While that first episode, “Common People,” is indeed a slog, the rest of the season — including and especially the bracingly nasty second episode, “Bête Noire,” which upended my expectations, and then did so again — make the argument that the free-ranging imagination “Black Mirror” has demonstrated in recent years is for the good.

Some of the season's strongest episodes feature Paul Giamatti, Cristin Milioti, Issa Rae, Emma Corrin, and more.

Paul Giamatti, Rashida Jones, and Issa Rae are among the stars set to appear in season 7 of “Black Mirror,” which hits Netflix on Thursday, April 10.