Black Mirror viewers say Netflix is 'gaslighting' them after spotting hidden detail in episode two

Netflix dropped its latest season of Black Mirror just a couple of days ago, and the dystopian anthology series is very much a hot topic online.

The latest offering of the daring Charlie Brooker series has seen brain implants that have a chilling similarity to streaming site subscription tiers, a second look at the doomed multiplayer game USS Callister and a creepy AI movie in which you need to stick to the script in order to make it home.

So you're typical creepy and uncomfortable Black Mirror storylines, then.

One particular episode which seems to have attracted debate online is 'Bête Noire', which sees Maria's (Siena Kelly) life turned upside down after old classmate Verity (Rosy McEwen) takes a job at her company.

The episode explores the concept of alternate worlds all existing simultaneously, with Maria making the realisation after she spends the entire episode questioning her grip on reality.

And there's one particular moment which has fans talking, the appearance of fast food restaurant Barnies — or is it Bernies?

Long-term viewers of the series will recall the eatery popping up in two prior episodes, Season 3 episode 'Shut Up and Dance' and Season 6 episode 'Joan Is Awful', so it's not too out of the ordinary that it shows up again.

That is until Maria corrects a colleague for referring to Barnies as Bernies, only to find out she is actually in the wrong. The moment leaves Maria completely thrown.

And it turns out she wasn't the only person hoodwinked either.

It's Barnies right? (Netflix)

Taking to social media, one viewer joked that Netflix was 'gaslighting' viewers after learning the shop shifts between the two names in the episode.

"So my friend and I were watching the new Black Mirror episode “Bête Noire” and we noticed that there was a stark difference between our episodes… even the viewers are getting gaslit at 16:40," the viewer wrote on X, following up by joking: "This about to be the new blue and black vs white and gold dress."

"Mine was changed to barnies and when I went back it was originally Bernies. Black mirror is so back," penned a second viewer, while a third added: "We have our first legit Mandela effect in the episode. The name of a local restaurant is changed from Barnies (seen in the opening act) to Bernies, but apparently only Maria remembers."

Or is it Bernies? (Netflix)

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Both the official Netflix and Black Mirror X accounts later chimed in on the topic, each tweeting 'Bernies' and 'Barnies', to which Brooker responded with: "You’re both wrong."

While it's ultimately revealed that Verity has been altering reality to get one over on Maria, the episode also leans heavily on the Mandela effect, which is where a large group of people falsely remember the same thing.

Black Mirror season seven is available to stream on Netflix.