In Black Mirror Season 7, Episode 2, “Bête Noire,” writer Charlie Booker and director Toby Haynes deliberately explored the psychological phenomenon known as the Mandela Effect to play with the audience’s perception in challenging ways. However, the more the episode unfolds, the more it becomes clear that a character in the story is manipulating the world around them, altering memories of those in it to distort reality for vengeful purposes.
To accentuate the Mandela Effect, two distinct versions of “Bête Noire” are played randomly for viewers. Depending on which version a viewer is subject to, the psychological aspect of the story will alter how one perceives the events that unfold. Therefore, the Mandela Effect is a dramatic contrivance meant to test one’s audiovisual recall and challenge one’s memory while watching the episode unfold.
Release Date
December 4, 2011
Network
Channel 4, Netflix
Bête Noire’s Twisty Premise, Explained
“Bête Noire” occurs at the Ditta candy company in England. The bizarre Black Mirror episode follows Maria (Siena Kelly), the lead candymaker, who got into alternative snack making after developing an allergy to nuts as a kid. The very first shot of the episode features Maria and her boyfriend, Kae (Michael Workeye), in their apartment kitchen. On the counter rests a hat for a fast-food company. The hat belongs to Kae. Depending on which of the two versions is shown, the hat says either Bernie’s or Barnie’s with a chicken logo attached (this writer saw Bernie’s).
Maria meets a new employee at work named Verity Greene (Rosy McEwen). Maria tells her co-workers that she has known Verity from high school, when she was a geeky outcast whom everyone made fun of and spread rumors about. As Maria formulates a new candy bar recipe, she orders Verity to use “Carrageenan,” a non-fat seaweed ingredient. Verity ignores the request and uses a beef-based ingredient instead, which goes against the religious beliefs of Ditta’s Hindu owner (Ravi Aujla) and threatens Maria’s job.
Maria confronts her boss, Gabe (Ben Bailey Smith), and accuses Verity of ignoring her mandate to use Carrageenan. Verity denies she was told to use the ingredient and shows email proof that Maria stipulated using a non-pork gelatin. With something amiss, Maria feels she’s begun to lose her mind, which becomes more confusing when the subject of Bernie’s/Barnie’s Chicken is broached.
How Bête Noire Adopts the Mandela Effect
As a refresher, the Mandela Effect is a psychological phenomenon whereby people remember something one way, but in reality, it’s the opposite (one could argue that it’s merely the result of our memories being imperfect). An argument about the Mandela Effect occurs in the Ditta office when Maria’s coworker mentions the local fast-food chain, Barney’s Chicken. Once she hears the name “Barnie’s,” Maria instantly corrects her colleagues and insists the restaurant is called Bernie’s Chicken, not Barnie’s.
Outnumbered, Maria’s coworkers Nick (Ben Ashenden), Verity, and others agree that the chain is called Barnie’s. Maria’s temper flares, telling everyone that Kae had worked for the restaurant for one year and still wears the company hat. If the episode’s alternate version is shown, the office argument is completely flipped, as seen in a promo clip.
Depending on which version of the hat was presented to the viewer on the kitchen counter in the opening scene, they will either believe or disbelieve Maria at this point. Those who saw Bernie’s on the hat will side with Maria, and those who saw Barnie’s printed on the hat will disbelieve her.
Related
10 Most Underrated ‘Black Mirror’ Episodes You Shouldn’t Skip
They may not have the same popularity as the series’ most iconic episodes, but they remain essential to understanding ‘Black Mirror.’
Viewers Are Freaking Out Over Bête Noire’s Ruse
Fans have expressed their widespread confusion online, especially during watch parties. A Reddit thread addresses the topic, with one viewer stating:
“My mind is BLOWN. My friend and I watch Netflix long distance in a playstation party by hitting play on three, two, one, go… and we watched two different versions of this episode together. I got the Barnie version and she got Bernie. How do they do that?!?!?”
Another fan broke down the key dialog differences in each version, adding:
“I have currently got the Barnie’s version running on my laptop while the Bernie’s version plays on my PS5. Any time the hat is shown, it’s the opposite version, and there is totally different dialogue in the Barnie’s vs Bernie’s argument scene in the Ditta office, as expected.”
A third party chimed in to discuss how the two versions stirred a passionate debate, stating:
“My friend and I were doing a watch party on Discord and we got into a HEATED argument before rewinding and taking pictures to prove who was right!! I got Bernie’s and he got Barnie’s.”
Unfortunately, the ending of “Bête Noire” does not live up to its intriguing set-up or psychologically playful premise. Those experiencing the Mandela Effect while watching the episode were deliberately duped into doing so, meaning it’s merely a dramatic storytelling device rather than a real phenomenon. The episode’s psychological trickery serves replay value and little else.
By creator Charlie Booker’s public admission, it all comes down to whether one saw Bernie’s or Barnie’s on the hat in the opening scene, well before Verity is introduced and begins manipulating the characters. This will inform how one perceives the episode, which deliberately toys with viewers’ minds. The ending may disappoint, but how Booker and Haynes tie “Bête Noire” into the overarching Black Mirror universe also relies on memory.
Related
Every ‘Black Mirror’ Season 7 Episode Has the Same Thing on Its Mind
And that’s what makes it so good.
How Bête Noire Uses Memory To Connect to Black Mirror
“Bête Noire” recalls several past Black Mirror episodes, challenging viewers to connect the dots through memory. For example, Barnie’s Chicken is featured prominently in Season 3, Episode 3, “Shut Up and Dance” as Kenny’s (Alex Lawther) workplace. This, interestingly, implies that the real name of the restaurant is in fact Barnie’s. A close look at Verity’s LinkedIn page in “Bête Noire” reveals past employment at WayHaven Travel, a hotel chain also featured in “Shut Up and Dance.”
Beyond references to a nine-year-old episode, several other Easter eggs challenge viewers to remember past episodes. Outside the Ditta office building, a sign for Tuckersoft can be seen on an adjacent high-rise. Tuckersoft is the name of the fictional media company that produced “Bandersnatch,” the interactive Black Mirror episode that also toys with one’s perception.
Other subliminal clues, such as the phrase “Nutty Bliss” on a candy bar poster featured behind Verity’s head in the office, as she laughs uncontrollably, comment on the action with psychological subtlety. At every turn, the creators test the audience’s perception in ways that mirror Maria’s pathology. Even Kae’s real surname, Workeye, hints at the creators’ desire to make viewers pay extra attention to spotting the subtle background clues.
Further testing viewers’ attention span and memory retention, Ditta is revealed to produce candy called Honey Hugs, a product Amanda Waters mentioned in the Season 7 premiere, “Common People.” Outside the Ditta building, a poster for Gemini Orbits connects to the ill-fated space vessel in Season 6, Episode 3, “Beyond the Sea.” Finally, the Raiman Organic Almond Milk that Verity drinks is a callback to Season 4, Episode 1, “USS Callister” and foreshadows its sequel, “USS Callister: Into Infinity.”
At every turn, the episode has fun fooling with viewers’ minds, and challenges their perception to reinforce the anthology’s thrilling psychological twists. Alas, the contrived Mandela Effect would be more impressive if the episode had stuck its landing. As it is, “Bête Noire” works better for testing viewers’ recall regarding past Black Mirror episodes.
Black Mirror is available to stream on Netflix
You can view the original article HERE.
