Warning: SPOILERS for Black Mirror Season 7, Episode 6 - “USS Callister Into Infinity"The title ofBlack Mirrorseason 7’s sequel to “USS Callister” is a direct spoof ofStar Trek Into Darkness, and I love it.Black Mirrormaestro Charlie Brooker re-teamed with director Toby Haynes for the firstBlack Mirrorsequel episode, a follow-up to 2017’s"USS Callister,“Black Mirrorseason 4’sStar Trekhomage. “USS Callister Into Infinity” reveals what happens next to Captain Nanette Cole (Cristin Milioti) and the crew of the USS Callister after the death of Captain Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons).
“USS Callister Into Infinity” picks up months after Nanette led the USS Callister starship out of Robert Daly’s private server that housed an illegal build of a video game that Daly based on his favorite sci-fi show,Space Fleet.The USS Callister is now forced to survive within the open world of Infinity’s video game universe, unregistered and without a gamertag, which makes it a target for Callister Inc.’s skeevy CEO, James Walton (Jimmi Simpson).
Black Mirror’s first sequel is less reliant on parodyingStar Trekand focuses on its characters and their unique struggles, as Walton tries to delete the USS Callister’s crew in the real world.
Black Mirror’s “USS Callister” Sequel Title Spoofing Star Trek Into Darkness Is Hilarious
There’s Also Some Buzz Lightyear In The Title
Black Mirror’s “USS Callister Into Infinity” title is a hilariously direct swipe of J.J. Abrams' title,Star Trek Into Darkness. Both are sequels toStar TrekandStar Trek-related projects that brought a new vitality to the classic 1960s aesthetic ofStar Trek: The Original Series.Star Trek Into Darkness' title caught flak in its day for weirdly turning “Star Trek” into a verb, and “USS Callister Into Infinity” follows suit.
USS Callister: Into Infinity Ending Explained – What Happens To Nanette & Her Crew?
Black Mirror’s USS Callister: Into Infinity walks through another virtual adventure featuring the USS Callister crew before ending on a high note.
Amusingly, Netflix listsBlack Mirror’s sequel title as “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” with other media following suit. Yetthe title screen of theBlack Mirrorepisode eschews the colon, hammering home that “USS Callister Into Infinity” is a direct spoof ofStar Trek Into Darkness. However, because the USS Callister starship exists within Callister Inc.’s Infinity video game,Black Mirror’s title is more apropos thanStar Trek Into Darkness’metaphor, and it also slyly evokes Buzz Lightyear’s catchphrase,“To Infinity and Beyond!”
“USS Callister Into Infinity” Is A Better Sequel Than Star Trek Into Darkness
Black Mirror’s First Sequel Is More Satisfying Than J.J. Abrams' Second Star Trek Movie
“USS Callister Into Infinity” is a better sequel to itsBlack Mirrorpredecessor thanStar Trek Into Darknesswas toJ.J. Abrams' 2009Star Trekreboot.Black Mirror’s sequel delves into the dark secret at the heart of the Infinity video game, and explores how desperate Nanette Cole and the USS Callister’s crew become trying to survive in a video game where their very existence is illegal and cause for purging.“USS Callister Into Infinity’s” climactic twist also spins the saga into another uncharted territory, and the sequel perfectly complements the original installment.
“USS Callister Into Infinity” is much more than its funny nod to J.J. Abrams' oddball sequel title.
Star Trek Into Darknessis an entertaining action spectacle, but its reputation remains tarnished by the many problems of J.J. Abrams' sequel. From the filmmakers outright lying about Benedict Cumberbatch playing Khan Noonien Singh, to thecontroversy surrounding Carol Marcus (Alice Eve), toStar Trek Into Darknessproving itself to be a blatant rehash ofStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek Into Darknessisn’t widely loved.Black Mirrortook a risk evokingStar Trek Into Darkness, but “USS Callister Into Infinity” is much more than its funny nod to J.J. Abrams' oddball sequel title.
