Hold Up — Is Black Mirror Going to Drop a Surprise Christmas Special? Let's Investigate

Like a murderous animatronic dog dead set on wiping out the human race, it seems Black Mirror wants to wipe out what little sanity I have left at the end of 2018.

Charlie Booker's critically acclaimed sci-fi series is returning for season five sometime this month, presumably, given when season four dropped on Netflix (December 2017). And although we know that Miley Cyrus will have a role in the season, and that one episode might be an interactive choose-your-own-adventure-style setup, there hasn't been much else to go off of, due to the secrecy that usually shrouds the series . . . until now.

Users have discovered that when you search "Bandersnatch" on Netflix, you see the title A Netflix Film: Black Mirror Bandersnatch, accompanied by what looks like a loading screen as the film art.

When you click on the title, it opens an image that features stills of other Black Mirror episodes on a bank of monitors, which suggests it will be either a part of the fifth season, or a stand-alone episode (which is described as "offbeat," "cerebral," and "mind-bending," above). And, since season four hit Netflix on Dec. 29 last year, the chances of it arriving sooner rather than later seem fairly likely.

What we can't tell you is whether or not this 1.) will indeed be an actual film; 2.) if it's merely a deception on Brooker's part; or 3.) if it's the rumored interactive episode. However, the title has been lurking on the streaming network for quite some time, according to a Twitter account that tracks new additions to Netflix in the UK. Doesn't that make it sound like Bandersnatch is legit?

Whatever the hell it is, Bandersnatch has been causing quite the ruckus among Black Mirror fans on Twitter, with one user pointing out that it must be yet another bleak Christmas special to add to the show's growing collection (The Jon Hamm-led "White Christmas" episode from a few seasons back is a personal nightmare favorite).

While this theory certainly seems to hold up, there's only one thing I know for sure: I'm 100 percent ready for Black Mirror to ruin my holiday.