Netflix Removes Its Last Interactive Specials, Including This Fan Favorite

Interactive specials have been among Netflix’s most interesting innovations since it reinvented itself as a streaming platform, but they’ve now reached their end. The two remaining specials will be removed on May 12.

Spotted by What’s On Netflix, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend have only a couple of days left to watch.

Netflix hasn’t commented on why it’s removing these specials, but it may be due to the user interface changes the company announced this week. In normal circumstances, Netflix gives users a longer lead time on titles leaving the service; neither special was mentioned in the company’s roundup of shows and movies being pulled from Netflix in May.

Netflix is focusing more on its gaming vertical, and the redesigned interface better highlights its Games section. There’s a Black Mirror title there called Thronglets.

Netflix experimented with interactive storytelling for a few years, but it discontinued the project in 2023 with rom-com Choose Love being the last release. The company removed most of its specials in 2024; Ranveer vs Wild with Bear Grylls and You vs. Wild were then removed in January, leaving only the Black Mirror and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt specials.

As What’s on Netflix notes, Bear Grylls specials were turned into linear, non-interactive content. It’s unclear if Netflix will do the same for Black Mirror and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. However, season seven of Black Mirror, out last month, included a sequel to Bandersnatch with both Will Poulter and Asim Chaudhry reprising their roles in an episode titled Plaything. So, it would be odd to host the sequel with no way for viewers to experience the original story.

A group on Discord called The Netflix Interactive Archive is trying to preserve the original experience of the company’s specials, and Bandersnatch is now included.

About James Peckham

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