Derren Brown’s 2016 TV special, Pushed to the Edge (2016), has just been released on Netflix as Derren Brown: The Push, and is causing quite the stir.

I’ve been a fan of Derren Brown for a long time. As both a mentalist and illusionist magician, Brown has covered a lot of ground via his books, television series’, specials and live performances. Though he has caused a LOT of controversy over the years surrounding the ethics and accuracy of his “experiments”, I stand by that he is an engrossing entertainer and knows how to make provoking television. Some of his best include:

The System (2008), where Derren convinces us he has found a foolproof betting technique.

Miracles for Sale (2011), which discusses “faith healing” and looks to debunk this practice.

Fear and Faith (2012), Brown looks at the placebo effect and attempts to convince people they’ve had a religious experience.

And The Guilt Trip (2011), my personal favourite and the most similar to The Push, in which an entirely innocent man is persuaded through social cues and memory tricks into thinking he has committed a murder.

Though I’m reviewing The Push here, I mention these other shows only to give context to Brown’s work in light of the complaints surrounding the recent release of The Push on Netflix. From what I’ve heard and read online, it appears many viewers aren’t too happy about reality television with such “dark and disturbing” subject matter available to them. Best not mention the many true crime documentaries that have been there for years! But what I want to remind viewers is that Derren Brown has been producing this stuff for over a decade, television which I believe should be appreciated for its bold, though indisputably unsettling, subject matter.

The Push, Brown’s latest special, poses the question; “Can someone be so manipulated by social pressure that they could be convinced to commit murder?”. As previously mentioned, this episode is reminiscent of The Guilt Trip in the way it stages an entire event around one unsuspecting person, using Brown’s knowledge of social psychology while in cohorts with many actors and props being controlled by Brown through cameras and earpieces.

Brown clues us in on his techniques while he’s giving instructions to the actors, explaining how he is able to manipulate and influence the subject through language and gestures. Though I’m sure a psychology expert (and ethics committee) would have much to say on Brown’s execution of his experiments, it’s hard to argue with how engrossing the results are.

The Push had me squirming constantly in my seat. Despite my excitement about the special, this one made me particularly uncomfortable for its entirety. Watching someone being emotionally traumatised for an hour is hard, but the bigger picture that considers how pliable morality can be, is equally disturbing. Brown’s message at the end of the show is his hope that by watching The Push we might think more about our actions, and be aware of the social pressure that dictates our decisions.

Regardless of this, I thoroughly enjoyed this special. As entertaining as ever, Brown has created something you can’t tear away from or stop thinking about well after it’s over. My hope is that Netflix will be able to get their hands on his other shows, and give fans of The Push more to sink their teeth into.