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Black Mirror
S1.E1
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IMDbPro

The National Anthem

  • Episode aired Dec 4, 2011
  • TV-MA
  • 44m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
55K
YOUR RATING
Lydia Wilson in Black Mirror (2011)
DramaMysterySci-Fi

Prime Minister Michael Callow faces a shocking dilemma when Princess Susannah, a much-loved member of the Royal Family, is kidnapped.Prime Minister Michael Callow faces a shocking dilemma when Princess Susannah, a much-loved member of the Royal Family, is kidnapped.Prime Minister Michael Callow faces a shocking dilemma when Princess Susannah, a much-loved member of the Royal Family, is kidnapped.

  • Director
    • Otto Bathurst
  • Writer
    • Charlie Brooker
  • Stars
    • Rory Kinnear
    • Lindsay Duncan
    • Donald Sumpter
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    55K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Otto Bathurst
    • Writer
      • Charlie Brooker
    • Stars
      • Rory Kinnear
      • Lindsay Duncan
      • Donald Sumpter
    • 150User reviews
    • 32Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos25

    Rory Kinnear in Black Mirror (2011)
    Lydia Wilson in Black Mirror (2011)
    Lydia Wilson in Black Mirror (2011)
    Lindsay Duncan, Tom Goodman-Hill, Donald Sumpter, Patrick Kennedy, and Rory Kinnear in Black Mirror (2011)
    Johann Myers, Alex Macqueen, and Justin Edwards in Black Mirror (2011)
    Johann Myers in Black Mirror (2011)
    Alex Macqueen in Black Mirror (2011)
    Anna Wilson-Jones and Rory Kinnear in Black Mirror (2011)
    Rory Kinnear in Black Mirror (2011)
    Anna Wilson-Jones in Black Mirror (2011)
    Lindsay Duncan in Black Mirror (2011)
    Lindsay Duncan and Rory Kinnear in Black Mirror (2011)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Rory Kinnear
    Rory Kinnear
    • Michael Callow
    Lindsay Duncan
    Lindsay Duncan
    • Alex Cairns
    Donald Sumpter
    Donald Sumpter
    • Julian Hereford
    Tom Goodman-Hill
    Tom Goodman-Hill
    • Tom Bilce
    Anna Wilson-Jones
    Anna Wilson-Jones
    • Jane Callow
    Patrick Kennedy
    Patrick Kennedy
    • Section Chief Walker
    Alastair Mackenzie
    Alastair Mackenzie
    • Martin
    Chetna Pandya
    Chetna Pandya
    • Malaika
    Alex Macqueen
    Alex Macqueen
    • Special Agent Callett
    • (as Alex MacQueen)
    Jay Simpson
    Jay Simpson
    • Rod Senseless
    Helen Fospero
    • Lucinda Towne
    Lydia Wilson
    Lydia Wilson
    • Princess Susannah
    Sophie Kennedy Clark
    Sophie Kennedy Clark
    • Lauren
    Andrew Knott
    Andrew Knott
    • Brian
    Allen Leech
    Allen Leech
    • Pike
    Johann Myers
    Johann Myers
    • Noel
    Sophie Wu
    Sophie Wu
    • Jamie
    Rakie Ayola
    Rakie Ayola
    • Shelly
    • Director
      • Otto Bathurst
    • Writer
      • Charlie Brooker
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This episode became the subject of discussion when, in September 2015, then-current Prime Minister David Cameron was alleged to have placed his penis into the mouth of a dead pig as part of a university initiation rite (with even some of the hashtags seen in this episode being used).
    • Goofs
      In the opening scene, a telephone rings with the single tone used in North America; British phones ring with a double tone.
    • Quotes

      Malaika: It's like 911's happened, and we're broadcasting sandwich recipes.

      Pike: We're not a chat room.

      Jack: [entering] It's on CNN. And Fox. And MSNBC, Al Jazeera, NHK...

      Pike: All right! Oh, God, this planet!

    • Connections
      Featured in Screenwipe: 2015 Wipe (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      Organum
      By Max Richter

      From "The Blue Notebooks"

    User reviews150

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    The psych of a human
    Well it's astonishing all the negative review. And yet they watched it all to the end. And that's what this episode is about. We humans feel drawn to the forbidden, the unspeakable. And this episode just showed that. It's not a masterpiece of filming. But the story catches the humane nature perfectly. What happens when you pass an accident? yea right...you don't look??? seriously? We all look and try to get a glimpse. We just can't help ourselves. We are a race with a high curiosity level.

    So in that respect... it is an episode to look deep down in ourselves and find out if we can be honest with ourselves.
    helpful•79
    35
    • tibidor
    • Sep 24, 2017

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 4, 2011 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Netflix
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Chesham Broadway, Chesham, England, UK(One of the "empty street" senes)
    • Production companies
      • Zeppotron
      • Channel 4 Television Corporation
      • Babieka
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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    Lydia Wilson in Black Mirror (2011)
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