Anyone watched Bandersnatch on Black Mirror? OMG!

[nolabear]

I know this is usually a political forum but this is, kind of. If you haven’t watched there might (or might not be) spoilers:

Bandersnatch is a “choose your own adventure” episode, and you actually do choose the course of action. It’s wild enough there but most of us have done that in computer games. But this whole thing becomes a meditation on exactly who is controlling whom and how manipulation happens and affects us. It’s also amusingly anxiety and guilt provoking, and crazy to feel yourself respond even as you know what’s a fiction...or do you?

Boy is it relevant, and well worth the fun ride.

[demmiblue]

1. I posted the trailer in the Netflix forum, but haven't started it yet.

I may start watching it tonight.


As an aside, I have a slew of those Choose Your Own Adventure books in my basement.

[nolabear]

2. Let me know what you think. They do a fine job of messing with you!

[UniteFightBack]

3. I really loved those books when I was younger, so you're saying this show is a similar thing and

it's on Netfilx?

[demmiblue]

4. I have no idea since I haven't watched it yet.

The description reminded me of the books (especially since the movie takes place in the 80's).

I shall find out!

[Dr Hobbitstein]

6. This particular episode of the show is, yes.

You are given choices throughout that will change the outcome. It’s really cool.

[nolabear]

9. The fact you can literally choose with your remote tickled me.

And how bloody responsible I felt was really interesting!

[JDC]

29. I forgot all about those books.

[UniteFightBack]

5. This looks really cool! I hope it's supported on my TV but I have to check this out! Thanks! nt

[RKP5637]

7. Yes, at first I didn't get what was going on, but then I did. It's incredible.

"even as you know what’s a fiction...or do you?" It can kind of give you a creepy feeling, at least me, as it went along. Imagine the future of movies, with this, AI and a personality profile of one.

[nolabear]

10. That meta aspect made it all the more fun. Am I God or am I an ant?

[ADX]

8. It's pretty annoying...

...that if your platform doesn't support the interactive element of the film, you can't even watch the default.

[Lisa0825]

12. Can you stream it properly on your computer/laptop/tablet? nt

[ADX]

15. I only watch Netflix on my full-screen television...

...I've never watched a movie on a computer, laptop, tablet, or cellphone and never will. I just don't understand why the default version won't play if the platform doesn't support the interactive feature.

[Ms. Toad]

25. Interesting.

I've never watched Netlix on a full screen TV - and I doubt I ever will. I watch exlusively on my laptop or computer.

[Codeine]

28. I'm curious,

why? A screen is a screen, really. Sure, bigger screens are nice, but ultimately it’s the same material.

[ADX]

30. Why? Personal preference, that's why...

...Do you watch movies on your cell phone?

[Codeine]

31. I have on occasion.

And a few on a laptop and my iPad as well. I had an issue with eye fatigue for a while and had to cut back on my reading, so I ended up watching films and television shows during downtime at work and during travel. The small screen never bugged me, even with subtitles.

Luckily I found an eyeglass prescription that alleviated the problem and I could get back to reading my Kindle.

I have a friend who puts a baseball game on his iPad while we play boardgames. It’s exactly the right size to not be distracting but still be there for a glance when he wants to catch up. The small screen is actually a plus in that situation.

[ADX]

34. Different strokes for different folks...

[Ms. Toad]

24. Yes.

I watched it on my computer (with a mouse). My daughter is currently watching it on our touch-screen laptop.

[Dr. Strange]

11. Is it anything like Pac-Man?

[EarlG]

27. Funny you should say that...

According to one of the characters in the episode, it’s exactly like Pac-Man

[aikoaiko]

13. It really does a good job of transcending the gimmick.

I spent 4 hours noodling around. It remembers more than I thought.

[nolabear]

14. I went back and spent more time too. Fun to see dead ends and plot paths.

I don’t know how many potential endings there are. I understand there’s an Easter egg in the credits for a downloadable game but didn’t see it.

[Lisa0825]

20. I thought I had gone back through all the options to see all endings, but...

I read this article, and it appears I missed one path! Going to go try to watch that one too!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2018/12/29/black-mirrors-bandersnatch-every-path-and-how-to-watch-every-ending/#9291b3cd8681

[nolabear]

21. Oh good! I did see them all. *spoilers*

The movie meta one cracked me up. I hadn’t remembered the Branch symbol was used in a previous episode but did that Colin’s game, Nosedive, was the social media points one. I’m sure there are other references I missed.

[Lisa0825]

22. A secret ending?

https://www.thewrap.com/black-mirror-bandersnatch-post-credits-scene-secret-ending-easter-egg-tuckersoft-spectrum-bus/

[nolabear]

23. So that's how you do that!

I didn’t get there but know someone who did. And I hadn’t thought about Metl Head though that was one of my creepy-favorite episodes.

Now I’ll have to go follow the choices listed. Maybe.

[CreekDog]

16. spoiler alert/question:

at the end, does it turn out that the father, by hiding his bear, did it to prevent him from getting on the train, to keep his son from dying?

other observations are that at various times you are horrified he would kill his father, to thinking his father deserved it to the end which is sad.

while we're choosing the story, the story is designed to play our emotions in a particular way and contradictory ways throughout the program.

it's kind of a fascinating idea for a show.

that said, any episode of Black Mirror pretty much has you hating humanity but loving individual humans.

[nolabear]

18. I've gone back through more than one ending now (spoiler alert)

And he has both found and not found the bear. And he’s taken the train and not. And a couple of other things, including dead ends that throw you back into the plot line. I felt awful about some decisions initially but, and this is a good point as well, I got glib about my choices after a while.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

17. Yeah, That was great. I love Black Mirror in general,but

that was a fun episode. The part where the guy starts to feel like someone else is controlling his life, I said to my husband "yeah, we're controlling him through Netflix," and then right after that Netflix was one of the options. That was my favorite part.

[nolabear]

19. Right? And you can play with that a bit too.

As a retired therapist I put that old girl through the wringer. It was cathartic.

[Clash City Rocker]

26. Black Mirror is very well done, but just a little too dark for my tastes

I just don’t get the appeal of watching something that I know will leave me depressed. That’s just me; I’m not judging anyone who likes it, I just don’t find entertainment from it. I don’t get the appeal of reality TV, for similar reasons.

[LakeSuperiorView]

32. Totally annoying that the Windows Netflix App doesn't support it.

[spiderpig]

33. Mr. pig and I watched with dueling remotes

We would race to make our selections and then fight (amiably) about it.

Charlie Brooker is one strange but brilliant dude.