Pratik Handore
In episode 2 of Netflix’s ‘Black Mirror‘ season 6, Davis and Pia, a young documentary filmmaking couple, travel to Loch Henry, a sleepy Scottish town, and learn its darkest secret. In the process, viewers are exposed to some interesting television shows in the true crime and fiction space. The episode references Netflix’s ‘The Waltonville Claw’ and ‘Bergerac,’ two shows that directly and indirectly affect the episode’s narrative. Hence, viewers might be wondering whether these are real shows. SPOILERS AHEAD!
The Waltonville Claw Is Not Real
‘The Waltonville Claw’ is a fictional Netflix true crime documentary mentioned in the second episode of ‘Black Mirror’ season 6. In the episode, documentary filmmakers Pia and Davis arrive in the latter’s hometown of Loch Henry. They hope to film footage for a documentary about a man who guards rare eggs. However, the town’s dark past is revealed when the young couple meets Davis’ friend, Stuart. Once an idyllic tourist location, the town’s economy took a major hit when the crimes of Iain Adair were exposed, and the serial killer died.
While discussing ideas for their project, ‘The Waltonville Claw’ is mentioned as a reference point since the true crime documentary increased tourist numbers in Waltonville and revitalized the town’s economy. The title likely refers to Waltonville, Illinois, in Jefferson County. It is also mentioned that the documentary is about a man who ate a woman’s eye in front of her. However, there are no records of such an incident in the real-life Waltonville. Hence, it is safe to say that the fictional documentary wasn’t inspired by a real Netflix true crime show. Instead, it helps the episode’s narrative construct satire about the true crime genre.
Bergerac Is a British Classic
The second episode’s other prominently mentioned television series is ‘Bergerac.’ In the episode, Davis explains to Pia that he and his parents were extremely fond of the detective show when he was young. The family has a large collection of ‘Bergerac’ videotapes, which contain pre-recorded episodes of the supposedly famous television series. Moreover, Davis’ mother, Janet, also had a crush on the show’s lead actor. ‘Bergerac’ is indeed a real show, and some archive footage of the series is used in the episode. ‘Bergerac’ is a British crime drama television series created by Robert Banks Stewart and features John Nettles as Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac.
Set in Jersey, the series follows Jim Bergerac as he investigates baffling crimes for the fictional Bureau des Étrangers (The Foreigners’ Office). The series premiered on October 18, 1981, and ran for nearly a decade before going off air in 1991. It has a total of 87 episodes, along with several Christmas specials. The series gained popularity for its unorthodox take on the mystery crime-drama subgenre. In ‘Black Mirror,’ the show plays a crucial role as the videotapes, which are supposed to contain episodes of ‘Bergerac,’ contain evidence of the most heinous crime spree in Loch Henry.
Read More: Is Loch Henry a Real Place? Is Iain Adair Based on a Real Killer?
