Yes, Andrew Scott starred in Black Mirror. The Irish actor took the lead role in Season 5, Episode 2, titled “Smithereens”. Released globally on Netflix on June 5, 2019, this 70-minute episode features Scott as Chris Gillhaney, a London rideshare driver whose life is shattered by a personal tragedy linked to technology. The role earned Scott a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, highlighting the power of his performance in this standalone story.
The Plot of “Smithereens”: A Hostage Crisis Driven by Grief
“Smithereens” begins with Chris, a driver for a ride-share app, waiting outside the offices of a massive social media company called Smithereen, which closely resembles Twitter. His plan is to pick up an employee. He soon picks up Jaden, a young man in a suit talking about a first-class flight, and assumes he is a high-level executive.
Chris then kidnaps Jaden at gunpoint, but his plan immediately goes wrong. He discovers Jaden is not an executive but a 22-year-old intern. Despite this, Chris continues with his demand: he wants a direct phone call with Smithereen’s reclusive CEO, Billy Bauer, played by Topher Grace.
A police chase ensues after an officer spots the disturbance, ending with Chris’s car stalled in a field, surrounded by police. What unfolds is a tense standoff. Through negotiations with police and Smithereen executives, it becomes clear Chris is not a random criminal. The company’s own data mining reveals his history: he was once a teacher, and his fiancée, Tamsin, died in a car accident three years prior.
The core of the episode is a lengthy phone call between Chris and CEO Billy Bauer. In an emotional breakdown, Chris reveals the truth. He was driving with Tamsin when he heard a Smithereen notification. He glanced at his phone—it was just a photo of a dog—and in that moment, a drunk driver crashed into them. Tamsin later died from her injuries.
Although the other driver was legally at fault, Chris is consumed by guilt. He blames the addictive design of the Smithereen app for stealing his attention at a critical moment. His entire hostage situation is an attempt to hold the architect of that technology accountable.
Andrew Scott said of his character: “I was really gripped by this character… I think you have a strong presumption as to who he might be at the beginning, and as the film goes along you understand his plight a little more.”
Behind the Scenes: How the Episode Was Made
“Smithereens” was written by Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker. He drew inspiration from two main ideas. The first was a question about how we grieve in the digital age when a loved one’s life is fully documented online. The second came from a personal experience in a rideshare car, where the driver unexpectedly stopped and got out, leaving Brooker momentarily disoriented and vulnerable.
Brooker wanted an episode set in the present day without futuristic technology, focusing instead on the current psychological impact of social media. The Smithereen company is a clear analogue for Twitter, and CEO Billy Bauer’s silent retreat was inspired by similar reports about then-Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
Andrew Scott was specifically interested in the role because of the character’s deep vulnerability. At his request, much of the episode was filmed in chronological order so he could naturally build Chris’s emotional unraveling. A practical challenge was that Scott did not know how to drive. The production team mounted the car on a platform and towed it while Scott pretended to drive for filming.
The director was James Hawes, who also directed the Black Mirror episode “Hated in the Nation”. The tense score was composed by renowned Japanese artist Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Fan and Critical Reception: Praise for Scott, Debate on the Message
The reception to “Smithereens” was mixed, but one aspect was universally praised: Andrew Scott’s performance. Critics and audiences highlighted his ability to convey intense grief, guilt, and desperation, often within the confined space of a car. This acclaim led to his Emmy nomination.
Some viewers and critics felt the episode’s critique of social media addiction was too simple or on-the-nose, especially for Black Mirror. Others, however, found its real-world setting to be its greatest strength, making its warning more immediate and terrifying.
One fan wrote in a review: “People who say this episode was just a thriller, are missing the true message… Addiction to social networks? Facebook knowing more about you than the police? Our attention span of 1 minute regarding life and death situations?”
The ambiguous ending also sparked discussion. In the final moments, Chris decides to let Jaden go and then take his own life. Jaden, who has come to sympathize with Chris, tries to stop him and they struggle for the gun. From the outside, police think Chris is attacking Jaden, and a sniper fires into the car. The episode does not explicitly show who is hit, leaving it to the viewer to interpret whether Chris, Jaden, or both were killed.
The final scene shows people around the world pausing for a second to see a news alert about the resolution, before quickly returning to their phones and moving on—a stark commentary on how technology can make even major tragedies feel fleeting.
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Where to Watch “Smithereens” and Andrew Scott’s Career Impact
Black Mirror is an anthology series, so every episode is a standalone story. You can watch “Smithereens” without having seen any other episodes. It is available for streaming exclusively on Netflix as part of Black Mirror Season 5.
For Andrew Scott, 2019 was a landmark year. “Smithereens” was released in June, just a few months after his beloved performance as the “Hot Priest” in the second season of Fleabag catapulted him to global fame. The two roles showcased his incredible range: from a charming, conflicted romantic interest to a psychologically broken man in the grips of tragedy.
Following Black Mirror, Scott has continued to take on major roles. He starred in the acclaimed film All of Us Strangers, leads the Netflix series Ripley, and will appear in the upcoming Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
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