In a comedic twist, Netflix has embraced the parody of its own streaming service depicted in the initial episode of “Black Mirror” Season 6, which quickly gained popularity on the internet. Embracing the playful nature of the joke, Netflix has introduced two new websites inspired by “Streamberry,” the fictitious streaming platform featured in the series.
Netflix has recreated Streamberry.tv, replicating the imaginary site and highlighting the characters from the show. Additionally, the streaming giant has revealed youareawful.com, where users can upload their own images and potentially feature in a hypothetical Streamberry program.
The premiere episode of “Black Mirror” showcased “Streamberry,” where Joan, a disillusioned tech company employee played by Annie Murphy, discovers her life reflected in a new television series named “Joan is Awful,” featuring Salma Hayek in the lead role. This parody streaming service meticulously imitates Netflix, from the user interface to the recognizable “Tudum” introduction sound.
The new promotional site, Streamberry.tv, offers users the chance to explore the fictional streaming platform, complete with title cards representing characters from previous seasons like the pop sensation Ashley O (Miley Cyrus) and talent show contestant Bing (Daniel Kaluuya). Clicking on these titles redirects users to the corresponding episodes on Netflix.
Through youareawful.com, fans can “sign up” for the service by providing their name and profile photo, leading to a personalized poster of them starring in the next installment of the “Is Awful” series.
However, echoing a message from the “Black Mirror” episode, users are advised to exercise caution and carefully review the fine print. Prior to uploading a selfie, the website warns that the image “may be featured on a billboard” and users are required to consent to “Netflix’s utilization of their image for promotional purposes.” Additionally, Netflix offers a link to the Terms and Conditions page.
This scenario echoes a sequence from the episode where Joan’s lawyer informs her that upon signing up for Streamberry, she relinquished her digital likeness rights. Streamberry tracks its users via their personal devices, enabling the platform to craft a computer-generated series based on them.
“Joan is Awful” sparked significant conversations this season due to its subtle dig at Netflix, in addition to its exploration of artificial intelligence and the future of entertainment streaming.
