As a critic, I have to say Netflix’s move to create its own films and shows is one of the smartest things Hollywood’s seen in years. They started with a lot of thrillers and comedies, but they quickly figured out that sci-fi is where the real audience is. And they delivered something truly special with one particular film – it wasn’t about groundbreaking effects or a totally original story, but about giving me, the viewer, the power to make the choices that drove the narrative. It was a genuinely unique experience, and easily the most interesting thing Netflix has produced so far.
Netflix clearly values science fiction, and a prime example of this is their acquisition of the hit series Black Mirror. Originally, only two seasons and a Christmas special aired on BBC, but Netflix significantly expanded the show, making it a cornerstone of their programming. New episodes consistently win awards and generate huge viewer numbers upon release. A notable moment was seven years ago today, when they launched Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, an interactive movie that was groundbreaking for its time. However, despite its initial impact, it has largely been forgotten and is no longer prominently featured.
Bandersnatch Pushed Black Mirror to a New Realm
Released in the 1980s, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch was a groundbreaking interactive film for the series, and a nostalgic trip back in time. The story follows young programmer Stefan as he tries to adapt a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book, also called Bandersnatch, into a video game. As he works, he interacts with a few important people: his controlling father, a curious therapist, and the challenging game developer Colin Ritman (played by Will Poulter), who forces Stefan to really think about the meaning of choice.
The core idea behind the interactive movie was the conflict between free will and being controlled. What viewers chose determined how the main character, Stefan, dealt with his surroundings, sometimes with life-or-death consequences. Because of the many different paths viewers could take in BandSnatch, everyone’s experience was unique – friends might not even see the same events unfold. A quick playthrough could be as short as 40 minutes, while others stretched beyond 90 minutes.
Over four seasons and a holiday special, Black Mirror became well-known for its dark and unsettling look at modern society and the technology we use. The show’s endings were also a frequent topic of discussion, generally landing as depressing or bleak, though occasionally offering a glimmer of hope. The interactive film Bandersnatch took things a step further, letting viewers influence the choices made by the main character and directly impact the ending they received. These potential endings ranged from the fantastical – like the character traveling back in time and dying with his mother – to the mind-bendingly meta – where the viewer reveals to the character that he’s in an interactive Netflix movie – and everything in between, including incredibly grim outcomes like imprisonment.
Bandersnatch Isn’t Even Watchable on Netflix Anymore
When Black Mirror first came out, it helped launch Netflix’s interest in interactive storytelling, paving the way for interactive movies like Bandersnatch. Bandersnatch was one of the first of its kind on the platform, and one of only two interactive titles aimed at a mature audience (the other being Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend). It even won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie. However, the impact of player choices within Bandersnatch has largely been forgotten over time.
Netflix experimented with interactive storytelling, including survival movies featuring Bear Grylls called You vs Wild. However, most of their interactive content was aimed at children and families, with titles like The Boss Baby: Get That Baby!, Captain Underpants Epic Choice-o-Rama, Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal, Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous: Hidden Adventure, Barbie Epic Road Trip, and several others.
The main issue was that Netflix quietly released most of these interactive movies and shows without much promotion or ongoing support. Viewership dropped quickly after the initial release, and while they started strong, interest faded. Similar to other content that didn’t maintain an audience, Netflix eventually removed all interactive programs, including Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, from its service.
Even though the interactive movie Bandersnatch is no longer officially available to watch, the Black Mirror series has continued to acknowledge its story and characters. The Season 7 episode, “Plaything,” featured both Asim Chaudhry as Mohan Thakur and Will Poulter as Colin Ritman, essentially acting as a sequel to Bandersnatch and showing viewers what happened afterward. However, unlike Bandersnatch, this episode didn’t involve any viewer choices.
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2025-12-28 18:15