Summary Bug
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About
Summary Bug is a single topic blog featuring odd instances of plot summaries for various films and TV shows available on Netflix that are drawn from two different text sources due to a glitch in the streaming application. More specifically, the bug combines the first four lines of a title synopsis with the last line taken from another title, often yielding an absurd and genre-bending premise for a story that has yet to be written.
Origin
On May 17th, 2014, American software developer Bob Lannon launched @SummaryBug, a blog devoted to highlighting incoherent synopses that had been accidentally spliced together, on Twitter[1] and Tumblr.[2] Within two weeks of launch, @SummaryBug has posted over 110 instances of summary bugs and garnered more than 8,590 followers.
Spread
On May 19th, Detroit-based author Saladin Ahmed[3] tweeted one of the bugged summaries based on the synopsis for Star Trek: The Next Generation:https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/star-trek-the-next-generation-parodies (shown below). Later that same day, Ahmed's tweet was picked up by Laughing Squid[4] in a compilation article.
Amazing film summary mashups created by a glitchy Netflix app, captured by SummaryBug</a>. <a href="http://t.co/9MVNGKvZA3">http://t.co/9MVNGKvZA3</a> <a href="http://t.co/RBcHTBhhRJ">pic.twitter.com/RBcHTBhhRJ</a></p>— Saladin Ahmed (saladinahmed) May 19, 2014
On May 21st, Netflix[5] announced that the glitch had been fixed via its official Twitter account:
The SummaryBug</a> is officially squashed. Luckily we had a can of Raid handy.</p>— Netflix US (netflix) May 22, 2014
On May 22nd, the glitch was reported on by numerous internet culture news sites, including BuzzFeed, Slate, Gizmodo and Uproxx, followed by another round of coverage on May 27th from The Mary Sue, Geekosystem and The Escapist.
Various Examples
Note: Click on each thumbnail for the sources of the title synopses.
Search Interest
External References
[1] Twitter – @SummaryBug
[2] Tumblr – Summary Bug
[3] Twitter – Saladin Ahmed's Tweet
[4] Laughing Squid – Summary Bug, A Project Collecting Amusing Movie and Television Show Summary Glitches on Netflix
[5] Twitter – Netflix's Tweet
[6] Slate – Netflix Glitch Mashes Up Plot Summaries, and the Results are Amazing
[7] BuzzFeed – A Glitch Caused Netflix’s App To Create Some Truly Weird And Wonderful Movie Summaries
[8] Uproxx – This Netflix Glitch Results In Unintentionally Hilarious Movie Mashups
[9] Gizmodo – The Best Fake Movies from Netflix's Summary Screw-Ups
[10] Geekosystem – Netflix Bug Smashes Plot Descriptions Together, the Results Are Hilariously Weird
[11] The Mary Sue – NETFLIX BUG MASHES SUMMARIES TOGETHER TO CREATE THE 10 NEW MUST SEE SHOWS AND MOVIES OF 2014
[12] The Escapist – Netflix Summary Bug Creates Movies We'd Love to See
Related Entries 54 total
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Top Comments
A Furry
Jun 02, 2014 at 01:09AM EDT
Sniper Theif
Jun 02, 2014 at 01:34PM EDT in reply to