‘Black Mirror’ Season 7 Episode 5: ‘Eulogy’ – Recap and Ending Explained

‘Black Mirror’ Season 7 keeps pulling us into its twisted worlds, and Episode 5, ‘Eulogy,’ hits a quieter, sadder note that still leaves a mark. Charlie Brooker crafts a story here that’s less about flashy tech and more about the ache of holding onto what’s gone. We’re dropped into the life of a grieving sister, wrestling with a gadget that promises closure but delivers something else entirely. It’s a slow, heavy burn that sticks with you.

Olivia Colman steps up as Janet, carrying the weight of loss like only she can, while Kingsley Ben-Adir plays her brother Marcus in fleeting, perfect moments. Rory Kinnear rounds out the cast as Eric, a tech guy with a salesman’s grin and a shaky conscience. This one’s got that ‘Black Mirror’ feel—hope dangling just out of reach—but it’s grounded in something raw and real. Let’s dig into what happens and where it lands.

Recap of ‘Eulogy’

Janet’s at her brother Marcus’s funeral, barely holding it together. He was her rock—funny, kind, the guy who lit up every room—until a truck took him out on a rainy night. She’s tapped to give the eulogy but can’t find the words, stuck replaying his goofy voicemails. That’s when Eric, a family friend, pitches her on MindMesh—a device that scans your brain to build an AI version of someone you’ve lost, based on your memories. Janet’s hesitant but desperate, so she hooks up to it.

The Marcus that comes back is spot-on at first—cracking jokes, sipping tea, calling her ‘Janny’ like old times. But cracks show fast. He’s too perfect, dodging fights they used to have, and Janet starts pushing him, asking about secrets he kept. The AI glitches when she digs too deep, spitting out half-baked answers or freezing up. She leans harder, tweaking settings to ‘enhance authenticity,’ and Marcus turns cold—blaming her for not visiting more, for letting him die alone. It’s a fight that breaks her, and she’s left sobbing as he fades out.

Ending Explained

Janet shuts down MindMesh, but it’s not over. She heads to the funeral, eulogy still unwritten, and stands there silent until she just starts talking—raw, messy, real stuff about Marcus. It’s not polished, but it’s hers. Later, at home, she finds a USB labeled ‘Marcus Backup’ in her coat—Eric must’ve slipped it in. She plugs it in, and there’s Marcus again, softer this time, saying, ‘I’m proud of you, Janny.’ Olivia Colman breaks your heart here, her face a mix of relief and ruin as she smiles through tears.

He vanishes, and that’s it—no big twist, just quiet. This Marcus feels truer, maybe because she faced the fake one first. It’s not about tech winning—it’s Janet finding her own way to say goodbye. The ending’s gentle for ‘Black Mirror,’ but it still stings, showing memory’s a messy gift, not a fix.

What ‘Eulogy’ Says About Letting Go

This episode’s all about the pull of the past. Janet’s not fighting robots or corporations—just her own head, and that’s what makes it hit. Colman plays her like someone you know, crumbling but tough, while Ben-Adir’s Marcus is warm enough to miss. The tech’s simple—a brain scanner and a screen—but it’s a mirror for how we cling to people we can’t keep.

I love how it doesn’t overdo the creepy stuff. Sure, the AI Marcus goes dark, but it’s not a monster—it’s Janet’s guilt talking. The real kick is her finding peace without leaning on the gadget. It’s ‘Black Mirror’ with less bite, more ache—a reminder that tech can mimic love, but it can’t replace the work of moving on. For a show that usually leaves you rattled, this one’s a rare soft landing that still feels heavy.