This Black Mirror Episode About Gaslighting Will Actually Gaslight You

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I’m curious, what is the name of the fast-food restaurant featured in the Black Mirror episode “Bête Noire” that you’re recalling? Rest assured, this discussion won’t reveal any plot details.

Black Mirror Season 7

The popular series Black Mirror has returned for another season filled with intrigue, and the tales once more delve into dark futures where our technological addiction might lead to disaster. The new season consists of six captivating episodes.

The promotional campaign for our series is running at full speed, indeed! Keen viewers managed to find a concealed QR code on the poster for the episode titled “Plaything”. This QR code links to an application which wasn’t accessible for download until two days following the season release. Interestingly, it appears to be a two-hour interactive game that aligns closely with the narrative of the episode itself.

It seems that the recent departure of Netflix’s Gaming Chief and subsequent reduction in gaming content, including several cancelled upcoming releases, may be eased by this new development (promotion).

However, this particular installment is sparking conversation for an unusual cause – it’s confusing viewers’ recollections.

Bête Noire – Barnies? Or Was It Bernies?

barnies

— Black Mirror (@blackmirror) April 11, 2025

In the second episode of the fresh season, titled “Bête Noire“, the narrative revolves around a psychological manipulation tactic known as gaslighting. If you’re not acquainted with this term (despite its widespread use on the internet that it seems to have lost some of its original weight), here’s a simple explanation:

psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one’s emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator – Merriam-Webster

In essence, gaslighting distorts a person’s perception of truth. Now, let’s consider Bête Noire, and ponder how it might deceive both its characters and us viewers in a similar fashion.

In the episode, there are instances where this issue is highlighted. One such instance occurs when the main character, Maria, engages in a discussion with her colleagues about the correct name of a fast food chain, which she believes is “Bernies,” while everyone else maintains it’s “Barnies.

After some time, the characters decide to search for their answer online. Interestingly, it appears that there are not just one but two distinct versions of the episode, with the version you receive being purely by chance.

My buddy and I caught the latest Black Mirror installment, “Bete Noire,” and we found an intriguing discrepancy between our viewings. In fact, it seems like the audience is being manipulated around the 16-minute, 40-second mark! #BlackMirrorS7

— Vastolorde | AKIO (@actualakio) April 10, 2025

As a gamer, if you’re unaware that the specific title is picked at random, it can leave you questioning your own recollections when discussing the episode with buddies down the line. Quite cunning, isn’t it? Yet, it fits so well with the game’s overall theme…

Did you catch that episode already? Which version did it turn out to be for you? By the way, which one is your most loved episode across all of them?

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2025-04-17 16:10