Bandersnatch

Well it's that blissful time between Christmas and New Year where we can finally be unsociable again; taking random naps, tits deep in carbs & sugar, and binging TV from your pit of a living room. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Personally, my binge preference is murder/crime documentaries and horror films because that's the kind of cheerful person I am. However, today I saw Black Mirror just released an interactive episode called 'Bandersnatch' on Netflix; an episode whereby you are given options on what you want to happen next throughout, meaning you can control the outcome you want of the show.

O

M

G

As someone who's first experience of gaming in the early 90's was 'Monkey Island' and 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade', both similar interactive decision games, this concept had me SHOOK TO MY CORE.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure

I write this fresh from spending about 90mins playing the "game".

The episode, set in 1984, is about Stefan - a teenage programmer who pitches a computer game called 'Bandersnatch' which has multiple endings which the player can choose from. As he builds the game, he becomes aware of being controlled himself (it's me hehehe), and we see him go down the rabbit hole of paranoia, and his art starts to imitate his life...

I think you could probably get away with playing this in around 40 minutes if you avoid the "stupid" options. But because I'm me, I purposefully chose options like making him destroy his computer, take drugs, and generally making him act like a sociopath just out of curiosity. All these options play out, but ultimately you'll be taken back to your last choice point so you can choose the "correct" option - so really you're not controlling a huge amount...just going off on a few pathways before getting back on track with the ending you're supposed to have.
But it's still all good viewing, and all the little tangents have something in them that lead back up to the main story, so it's worth a browse into the risky options.

It's ironic that the storyline is around "the system" controlling people who believe they are free to make their own choices, ... and here I am, thinking I'm deciding this guy's fate with my choices, when actually I've just been forced towards a preconceived ending.

Creating interactive experiences for viewers and audiences has always been something I'm so passionate about; what better way for them to connect with your brand/company/show etc, than to create immersive experiences that fully engage them?

Unlike when I watch normal TV programmes, I couldn't use my phone or "dual-sceen" AT ALL during the episode. I had to pay full attention as the options came up really regularly; the experience was the same as if I were gaming - with the laptop on my lap and my finger on the mousepad.

I'm no critic but I recommend it if you have the time, and I also highly recommend you choose "Netflix" when you get to this choice point...