The current Fifth season of Black Mirror is likely the shortest thus far–lasting only three episodes–but you can’t necessarily judge the quality of a season by how many episodes it consists of.

And besides, if a shorter season results in better quality writing and directing, who’s complaining?

The first episode, Striking Vipers, is a particularly strong one and revolves around sexuality, gender roles and their intersection with technology (the underlying theme of the entire series).

The episode wouldn’t have been as effective as it is if weren’t for the strong performances of Anthony Mackie, Yaha Abdul Maheen II and Nikki Beharie because no matter how great the writing is, if the words sound awkward issuing from the actors’ mouths then it matters relatively little?

But that’s not the case, and Striking Vipers will likely rank among the best of the series, never mind the Fifth Season.