The fourth volume of Love, Death + Robots is almost here, with a new collection of short stories spanning different genres. This anthology animated series, with three volumes out already, features some amazing animation and storytelling that you don’t want to miss out on.

But before you dive into the fourth volume, you might want to refresh your memory- or if you’re new, get a taste of the show-with these ten essential episodes of one of Netflix’s best animated offerings. Here’s all you need to know.

10

Snow in the Desert

Set in an arid dessert, Snow in the Dessert tells the story of Snow, an albino space inquirer who is being chased by bounty hunters who were hired by a man named Baris. Snow then meets a mysterious woman named Hirald, who helps him fend off Baris’s men. The reason behind the bounty on Snow’s head, and his confrontation with Baris, makes up the rest of this episode.

This episode had four directors (and one supervising director), and has been praised for its ultra-realistic animation and interesting storytelling.

9

Three Robots

Three Robots, which is the first episode of the third volume of this series, tells the story of three robots who stumble into a post-apocalyptic camp in a rural society that rejected government healthcare. Then, they travel to a sea stead, followed by a bunker where humanity’s leaders sought refuge. In all locations, the three robots come across the consequences of human error.

Three Robots is an entertaining episode, and connects back to a previous episode at the end. It also breaks the fourth wall in a twist which is worth watching.

8

Good Hunting

Set in 20th century China, Good Hunting tells the story of Liang, the son of a spirit hunter, who goes with his father on a bounty for a shapeshifting spirit. Here, he meets the spirit’s daughter, Yan, and the two forge a bond that remains years later, after he lets her escape from his father. When they meet again as adults, things have changed, and Liang has to help Yan grapple with a new reality.

The episode deals with sensitive topics such as body transformation and sexual assault, so proceed with caution.

7

The Secret War

The Secret War is the final episode of the first volume of Love Death + Robots. This episode depicts the story of an elite unit of the Red Army, who are monitoring an uncanny disturbance in a village in Siberia. Here, they come across monsters beyond their imagination, including a massive ghoul that they need to fend off. The mystery behind the origin of these monsters, and the army’s stand against them, makes up the rest of the plot.

6

Jibaro

The final episode of the third volume, Jibaro is a twisted story of attraction. A group of soldiers travels through a forest, stopping near a lake. Here, a soldier whose hearing is impaired comes across a bejeweled siren. Once both of them realize the siren’s screams have no effect on him, the two engage in a deadly dance of attraction and greed.

Jibaro features an uncanny valley effect, stellar animation, and sound effects that keep you at the edge of your seat. The episode also comes with a gripping story and twist.

5

Pop Squad

Pop Squad is a harrowing episode about immortality and population control. It tells the story of Detective Briggs, who heads the Pop Squad, a group of goons who hunt down and kill families who have unregistered children, something which is against the law. Living in a society controlled by the rich, people exchange family and children for immortality, to keep the population in lower numbers. This includes taking rejuvenation liquid to keep a youthful appearance, while making the body infertile. Briggs starts contemplating things when his girlfriend, Alice, offhandedly mentions something about having a child.

The episode takes us through Briggs’s moral dilemma regarding his actions once he realizes what the consequences are.

4

Sonnie’s Edge

Sonnie’s Edge is the first episode of the first volume of Love Death + Robots. Set in a futuristic, cyberpunk London, a traumatized woman named Sonnie, along with her group, take part in matches where their engineered “beasties” fight to the death for the audience’s entertainment. Sonnie is a vicious participant in these matches, and is offered a bribe by another character, Dicko, to rig the fight, which she refuses. The rest of the episode takes us through the tension between Sonnie and Dicko.

Sonnie’s Edge has been praised for its art style, dialogue and story writing, as well as the final twist.

3

Zima Blue

Based on a part of Alastair Reynolds’ short story and novella collection, Zima Blue is set in a modern yet futuristic world. A reporter is set to interview Zima Blue, a famed artist whose works are known for featuring a certain shade of blue. The episode goes into his past, inlcuding his rise to fame, and the mysteries surrounding his identity and work. Their meeting and interview lead up to the unveiling of Zima Blue’s final work, which leaves the world in shock.

Zima Blue is one of the shortest yet most interesting episodes you can catch on Love Death + Robots.

2

Beyond the Aquilla Rift

Beyond the Aquilla Rift, based on the collection of science fiction short stories by Alastair Reynolds of the same name, is a harrowing episode about a spaceship’s crew. Travelling on The Blue Goose, the crew wake up after docking in a repair facility instead of their destination, to find that the ship’s routing plot has faced an error which sent them off-course. The crew has to grapple with this new information while coming to terms with the fact that their travel comes with the cost of precious time passing back home. Meanwhile, the ship’s captain comes across a friendly face, but things start going awry.

Beyond the Aquilla Rift features some amazing 3D animation that you don’t want to miss out on. The story has been praised for its storytelling and plot twists.

1

Bad Travelling

The highest-rated Love Death + Robots episode to date is from the third volume of the anthology series. Bad Travelling is an episode about a shark-hunting vessel and its crew who are sailing through alien waters. During one of their voyages, they come across a crab-like creature called Thanapod, which has a killer appetite and a killer instinct. A crew member, the ship’s navigator, then strikes up a deal with the monster, which follows the rest of the episode.

Bad Travelling, which also marks David Fincher’s computer-animated directorial debut, has been highly praised by critics and viewers alike for its detailed graphics and VFX.

Love Death + Robots has 35 episodes spread over three volumes, with the fourth installment bringing 10 new original stories into the mix. You can stream all volumes of this animated series on Netflix.