Netflix’s 10 Best Interactive Movies And Shows
Interactive movies and TV shows are a relatively new phenomenon, and they’re a pretty inventive way of capturing viewers’ attention. Many of us have fond memories of choose-your-own-adventure novels for our childhood, and the same exciting method is used in interactive shows – you literally get to select the decisions the characters make and, ultimately, how the show ends, for good or sometimes bad!
At present, only Netflix offers interactive show specials, but we’re sure it’s only a matter of time before more streaming services offer them as their popularity grows. Have fun getting stuck into our list of Netflix’s 10 best interactive movies and TV shows.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)
Best known for his sci-fi series Black Mirror, writer Charlie Brooker created a ground-breaking series spin-off. Set in 1984, a young programmer, Stefan Butler (Fionn Whitehead), adapts a crazy writer’s (Will Poulter) fantasy novel into a video game. In the novel, the reader gets to make choices that determine the story – just as you, the viewer, will too as you watch along – but every interactive choice we make for him leads Butler to question his reality and his sanity…
Director: David Slade
Cat Burglar (2022)
Charlie Brooker’s latest cutting-edge interactive show is a zany, over-the-top, Tex Avery-inspired trivia cartoon, where viewers have to quickly answer questions to help a ‘cat burglar’ named Rowdy break into a museum and evade Peanut the Security Pup to steal some valuable paintings. Even if you fail, you can keep trying multiple times, as well as unlock previously unseen sequences of Rowdy trying to get one over Peanut.
Creator: Charlie Brooker
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy Vs. The Reverend (2020)
Set some years after the ending of the sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, this interactive special is a silly but loveable little comedy with a number of different endings, some of them not-so-happy if you happen to choose the wrong path for her. Starring Ellie Kemper as Kimmy, the special also stars Daniel Radcliffe and Jon Hamm (who previously starred together in A Young Doctor’s Notebook).
Director: Claire Scanlon
You vs Wild (2019)
British action man and survival expert Bear Grylls takes us on the first of his interactive survival adventures in some of the harshest environments on Earth. The thing is, it’s up to us to keep him alive. From unforgiving jungles to freezing mountain passes, scorching deserts and rocky coastlines, we (sitting safe, warm and comfortable at home) get to make the decisions that will help Bear survive the day.
Director: Ben Simms
You vs Wild: Out Cold (2021)
Rather than just skipping through various survival situations, this follow up edition brings in a thrilling story element. Bear Grylls wakes up after a plane crash in ice-covered mountains – he has no idea what’s happened or where to go. But with our decisions, he needs to get himself and the pilot down from the mountains and out of the extreme cold.
Director: Ben Simms
Animals On The Loose: A You vs Wild Movie (2021)
In this scenario, a protective fence around a wildlife sanctuary has suffered a breach, and a number of animals, including some dangerous lions, are on the loose. Bear Grylls is called in to help track them down – and we have to make his decisions on how best to rescue them, as well as figure out a way to fix the fence before any more animals get out.
Director: Ben Simms
Headspace: Unwind Your Mind (2021)
Whether you want to relax, meditate or sleep more deeply, this 15-minute, animated interactive guide believes it can help you, particularly because it can be personalised according to your mood or mindset. As the viewer, you can create a path based on your own feelings and time constraints, and watch along and de-stress in your own way.
Creators: Andy Puddicombe and Eve Lewis Prieto
Escape the Undertaker (2021)
Short, silly and a lot of fun, this Netflix interactive movie special sees WWE’s The Undertaker, holed up in a spooky mansion with security cameras and tricks around every corner, play a thrilling game with wrestling team The New Day – can we help them find a way out and escape with The Undertaker’s powerful urn? It’s up to us to make their split-second decisions.
Director: Ben Simms
Puss In Book: Trapped In An Epic Tale (2017)
The first interactive cartoon of its kind, based around the much-loved Puss In Boots films for kids. While out fighting ninja pirates, Puss chances upon a fairytale book. After he gets pulled into the magic book, viewers have two choices every few minutes to help him escape. Great for children, it helps them learn about choices and their consequences.
Directors: Roy Burdine and Johnny Castuciano
Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not To Steal?
From video games to movies, TV shows and board games, pretty woman Carmen Sandiego is a hugely popular character that’s been entertaining kids for about 35 years. This interactive special combines elements of the computer games and animated series to create a fun and in-depth choose-your-own-adventure story. When her friends are captured by the criminal organisation she once led, can we guide her to rescue them?
Director: Jos Humphrey
Which of Netflix’s interactive shows and movies have you enjoyed the most? Would you like to see more of this new method of programme making? Drop us a line at hello@bob.show or leave us a comment on our socials.
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