Black Mirror’s Bete Noir: A Dark Twist on Adam Sandler’s Click

by

Among the outstanding episodes in Black Mirror Season 7, ‘Bête Noire’ stands out. Not only does it serve as a warning about the dangers of bullying and manipulation, but it cleverly reimagines one of Adam Sandler’s cherished films with a haunting twist.

You might as well explore our Season 7 review, glance through TopMob’s compilation of top Easter eggs, and discover why Black Mirror enthusiasts would enjoy the 1990s horror film, The Faculty.

Besides penning a piece explaining ‘Bête Noire’, we’ve additionally enjoyed linking this season’s tale to an old Adam Sandler film. Delve further to uncover the connection, but be cautious: SPOILER ALERT lies ahead…

Bête Noire is a twisted remake of Adam Sandler’s Click

In simpler terms, the seventh season’s ‘Bête Noire’ episode of Black Mirror offers a sinister twist on the 2006 blockbuster film Click starring Adam Sandler.

In that movie, I found myself in possession of a mystical remote control, capable of manipulating reality itself. At first, I reveled in the novelty of this power, using it to my advantage both at work and home, enjoying the benefits immensely. However, as time went on, I began to warp reality more drastically, fast-forwarding through larger and larger chunks of time. This ultimately led me to miss crucial life moments and grow distant from my wife and kids, realizing too late the detrimental impact this power had on my personal relationships.

In a unique twist on a familiar tale, ‘Bête Noire’ follows a different narrative path. Instead of the protagonist, Verity assumes the role of the antagonist. As the episode progresses, we discover that she has created a device capable of altering reality. However, instead of using it for personal gain or conflict resolution, she employs it to torment and confuse her former school bully, Maria. Her ultimate goal is to drive Maria insane.

In my gaming world, I’ve noticed a pattern that once drove another character to despair and ultimately take her own life. Now, it seems to be repeating with Maria, subtly altering her environment to cast her as the villain. Unlike the previous victim, Maria isn’t succumbing to the pressure, instead choosing to confront Verity. Through their conversation, she learns that the controller had never brought her true happiness, and in a moment of defiance, Maria ends Verity’s life with a single shot to the head.

The click takes an unexpected turn. Things become quite complicated for Michael, as his wife departs and Newman fails to be with his father during his passing, causing him to fall sick too. However, this movie is about a father learning to prioritize family over work, so in essence, these events are not genuine; the remote control was merely a tool to impart a valuable lesson to Michael Newman.

The contrast between their finales is striking, despite both characters ending up with the remote control at the end. While Michael discards his to spend more quality time with his loved ones, Maria takes the opposite approach and uses hers to transform herself into an Empress of the Universe. From a unique perspective, these seemingly contradictory conclusions could be interpreted as joyful outcomes for both characters.

You can stream, rent, or buy clicks almost anywhere, whereas Black Mirror Season 7 has recently been added to Netflix. For additional insights about the series, here’s a reason Severance fans might find this particular episode captivating, along with news that Black Mirror is sending TCKR Systems’ Nubbin to popular influencers on TikTok.

Read More

2025-04-10 19:21