‘Black Mirror’ gaslighting episode releases two subtly different versions on Netflix

Black Mirror season seven’s episode Bête Noire features a woman being gaslit by a new colleague. However, viewers have noticed that Netflix is changing a minor detail in the story to confuse viewers further.

• READ MORE: ‘Black Mirror’ season seven post-watch guide: trivia, set secrets and more

The episode follows Maria (Siena Kelly), a culinary researcher who finds herself working with new hire Verity (Rosy McEwen), an old classmate from her school whom she bullied. Slowly, Maria’s reality unravels when it emerges Verity wears a pendant that allows her to alter reality, gaslighting Maria in her professional and personal life.

As with many episodes in the show, the story highlights the misuse of technology and the ever-changing perception it gives us on reality. Online, viewers of the show noticed that they were being ‘gaslit’ by the episode as well, with a subtle change meaning viewers were being assigned different versions of the episode at random.

The difference pertains to a fast-food chain within the story. Maria and her colleagues argue over whether the restaurant is called Barnies or Bernies, with her internet search proving that the name has been changed by Verity.

The eventual result, however, depends on the episode you watch. In a move fitting for the theme of the story, viewers have noticed that Barnies appears in one version, while Bernies appears in another.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), one user wrote: “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!”

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! #BlackMirrorS7 pic.twitter.com/G2Ne1SuvJV

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