Bandersnatch: What happened when we watched Netflix's Black Mirror film

The interactive film offers viewers various instances of multiple choice, which can drastically change the outcome of the ending

Netflix takes interactive storytelling to the next level with ‘Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’

Charlie Brooker has used his Black Mirror series to address all sorts of flaws and intrigues about humanity in the technology age, but never so blatantly as in the latest instalment: Bandersnatch.

The interactive film offers viewers various instances of multiple choice, which can drastically change the outcome of the ending. It also changes the running time: some audience members may reach a conclusion in 40 minutes. For others, it could take two hours.

We decided to liveblog one writer’s experience of the episode (obvious spoilers ahead) as they decided the actions of lead character Stefan (Fionn Whitehead), who attempts to create a video game based on a fantasy novel written by an author who went mad as he was writing it.

“Bandersnatch” was referred to in an episode of Black Mirror season 3. In “Playtest”, starring Wyatt Russell, the front cover of Edge magazine indicates that there is a review of “Bandersnatch” inside. In the scene, Sonja uses the magazine to encourage Cooper to take a mysterious job with video game company SaitoGemu.

(Spoilers ahead)

The episode opens with Stefan at home with his father, a widow, offering him a choice of breakfast cereal (the first decision the user is faced with). From there, he travels to an interview with a games company so he can pitch his idea for a game adaptation of the multiple choice novel, "Bandersnatch", which was written by a man who descended into madness as he completed it.

At the office, he is introduced to Colin Ritman (Coulter), Stefan's hero, and a man with whom you can have either a lot or barely any interaction with, depending on the choices you make. Throughout the film there are loops that guide you back to the correct narrative if you stray too far, such as when Stefan is asked whether he wants to work in the office or at home, on his own. The home option is preferred as it leads to Stefan's own slow descent into madness as he becomes obsessed with completing "Bandersnatch".

As he works, he becomes more and more irritated by interruptions from his father, and trips to his therapist. You can learn during therapy (as we did in this version of the story) that his mother died in a train crash after Stefan caused her to miss an earlier train – an event that likely triggered his current mental health issues.

It transpired that we managed to jump on one of the speedier narratives for the film, which comes to a rather gory conclusion when Stefan bludgeons his father to death, but manages to complete the game. "Bandersnatch" is released to rave reviews, as a current-day news report informs us that Stefan was later arrested and charged with his father's murder.

This writer was slightly sceptical at how Netflix is managing to get viewers to watch the episode countless times to see the various endings... meaning mega streams for them. At first the interactions are fun, but the constant interruptions to the story as you're asked to make yet another decision on Stefan's behalf can become quite wearisome, and if anything it pulls you out of the story rather than allowing you to become engrossed in it.

Netflix says of the new interactive film: “There are choices to be made, challenges to overcome, dangers to encounter and, as always in life (and Black Mirror), consequences to be had. Choosing wisely could lead to triumph while taking the wrong path could end in disaster – but who’s to say what’s ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, anyway? And fret not because once one experience comes to a close, you can – and should! – go back and make a new choice, alter the path of your story and maybe even change its outcome.”

The liveblog has now closed.

Netflix also confirmed that there are “five main endings with multiple variants of each”... although fans could uncover more depending on the choices they make, allowing for a little extra mystery.

Read our review of Bandersnatch, here.

Key Points

• Interactive film was released on Netflix today (Friday 28 December)
• Bandersnatch offers viewers the chance to decide the fate of its lead character, computer game creator Stefan
• Audience members can choose anything from the song he decides to listen to, to whether he attends a therapy session

[28 December 2018 12:00 · roisin.oconnor]

Now a new games designer/expert is watching the Netflix episode! I think this could end badly so I'm making her throw tea on the computer.

[28 December 2018 12:03 · roisin.oconnor]

Aaaaaand that's it? I've finished the episode?!!!! I feel like I must have gone for all the speedy options because it seems the film could definitely run longer than that. Now I'm being presented with "do-over" options that let me see what would have happened if I'd picked a different choice.

[28 December 2018 12:07 · roisin.oconnor]

It seems you could watch a never-ending loop of Stefan cutting his dad up and then the modern-day coder destroying her own computer, or exit to credits. I've gone for credits.

[28 December 2018 12:09 · roisin.oconnor]

Let's have a look at reactions from other people who have been watching Bandersnatch. 

[28 December 2018 12:15 · roisin.oconnor]

So it's clearly messing with our heads, as I'm sure was the writers' intention. I am very slightly sceptical at how Netflix is managing to get viewers to watch the episode countless times to see the various endings... meaning mega streams for them.

Anyway. Initial thoughts: At first the interactions are fun, but the constant interruptions to the story as you're asked to make yet another decision on Stefan's behalf gets quite wearisome, and if anything it pulls you out of the story rather than allows you to become engrossed in it.

I can't begin to imagine the slog it must have been to film every single option, edit it, splice it all together, and even just work out all the different strands and weave them back together for the five alternative endings. Bandersnatch seems more an exercise in alternative TV that makes us pose questions about our own viewing habits than a particularly good piece of drama in itself.  

[28 December 2018 12:19 · roisin.oconnor]

Thanks for following along as I made devastating life choices on another person's behalf. I clearly should never be allowed this kind of control over someone in real life. That's the end of the liveblog!