see them. With the help of AI (which is eventually revealed to be a digital projection of Carol’s daughter), he revisits scenes with a deeper emotional maturity. He sees not just what happened, but what he missed - Carol’s final letter, her silent grief, the love she still held even when things fell apart. The heartbreak lies not only in the lost love but in the selective nature of memory. Philip’s bitterness and pride had eclipsed Carol’s emotions. He never considered her side. But as the AI gently guides him through those memories, his jealousy, his dominance, and his anger fall away and he finally sees Carol’s truth. Though he can’t change the past, he can honor it. In the final scene, Philip listens to a cello piece Carol once composed. In that moment, he doesn’t dwell on what was lost. He lets himself feel the fullness of her joy, her presence. It becomes her eulogy, not just spoken, but felt. A farewell shaped not by regret, but by peace.

Eulogy asks a profound question: can technology help us heal? Can it soothe the sting of self-reflection, cut through the noise of our egos, and help us grow into more empathetic versions of ourselves? In Philip’s case, the answer is yes. He may not have gotten a second chance with Carol, but he did gain the clarity to grieve her with honesty and love. And if that’s what AI can offer - to help us confront the past, learn from it, and say goodbye with grace - then maybe, just maybe, it’s the most human use of technology we’ve seen just as this is probably the best episode of the season yet! 

Black Mirror season 7 is currently streaming on Netflix! 

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