Join or Sign In
Sign in to customize your TV listings
By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.
Get ready to choose your own adventure this Christmas season because it looks like Black Mirror's first episode of the new season may be coming to a stream screen near you soon.
As detailed by Forbes, one of Netflix's verified Twitter accounts posted a listing of the streaming service's upcoming sci-fi fare, and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch was on the list, with a Dec. 28 release date. Such a quick turn around wouldn't be all that surprising as announcing a premiere date just weeks before the actual premiere is becoming a thing. Black Mirror's previous season debuted on Dec. 29 but the date wasn't announced until Dec. 6.
The fifth season of the show, which was announced back in March, is expected to introduce at least one playable episode as its first foray into an interactive adventure effort for adult-oriented content.
Even though the news has yet to be confirmed by Netflix (well, at least not again), fans are already posting their theories about the episode, based on the supposed title and some set spottings that occurred earlier in the year.
Some noticed that the phrase "Bandersnatch" may relate to an old 1984 game about a group of computer nerds locked away together to try and create the ultimate Commodore 64 and 48k Spectrum game.
Poster for 'Bandersnatch' the game, a project which never saw the light of day - the game was developed in 1984, the same year 'Bandersnatch' the Black Mirror episode takes place (which we know as a set photo shows Bob Marley's 'Legend' at #1 on the charts inside a record store) pic.twitter.com/SlzbERQHuR
— Kezia Abigail (@xiurongg) November 26, 2018
Others noticed that some of the scenery seen in London's Croydon set the episode in the mid-'80s, with an old Pizza Hut and Wimpy restaurant serving as the retro backdrop.
https://twitter.com/WE HAVE BLACK MIRROR CONFIRMATION!
— Ebejeevezner Scrooge ⛄🎄🎅🎁❄️ (@jeeveswilliams) November 21, 2018
Christmas special, December 28th, titled 'Bandersnatch' - that's the episode that was being filmed in (an 80s-decorated) Croydon back in April. The Christmas trees make sense now! pic.twitter.com/4qwcjAZ0Xq
One fan even noticed that the title was referenced all the way back in Season 3's "Playtest" episode, in the tiny text of the print magazine that boasted so many other Easter eggs.
WHHAAATTTT, Bandersnatch was referenced all the way back in Season 3 on the front cover of the gaming magazine in Playtest 😮 pic.twitter.com/LabQe7dX6v
— Ebejeevezner Scrooge ⛄🎄🎅🎁❄️ (@jeeveswilliams) November 26, 2018
If true, the title would sync up with what set spotters predicted back in April, 2018 when the episode was filming, as some picked up on the episode title even then and connected it with the "bandersnatch" of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland novel, Through the Looking Glass.
the #blackmirror ep filming in croydon is called 'bandersnatch' a bandersnatch was created by lewis carroll for the alice in wonderland universe and is described as having a long neck, snapping jaws, and also being ferocious & extraordinarily fast idk about you but i'm excited!!!
— fatal error (@_bexorcist) April 25, 2018
Looks like Black Mirror fans are about to go down the rabbit hole themselves this time, if any or all of this information proves to be accurate!