Strange New Worlds Parodies Star Trek to Counter Black Mirror’s Cruelty

The Original Series. The trailer for season 3 hints at Captain Christopher Pike’s crew on the USS Enterprise getting involved in a “show-within-a-show”. Scenes depict Lieutenant James Kirk, Lieutenant Erica Ortegas, and Nurse Christine Chapel on a modest starship set, dressed in retro-futuristic costumes reminiscent of mid-century attire. It’s got that classic Star Trek feel, but the way these scenes are presented might just be a nod to Black Mirror’s interpretation of Star Trek.

In the premier of Black Mirror’s season 4, “USS Callister”, and its sequel in season 7, “USS Callister Into Infinity”, the character Robert Daly (played by Jesse Plemons) is an enthusiastic admirer of the fictional series Space Fleet, reminiscent of Star Trek: The Original Series. Robert transfers conscious digital replicas of his colleagues into his interactive video game modeled after Space Fleet, and subjecting them to cruel treatment in order to make them comply with his fantasy world. Through the malevolent actions of character Robert Daly within a Star Trek-like universe, Black Mirror highlights the problematic behavior of toxic fans who have lost sight of Star Trek’s utopian ideals.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3’s Show-Within-A-Show Episode Feels Like A Response To Black Mirror’s “USS Callister”

Star Trek Is Supposed To Be Hopeful, Not Mean

In the third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the show-within-a-show seems like a counterpoint to Black Mirror’s “USS Callister”. Rather than using a 1960s Star Trek setting to depict cruelty, as Robert Daly does in Black Mirror, Strange New Worlds emphasizes that Star Trek’s influence has been largely beneficial for humanity. As portrayed in the trailer of season 3, Ensign Nyota Uhura (played by Celia Rose Gooding) explains that the purpose of Star Trek is to offer a reflection of our world through the lens of fantasy and science fiction. Essentially, the aim of Star Trek is to instill hope.

In the hypothetical scenario of playing the USS Callister game from Black Mirror, I think it’s safe to say that many Star Trek fans would work together to save the galaxy while treating their digital crew with respect and dignity. Our experiences with shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, where we empathized with Lt. Commander Data’s (Brent Spiner) quest for personhood, have taught us to recognize sentient holograms, as shown in Star Trek: Voyager with the Doctor (Robert Picardo), as fellow beings deserving of kindness rather than being exploited for our amusement, like the character Robert on the USS Callister. Shows like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds further reinforce these values.

Strange New Worlds Doing Its Own Star Trek Parody Is Admirable, But A Big Risk

Strange New Worlds Treating Star Trek As Another Genre Could Work

In my view, it’s great when Star Trek pushes boundaries, so I appreciate that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is willing to poke fun at itself, but not everyone may feel the same way. The response to the more daring episodes of Strange New Worlds, such as Star Trek‘s first musical, “Subspace Rhapsody”, has been varied, indicating that there’s a chance of losing some Star Trek fans with its experimental humor. Essentially, while I wholeheartedly support getting quirky, Strange New Worlds must carefully walk the line between playing it safe and venturing too far off course if it hopes to keep everyone satisfied.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds operates in a way that’s reminiscent of a series where the tone and style change with each episode, while maintaining a consistent cast and storylines. This unique approach allows the show to reinterpret and redefine classic Trek elements such as courtroom dramas and weekly alien encounters. By being set in mid-century space opera, Strange New Worlds can essentially view Star Trek as a separate genre to delve into. So far, the risks taken by Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have proven successful, making me eager to see how it reacts to the insights provided by Black Mirror on Star Trek fandom.

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2025-04-24 02:18