Netflix fans were left asking 'what was that' after watching one particular episode of Black Mirror's latest season. Warning: this article contains spoilers.
Fans were excited to hear the popular dystopian show was returning earlier this year following a four-year break. Black Mirror's comeback was confirmed by the streaming service in April, with a trailer teasing a star-studded line-up, including Salma Hayek, Aaron Paul and Josh Hartnett.
But some viewers were left disappointed by the show's fourth episode, Mazey Day. Many reckoned it didn't belong in the Black Mirror universe as it was more supernatural than sci-fi.
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A poignant commentary on the paparazzi and intrusion of privacy, the story followers photographer Bo, portrayed by Zazie Beetz. Struggling to make ends meet, Bo sets out to photograph actress Mazey Day, played Clara Rugaard, who has seemingly gone haywire.
Viewers learn that Mazey had killed in a man in a hit and run, caused by her driving erratically while listening to Muse's Super Massive Black Hole. This is apparently what's behind her decline in mental health - and she's since nowhere to be found.
Watch the Black Mirror season six trailer below
With a $30,000 pay-out at stake, Bo pulls out all the stops to find Mazey. But she ends up in trouble when, alongside some fellow paparazzi, she winds up at a rehab centre in the middle of nowhere. As the photographers investigate further, all hell breaks loose.
Mazey is chained down and sweating profusely, when she transforms into a werewolf. She kills two of the photographers - who are snapping away regardless - as Bo and a friend manage to escape. Eventually, the werewolf finds the photographers hiding in a diner - and kills everyone in sight, expect for Bo.
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She manages to shoot the werewolf, turning the creature back into Mazey. The actress then begs for Bo to shoot her. Instead, she hands Mazey the gun and shoots herself - as Bo hauntingly captures her final moment on camera.
While a chilling tale of just how far some are willing to go for money, many found the werewolf plot twist a bit too random. Taking to Twitter, @tweeetertots said: "Just watched #MazeyDay and what . . was that?? That wasn’t a #Blackmirror episode?" while @artemisvoid added: "...Mazey day was a good episode of a supernatural anthology, just not black mirror (but i get the invasive paparazzi media angle they were going for)".
@x4vieerm said: "for anyone that watches black mirror do not watch mazey day. the actual worst thing i’ve seen in a while" and @notnot_juan commented: "Mazey day is the worst black mirror episode. It feels like the real story wasn’t told".
@ThatDonLewis said: "The MAZEY DAY episode of #BlackMirror was indeed NOT a good BLACK MIRROR ep but it WAS a pretty cool horror short!" while @itz_erika_YO said: "What the actual f*** was the Mazey Day episode of #BlackMirrorS6 ?!"
The show is written by journalist Charlie Brooker, and first premiered on Channel 4 in 2011. Brooker previously said that season six would contain some unexpected twists alongside the “familiar Black Mirror tropes”.
He explained: “Partly as a challenge, and partly to keep things fresh for both me and the viewer, I began this season by deliberately upending some of my own core assumptions about what to expect. Consequently, this time, alongside some of the more familiar Black Mirror tropes we’ve also got a few new elements, including some I’ve previously sworn blind the show would never do, to stretch the parameters of what ‘a Black Mirror episode’ even is."
