bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

The Washington Post

Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker’s acclaimed anthology series about the darker side of technology, can often be unsettling because the plots feel like they are one app update from happening in real life.
Bandersnatch, the show’s latest instalment, takes that unsettling familiarity to a new level with an interactive element that allows viewers to control the story plot.
Alfonso Cuarón’s guide to watching his Mexican drama Roma
So, how does it all work? We took our first foray into the interactive episode and put together this helpful guide.
1. First things first, what is Bandersnatch about? 
Set in 1984, Bandersnatch follows Stefan (Fionn Whitehead), a young computer programmer who sets off to design a choose-your-own-adventure game based on a novel he is treasured since childhood.

2. The episode is interactive; what does that mean?
Throughout the episode, you’ll be presented with a series of choices that chart a path for the main character. They range from the mundane (which cereal do you want for breakfast?) to the more consequential (career moves). You’ll have 10 seconds to make a decision using your remote (or mouse or trackpad if you’re watching on a computer).
Netflix says there are five main endings to Bandersnatch, but there are variations for each possible ending, depending on what you’ve picked earlier. Overall, the streaming giant says, there are more than one trillion permutations.
Netflix says it took 35 days to film Bandersnatch. Compare that to, say, the reported two-week timeline of San Junipero, a celebrated episode that took place across multiple decades. San Junipero lacked the choose-your-own-adventure component, but it still packed a punch in terms of scope.
3. How do I watch it? 
According to Netflix, you can watch it on newer TVs, video game consoles and web browsers, as well as Android and iOS devices that have the latest version of the Netflix app. The company says it’s not yet supported on Chromecast, Apple TV or certain older devices, but you’ll encounter further instructions if you attempt to watch on a device that’s unsupported.

4. How do I point the story in a new direction? 
You can restart the episode – you’ll see a warning that restarting will clear the choices you’ve made and play the episode from the beginning.
5. Do my choices really alter the story? 
Yes! We tested this by restarting the episode fairly early on, and things were drastically different after we made a different choice.
6. What happens if I don’t interact? 
If you space out (easy to do if you’re watching with multiple browser windows open, as we were) or opt not to make a decision, you’ll end up with a default choice (which is essentially still a decision in the Black Mirror universe and, well, real life). The default path to the episode clocks in at 90 minutes, but the Hollywood Reporter notes that different permutations could result in an instalment that’s up to 2½ hours.

7. Has Netflix done anything like this before? 
Yes, actually. Several children’s titles, including Puss in Book and Minecraft: Story Mode offer choose-your-own-adventure options. This is the company’s first interactive experience geared toward adults.
Netflix drops ‘Patriot Act’ comedy episode in Saudi Arabia
8. Black Mirror usually includes Easter eggs, right? Does that happen here?
Ah yes, Black Mirror is notorious for sneaking in callbacks to other episodes. (Theories abound on how the instalments within the Black Mirror universe are linked). The Easter eggs begin early on in Bandersnatch. We’re keeping this spoiler free, but we saw references to two instalments within the first five minutes of watching.


‘No fixed cultural identity’: new Chinese-American writers are telling their own stories

8 of the best new K-dramas to watch in January 2026, such as Can This Love Be Translated?

Meet Stranger Things’ Linnea Berthelsen, who plays Kali, ‘sister’ to Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven

Meet Stranger Things newcomer Nell Fisher, who plays Holly Wheeler

Netflix

Eight things you need to know about interacting with Black Mirror, Netflix’s choose-your-own-adventure series

Handout image of aposter for Netflix's interactive film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

[04JANUARY2019 FEATURES]

CRESIT: Netflix

Handout image of behind the scenes of Netflix interactive film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

[04JANUARY2019 FEATURES]

CRESIT: Netflix

Handout image of a scene from Netflix interactive film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

[04JANUARY2019 FEATURES]

CRESIT: Netflix

A still from Netflix’s interactive Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. Photo: Netflix

Memories of the Alhambra, starring Hyun Bin and Park Shin-hye is next binge-worthy Korean drama on Netflix

Park Shin-hye (left) and Hyun Bin in Memories of Alhambra.

Lifestyle

Entertainment

Culture

The plot of the latest episode, Bandersnatch, about a computer programmer changes with the choices made by the viewer
There are five main endings, but Netflix says there are a trillion permutations


The plot of the latest episode, Bandersnatch, about a computer programmer changes with the choices made by the viewer. There are five main endings, but Netflix says there are a trillion permutations.
