Black Mirror has taken things to a whole new level this time around, as dozens of fans of the series are sharing their surprise as many have found their faces unexpectedly on billboards promoting the show.
This comes after fans expressed that one episode from the recent series went a little too far. So much so that it has led to viewers going so far as to cancel their Netflix subscriptions!
Now, Black Mirror is well known to be one of the most loved shows of the moment, it’s dark, thrilling, and really makes you think.
Debuting in 2011, Black Mirror was the brainchild of British screenwriter Charlie Brooker, who crafted a dystopian world reflecting our darkest fears about technology. Its cutting-edge storytelling, coupled with its thought-provoking exploration of the human condition in a digital age, struck a chord with viewers craving innovative narratives.
What truly set Black Mirror apart was its ability to predict, with eerie precision, the technological advances that would shape our society. Its standalone episodes challenged our perception of reality, leaving us questioning the impact of our digital dependency.
As each season pushed boundaries, Black Mirror‘s reputation grew exponentially. With its gripping performances and astonishing production quality, the show sparked intense discussions on the ethical implications of our tech-dominated future. By 2016, the show moved from its UK home at Channel 4 and became a production of the streaming behemoth Netflix.
But it was the ‘Bandersnatch’ interactive episode in 2018 that catapulted Black Mirror into the stratosphere. Blurring the lines between viewer and participant, it revolutionised the way we experienced television, fostering a sense of personal investment in the narrative.
Flash forward 5 years and the show is back with its sixth series, and it’s proving to be as spooky as ever.
However, there is one episode in particular that viewers are taking issue with. The season’s first episode, titled ‘Joan Is Awful’, and it sees the show take a closer look at Netflix, in the form of the eerily similar ficitonal Streamberry streaming site.
The episode follows Annie Murphy as real-life Joan who realises that her current binge watch is telling her life story, with Salma Hayek playing the Streamberry series Joan. As the story develops, Joan realises no matter what she does, Hayek’s character does the same thing. Upon realising neither of them are in control of their image, they both plot to take down the quamputer that is in control of the show’s creation.
Yet, when Joan approaches a lawyer to try and get this sorted for good, they tell her that unfortunately nothing can be done, as she actually agreed to the show when accepting Streamberry’s terms and conditions.
The show’s play on the fact that barely anyone ever actually reads the terms and conditions has led to a lot of commentary among the show’s viewers, who have taken to social media to share their thoughts.
“So Season 6, Episode 1 of Black Mirror has convinced me to cancel Netflix. Lol,” one person wrote.
Another said: “It feels like Black Mirror season 6 wants us all to cancel Netflix just checking the terms of service brb.”
While a third put: “The first episode of Black Mirror got me ready to cancel my Netflix asap.”
And if that wasn’t spooky enough, some viewers have found themselves questioning everything after noticing their faces appearing on billboards promoting the new series.
In conjunction with the premiere of the new season, Netflix introduced Streamberry, a website that allowed viewers of Charlie Brooker’s series to contribute their own photos and design custom posters for their own “…is Awful” episodes.
However, it appears that those who took part also neglected to read the terms and conditions.
This week, Black Mirror’s Twitter page began posting images of billboards with the faces of fans who had used Streamberry’s poster tool.
Dozens took to Twitter to share their thoughts, with one saying : “This is some awesome marketing.”
While another wrote: “Wtf this is actually true…mental.”
