This concept of a “choose your own adventure” movie is nothing more than a gimmick. I don’t imagine a future where all films will have branching paths and multiple endings. This idea is better implemented in video games, as they often require a larger time investment and they have a player controlling the actions of a character.

However, Black Mirror seems aware of these limitations, and therefore it creates a story that would really only work in this TV show. I was extremely engaged when I saw Stefan try to fight the choices I had picked for him, and a hilarious meta plot was included where Stefan learns he is being controlled by a streaming service from his future. This meta plot results in one of two very unexpected and ridiculously funny endings.

So, I believe Black Mirror used this gimmick to play to the strengths of its own themes, as well as giving us a solid and engaging narrative alongside it. I have rarely seen a gimmick that was written so cleverly and used so effectively.