I watched James Nelson-Joyce in Black Mirror's 'Plaything' and it might be my favourite episode yet

I am a huge Black Mirror fan and, just four episodes into series seven, I think I’ve found one of my all-time favourites. Reviews from both critics and fans have been pouring in for the new season, with various publications ranking all six episodes from best to worst.

I’ve only seen a handful praising ‘Plaything’ - the fourth episode which stars Peter Capaldi, Lewis Gribbin, Will Poulter and James Nelson-Joyce - but I think it’s the best of the series and this is why (spoilers incoming).

‘Plaything’ sees an eccentric murder suspect - Cameron Walker - in London linked to an unusual video game from the 1990s - which hosts a society of digital life forms. Played by Peter Capaldi in the present day, Cameron is arrested for stealing alcohol.

Liverpool’s James Nelson-Joyce plays Detective Chief Inspective Kano, who interrogates Cameron and learns there’s a lot more to the introverted computer nerd than meets the eye. The episode goes back in time to 1994, where young Cameron - played by Lewis Gribbin - steals the game from Colin Ritman (Will Poulter).

He’s told that the software isn’t a ‘game’ but is actually home to living digital creatures - Thronglets - who need to be cared for to multiply. Cameron becomes obsessed with caring for the creatures and begins taking LSD every day to communicate with ‘the Throng’.

He buys the LSD off his friend and drug-dealer Lump (played by Wirral’s The Responder actor Josh Finan) but falls into a fit of rage when he finds out that Lump has massacred the creatures, believing the software to be a game.

Cameron then kills Lump and puts his dismembered body into a suitcase, vowing to regain the trust of the Throng and dedicate his life to them.

Sharing this story with Detective Kano and Psychologist Jen Minter in the present day - around 30 years later - Cameron keeps asking for a pen and paper so he can deliver a message from the Throng.

Detective Kano isn’t keen on giving into Cameron’s request but Minter believes if the pair act like they believe his story about digital life forms, he may give them more information about Lump’s murder.

The pair agree to provide him with the items, and he draws a QR code, which he holds up to a security camera in the interrogation room. Cameron reveals that he got himself arrested intentionally so he could breach the security firewall and give the Throng access to digital devices across the world.

Seconds later, Kano and Minter’s devices set off a loud noise and everyone begins to fall to the floor - apart from Cameron. The episode then ends.

While the episode’s ending leaves questions such as ‘what happens next’ and ‘are they dead’, I think it was a fantastic episode and I especially loved the return of Will Poulter’s character from Bandersnatch. I like to think that the Throng haven’t killed everyone in the world, but instead have been granted power to control them, though I’m unsure what they plan to do with that power.

Many Reddit users have criticised the episode, noting that it was ‘boring’ or that Detective Kano’s ‘bad cop’ persona was ‘too much’. But, I think the 45 minute episode was perfectly executed and James Nelson-Joyce gave an outstanding performance.

Of course, Peter Capaldi and Lewis Gribbin were the real stars of the show, but the Scouse This City is Ours actor was brilliant and it was great to see him playing a different role. Many of us are used to seeing him play the bad boy, so it was interesting to see him on the other side of the law.

I also loved seeing Josh Finan as Lump too, after first seeing him feature as Marco in The Responder. The Wirral-born star knows just how to bring a little bit of comedy to dark storylines and his Black Mirror performance did not disappoint.

Whether ‘Plaything’ will remain my favourite episode of season seven will be decided once I finish the final two but it’s certainly one of the best ever.