Kaleidoscope: How to watch Netflix’s mind-boggling non-linear series in chronological order

Kaleidoscope was designed so that its episodes can be watched in any order – but not everyone is a fan of a non-linear sequence.

Since Netflix released its heist thriller series on New Year’s Day (1 January), fans have been deliberating on which sequence to watch the show in.

Creator Eric Garcia (previously Matchstick Men) wrote Kaleidoscope so that seven of the eight episodes can be watched in any order and still make narrative sense.

This means that there are a total of 5,040 ways to experience the show, each influencing your thoughts about key events and characters in a different way. The abundant choice has left viewers stumped.

If, like others, you are looking to watch Kaleidoscope in a more traditional way – chronologically – this is how you do it.

Viewing order: “Violet”. “Green”, “Yellow”, “Orange”, “Blue”, “Red”, “Pink”, *“White”.

* The events of “Red” and “Pink” actually take place, respectively, one day and six months after “White” but the creator urges everyone to watch “White” – the heist episode – last.

If you do want to watch the series in true chronological order, ignore Garcia’s wishes and watch “White” third from the end, before “Red”.

This sequence will take viewers from the beginning to the end chronologically.

The plot takes place over 24 years, following a team of thieves who work together to pull off an elaborate heist worth $7bn and get away with it. The team is led by Leop Pap (played by Breaking Bad star Giancarlo Esposito).

While watching chronologically may seem like the clearest path, it is perhaps not the most thrilling.

Experiencing Kaleidoscope this way gives away game-changing details about key characters too early on. These are revelations better kept secret until they can surprise the viewer later on.

Kaleidoscope is available to watch now on Netflix.