Netflix is now expected to integrate a new type of viewing experience into an least some of its original programming, with a feature that allows viewers of a show to pick the ending to an episode that they want to see.
This news came as a bit of a shock to many, as this feature is largely unprecedented in modern television. It is a characteristic more likely to appear in video games, having an entire category dedicated to those that fall under the heading of “choose your own adventure” games. These largely differentiate themselves from games of other genres based on the fact that a player’s individual experience plays a large effect in the outcome of the game, thereby allowing multiple players to have completely different experiences.
However, despite finding itself to be a positive attribute of video games around the world, the idea of bringing this to television is one that has created uneasiness, bringing its exact intentions into question. Is this an effort to parallel the video games that are so popular in modern society? Or perhaps is this an effort to stop viewers from disagreeing so eagerly with the choices of a show’s writers and crew?
Netflix is expected to first roll out the new technique with at least one episode of the upcoming season of Black Mirror, a series that explores the potential dangers of technology on a society quite like our own. The show, one of Netflix’s original programs, combines sci-fi with drama and suspense, creating a formula that has brought many viewers back time and time again. Was it not enough?
This question may not be answered for quite awhile, leaving viewers unsure if the new storytelling technique is one approved by the show, network, or both. Prior to now, this feature has only been seen in a few of the platforms’ shows for children.