Black Mirroris one of the mostfascinating anthology serieson television today. It raises thought-provoking questions about society’s reliance on and obsession with technology. Every episode presents a new story and touches on a different aspect of technology and a worst-case scenario if it were taken too far, from our reliance on social media to the presence of artificial intelligence (AI).
One of thebest episodes of the showis “USS Callister.” It is about a reclusive programmer who secretly clones his co-workers using their DNA to create a virtualStar Trek-inspired world where he can berate and abuse them. The episode won four Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Television Movie and Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special. So, it’s no surprise that “USS Callister” will become the firstBlack Mirrorsequel episode. But why?
What Happened in USS Callister?
In “USS Callister,” which kicked off the fourth season ofBlack Mirrorin 2017, gifted programmer andvideo game developerRobert Daly (Jesse Plemons) secretly creates sentient digital clones of his co-workers using their DNA without their consent. He uses these within a development build of his company’s popular gameInfinity, for which he had the starring role in creating yet gets none of the credit. The secret version of the game resembles Robert’s favorite show calledSpace Fleet, a parody ofStar Trek.
At the office, Robert is treated poorly by everyone, notably the company’s co-founder, James Walton (Jimmi Simpson). James took advantage of Robert, taking credit for and profiting from his work, capitalizing on Robert’s lack of confidence and inability to stand up for himself. At night, Robert spends hours playing his modded version of the space adventure game where, unlike in the real world where he’s dismissed or ignored, he lives out his deepest, darkest desires. He orders everyone around, mistreats them, and makes them bend to his every demand and request, or else. He’s a tyrant of the worst kind.
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Robert hits a snag when he invites a new hire named Nanette (Cristin Milioti) to join the game. She gathers the others and tries to plan a revolt, but it won’t be easy. Since Robert has their DNA, he can recreate them as many times as he wants, no matter how many times they die or attempt to remove themselves from the game. Nanette tries desperately to reach her real-life self and get help, and after several attempts, she hatches a plan that works.
As Robert chases after his crew, who is escaping through a wormhole, a firewall detects the unauthorized build of the game and locks Robert out of his controls. The crew escapes and ends up in the unmodded version of the game that exists in the cloud. Robert, meanwhile, frantically tries to stop his game deletion or at least exit the game, but he’s both literally and figuratively trapped. The last fans see of him in the real world is when he is motionless, sitting in his gaming chair, eyes rolled back into his head.
Expectations For the USS Callister Sequel
There are a few routes the confirmed “USS Callister” sequel episode could take. The original episode did not outright confirm Daly’s status, but Netflix has assured in its press release that “Robert Daly is dead” and that the new USS Callister would return “with or without Captain Robert Daly.” The release adds: “Captain Robert Daly may have died in the original episode, but for the crew of the USS Callister, their problems are just beginning.”
However, knowing anything about the World Wide Web and the show often deliversepisodes that are close to reality, fans might ask: are digital entities reallyever “gone?” Even if the real Robert is dead, might there be a way for his consciousness to be revived from a snippet of it that still exists online? He would assuredly then terrorize everyone and seek revenge. Plemons, for what it’s worth, hasn’t been confirmed as a returning cast member, but this is a possibility to consider.
Most likely, the sequel will focus on Nanette as she leads the crew through exploring theInfinitygame in a way they have never experienced before. Now, existing in the actual game, the possibilities and challenges are infinite. They can go anywhere, do anything they want, and encounter all types of enemies.
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Sticking withBlack Mirror’stheme of telling cautionary tales, the focus could be on the crew getting caught up existing in the game, much like Robert did. They’re on the other side of the fence and in a position of power and control this time. While they previously wanted desperately to escape, now they have every reason to stay and enjoy the exhilarating role-playing experience. Video games are a form of escapism, and the crew, or perhaps even just Nanette, could become dangerously obsessed with not just playing the game but beinginthe game.
A similar concept has already been explored in severalotherBlack Mirrorepisodes. In “Playtest” from season 3, a young man enters an experimental game that starts to play off his fears. In “San Junipero” (also season 3), two elderly women choose to remain in a simulated reality world populated by deceased and elderly individuals existing in their younger bodies. In “Striking Vipers” from season 5, two men become obsessed with a VR game that allows them to feel the physical sensations of the characters, complicating a seemingly platonic friendship. So, it would fit withBlack Mirror’stheme to have this concept explored in yet another way.
A small detail at the end of the first episode could also become a bigger part of the story. An angry gamer known as Gamer691 sends a transmission to the team aboard the ship. Voiced by Aaron Paul, he’s looking to trade or else wants them out of his quadrant. As he becomes more agitated and threatens to blow them to smithereens, Nanette smiles, slinks into her captain’s chair, and instructs the crew to head somewhere else. Who is this self-proclaimed “king of space,” and will he have a role in the new episode?
Fans may recall Paul starring in one of thebest episodes ofBlack Mirrorseason 6, “Beyond the Sea,” as Cliff, an astronaut who occasionally transferred his consciousness to a body replica on Earth so he could spend time with his family while still physically being thousands of miles away in the sky. It’s possible Gamer691 could not only show up as another character played by Paul but possibly even Cliff himself from season 6.
Following the end of “Beyond the Sea,” Cliff was presumably still stuck aboard a ship with his former friend David (Josh Hartnett), who murdered his wife and son. With no one else to visit via consciousness or even when he returns back home in physical form, Cliff could very well be grieving by spending his downtime playing this video game, taking out his anger on unsuspecting others.
No matter the direction, if the sequel episode is anything like the first one, viewers will be enthralled by the captivating performances, fabulous special effects and visuals, and compelling and cautionary story.
When Will Black Mirror Season 7 Be Released?
Black Mirror
Black Mirror’ssequel “USS Callister” episode has been confirmed as part ofa seventh season, which will consist of a total of six episodes. Production has already begun, involving the show’s creator, Charlie Brooker, and the season will be released in 2025, though there’s no specific release date yet. Seasons 5 and 6 were both released in June of their respective release years, so it’s possible fans could see the new season episodes by next summer.
Netflix purchased the speculative fiction seriesBlack Mirrorin 2015 after the first two seasons aired on Channel 4 in the U.K. The streaming service has commissioned every season since the “White Christmas” special, the last episode to air on Channel 4. That also includes the interactive movieBlack Mirror: Bandersnatch,which was, ironically enough, also about a video game designer.Stream all six seasons to date ofBlack Mirroron Netflix.
