Netflix-Style Documentary Intro Becomes TikTok Meme

Since late June, users on TikTok and Instagram Reels have been posting short videos that mimic the opening scene of a Netflix documentary. The format shows a person adjusting a microphone, sitting in a well-lit chair, and hearing an off-camera prompt such as “Are you ready?” The videos are set to the orchestral cue used in the trailer for Netflix’s true-crime series about former NFL player Aaron Hernandez.

New York Times

The meme draws on a familiar cinematic device that signals a subject’s preparation for a deep interview. By borrowing the dramatic music and staging, creators turn everyday moments—such as reflecting on a former workplace or a “Four Loko era” experience—into parody-styled confessionals. The trend gained traction after the Netflix documentary’s trailer went viral, providing a ready-made audio cue for the reenactments.

New York Times

According to the New York Times, her clip has been viewed 13 million times. Other participants have adapted the format to illustrate personal micro-dramas, leaked group chats, and nostalgic references to early-2020s party culture.

New York Times

• “I love watching Netflix documentaries — I’m like a total true-crime junkie,” — Aaron Hernandez. Sophia Barchenkova

New York Times

• “Audiences are really drawn to that moment, which has been used in many documentaries, of a subject preparing for the interview to start,” — Adam Del Deo, Netflix’s vice president for documentaries

New York Times