After the first episode of “Black Mirror” Season 6 took the internet by storm with its witty jabs at Netflix, the streaming giant is now embracing the joke with open arms. Netflix has unveiled two websites inspired by the fictional streaming service, Streamberry, featured in the satirical anthology series.
Netflix has gone all out by creating Streamberry.tv, an exact replica of the make-believe platform, complete with characters from the show. Additionally, they have launched youareawful.com, a platform where users can upload their own photos to become the stars of their very own Streamberry show.
Streamberry was prominently showcased in the first episode of “Black Mirror” Season 6, where Annie Murphy’s character, Joan, a disillusioned employee at a tech company, discovers her life being replicated in a new TV show called “Joan is Awful,” with Salma Hayek as the lead. The parody streaming service closely resembles Netflix, including its user interface and the iconic “Tudum” intro noise.
The newly introduced promotional website, streamberry.tv, offers users a chance to immerse themselves in the world of the fictitious streaming service. It features title cards with characters from previous seasons, like pop star Ashley O (Miley Cyrus) and singing competition contestant Bing (Daniel Kaluuya). When users click on the titles, they are redirected to the corresponding episode on Netflix.
Fans of the series can also visit youareawful.com to participate in the fun. By entering their name and uploading a profile photo, users can generate a poster depicting themselves as the star of the next installment in the “Is Awful” universe.
However, as in the “Black Mirror” episode, users should pay attention to the fine print. Before submitting a selfie, the website states that the photo “may end up on a billboard” and requires users to consent to Netflix’s use of their image for marketing purposes. The Terms and Conditions document is also accessible through a provided link.
This clever move by Netflix pays homage to a pivotal scene in the episode, where Joan realizes that signing up for Streamberry meant relinquishing the rights to her digital likeness. Streamberry monitors its users through their personal devices, enabling the streaming service to create a CGI show centered around their lives.
“Joan Is Awful” undeniably became the most buzzed-about episode of the season, thanks to its playful jabs at Netflix itself and its thought-provoking commentary on artificial intelligence and the future of streaming. With the launch of Streamberry.tv and youareawful.com, Netflix has successfully brought the fictional world of “Black Mirror” to life, captivating fans and blurring the lines between reality and satire.
