Netflix Interactive Specials: What They Are and How to Watch Them

Title card for Netflix interactive movies and show

Written by Editor

January 26, 2024

No stranger to being at the forefront of advancing online entertainment, Netflix interactive shows have been around since 2017. But what is it and what kind of gear do you need to watch (or play?) these interactive movies and TV shows? Read on as we answer just that.

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What is an interactive movie or show?

Similar to interactive theater, interactive movies and TV shows seek to get the audience involved so that they have a hand in where the story goes. And the format may be older than you think. Interactive film is almost as old as cinema itself, with its origins predating the first commercial screening of a “talkie” by about a decade.

There is some debate about what’s considered a interactive video game and what constitutes an interactive movie, mostly due to the latter not being clearly defined. But this is not the place for that. It’s not that hard to tell the difference between a title from Telltale Games and one from Netflix. (At least not yet.)

The first Netflix interactive specials

Fast-forward through a bunch of driving and shooting games, LaserDisc quick-time events, and VHS mysteries, to The Adventures of Puss in Boots. The streaming giant used its popular animated children’s series to test-drive Netflix interactive content in June 2017 with the special inter-season episode Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale.

And they must’ve liked what they’d seen.

Because the streamer then used another one of its popular series — Black Mirror — as the vehicle for the first full-length Netflix interactive movie, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. The movie was met with mixed reviews and audience ratings and currently holds a 74% score from critics and a 67% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Check out this 3-minute featurette on the 2018 Netflix interactive film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch for a behind-the-scenes peak at producing an interactive movie.

How to watch Netflix interactive content

If your device is capable of playing Netflix interactive specials, you’ll see a badge on the content’s page. Depending on its play style, you’ll see either an Interactive Netflix interactive badge badge or a Trivia Netflix interactive trivia badge badge.

Simply click on the title card as you would with any regular show or movie and start watching.

How to find interactive movies and shows on Netflix

There currently isn’t a content hub or even a genre heading for interactive content on Netflix, so you’ll have to use search. But typing “interactive” into the search bar brings up all of the interactive titles on Netflix.

Netflix search results for Netflix interactive shows in a web browser
Type “interactive” into the search bar for Netflix interactive content (Browser, January 2024)

How to interact with movies and shows

1: Open the interactive movie or show.

Title screen for Choose Love on Netflix
The title screen for Choose Love on Netflix (September 2023)

2: A notification will appear on the screen telling you to get ready to click.

Get ready to click! notification on Netflix interactive show
Get ready to click! in Netflix’s Choose Love interactive movie (September 2023)

3: When a choice appears on the screen, you have 10 seconds to make a decision. Click or tap either the left or the right option before the time runs out. If you don’t choose one, Netflix will choose one for you.

Choice options on the screen for Netflix's "Choose Love" interactive movie
Decision time! Click one before time runs out (September 2023)

4: If you don’t like your previous decision (or the one Netflix made for you) you have the power to Undo Last Choice up until it’s time to make your next decision. Just like real life! Right?

Undo last choice option in Netflix's Choose Love interactive movie
No regrets! Undo bad choices with the push of a button (September 2023)

What devices support Netflix interactive content?

You can experience Netflix interactive specials on a wide range of devices, so if you’ve got a newer device your odds are pretty good it’ll work. The types of devices compatible with Netflix interactive shows and movies are:

  • Android and iOS mobile devices
  • Streaming media players
  • Smart TVs
  • Game consoles (obviously)
  • Computer browsers

Which devices do NOT work with Netflix interactive content?

Older models of the devices listed above may not be able to run interactive shows and movies as they require the updated versions of the Netflix app. In addition, these apps and devices are not supported:

  • Apple TV
  • Chromecast generations 1 to 3 and Ultra (but Chromecast with Google TV models are)
  • Netflix Windows app
  • Tesla touch screen displays

List of Netflix interactive shows and movies

Netflix interactive specials currently fall under 6 genres:

  • Kids
  • Reality TV
  • Drama
  • Comedy
  • Special Interest
  • Trivia

Most of the interactive titles currently available are for kids, but there are a few for mom and dad as well. Some of the popular titles for kids include Barbie Epic Road Trip, Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous: Hidden Adventure, and We Lost Our Human.

For older viewers (ie: 14+), there’s Choose Love, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend, Escape the Undertaker, and more.

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For the full list of every interactive title on Netflix, check out The Complete List of Netflix Video Games and Interactive Shows.

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4 Comments

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  2. www.binance.com anmelden

    I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.

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