Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: TV And Film, Black Mirror, Entertainment, Netflix
Lucy Devine
Black Mirror viewers are accusing Netflix of gaslighting them after spotting a creepy detail in the new series.
For those unfamiliar with the concept of the series, Black Mirror is a near-dystopian anthology, created by British writer Charlie Brooker.
Each episode is its own standalone, yet all instalments are somewhat connected by using the themes of technology and media to comment on a particular contemporary social issue.
The seventh season dropped on Netflix last week, and it's been going down very well with viewers.
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In fact, after watching the first episode, titled 'Common People', viewers said it was reminiscent of the seriously dark OG episodes.
So when it came to the second episode, viewers were expecting big things. This your warning that this article contains spoilers.
And while the ep, titled 'Bête Noire', has been getting heaps of praise, viewers were left baffled over one detail.
The second instalment tells the story of a chocolate company executive named Maria who struggles with her grip on reality when a former school friend, Verity, joins her team at work.
Turns out that Verity has created a 'quantum compiler' that allows her to change reality as she pleases.
But it's not just Maria whose reality is being warped. In fact, viewers at home are having their perceptions messed with, too.
Fans think Netflix has been releasing different versions of the episode, and have even accused the streamer of 'gaslighting' them.
If you've watched the episode, you'll know that at one point Maria and Verity get into an argument about the name of a fried chicken shop, referred to as Bernies or Barnies.
Turns out that some viewers were shown a version of the episode with 'Barnies' while others were presented with 'Bernies'.
One person wrote on Twitter: "EXCUSE ME??!! I felt like Maria for a minute there because I KNOW it was Barnies first and changed to Bernies, then I come on here and see the opposite??!!!"
While another said: "So my friend and I were watching the new Black Mirror episode 'Bête Noire' and we noticed that there was a stark difference between our episodes… even the viewers are getting gaslit at 16:40!"
And a third added: "The showrunners probably did that to mess with people lol."
Even the official Black Mirror and Netflix Twitter accounts were in on the trick, with one simply tweeting 'barnies' while the other tweeted 'bernies'.
Tyla has reached out to Netflix for comment.