Any popular new movie or TV show will always receive some sort of backlash and the same is true of Black Mirror‘s groundbreaking new special, “Bandersnatch.” The interactive episode allows viewers to choose how protagonist Stefan Butler’s (Fionn Whitehead) life unfolds. It earned rave reviews and was all people spoke about on social media after its release on December 28th, but there were also those who criticized the story and the gameplay.
Not enjoying it is up to you, of course, but this being the internet, it seems some of those who didn’t care for “Bandersnatch” went too far and personally went after star Will Poulter on Twitter. The actor played eccentric, enigmatic video game designer Colin Ritman in the episode and shared a message on his account yesterday to thank his fans for their support, but also to announce that he was stepping away from the platform due to its less savory qualities.
It’s sad that this has happened to Poulter, and also frustrating that the Black Mirror fans who’ve been harassing him haven’t been properly watching the show. Season 3’s “Hated in the Nation” was a smart takedown on the hatred that’s spewed out on social media, warning folks to be more careful and thoughtful about the repercussions of what we say online.
For those who did enjoy “Bandersnatch” and Poulter’s performance in it, creator Charlie Brooker has teased that Colin could return in future episodes, or possibly that he’s lurking off-screen in old ones. I guess we’ll see if Poulter makes a comeback when Black Mirror season 5 lands on Netflix later this year.