Despite the same number of seasons, Black Mirror has twice as many Netflix episodes (12) as Channel 4 episodes (six). Last season, the show’s fourth, was typically up and down in quality, but when the Charlie Brooker-created anthology series is good, like “USS Callister” and “Hang the DJ,” it’s very good. There’s still no official announcement on when Black Mirror is returning for another batch of “technology is good, but it’s also bad” episodes, but according to a report from Bloomberg, it will probably be before the end of the year. Not only that, but there will also be a “choose your own adventure”-style episode:
Viewers will get to choose their own storylines in one episode of the upcoming season of Black Mirror, the Emmy-winning science-fiction anthology series. The show is famous for exploring the social implications of technology, including an episode where humans jockey to receive higher ratings from their peers. The fifth season of the show is expected to be released in December.
There are no details on the Give Yourself Goosebumps-indebted episode, but assume it will involve an ironic twist involving password-sharing on a fictionial streaming service called, let’s say, Netflicks. (The twist: anyone using their parents’ account to watch the episode is sentenced to death. What an ending!)
The foray into choose-your-own-adventure programming represents a big bet on a nascent form of entertainment known as interactive television. As Netflix expands around the world, it’s looking for new ways to lure customers. By blending elements of video games with traditional television, the company could create a formula that can be applied to any number of series. (Via)
Interactive television sounds like a good idea, until you come to a show like BoJack Horseman. Do you, as BoJack a) drink yourself to sleep, or b) cry yourself to sleep, while also drinking? Tough choice.
(Via Bloomberg)
