9 Years Later, Intense ‘Black Mirror’ Episode Keeps Getting Better

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It’s hard to beat Black Mirror when it comes to thought-provoking science fiction. This anthology series, which originally aired on Channel 4 in the UK before moving to Netflix, explores strange and unsettling futures driven by technology. Creator Charlie Brooker is known for shifting the pace of each story, building moments that feel dreamlike before unexpectedly escalating to dramatic conclusions.

Each episode of Black Mirror is distinct and well-crafted, but one episode particularly resonates today due to its storyline. Featuring Jesse Plemons and Christin Milioti, this 76-minute episode draws clear inspiration from Star Trek and boasts some of the highest production quality—and even a touch of humor—seen in the entire Netflix series. It’s easily one of the show’s most enjoyable installments and feels especially timely now.

“USS Callister” Is ‘Horrible Bosses: The Sci-Fi Edition’

If you enjoyed the movie Horrible Bosses, you’ll recognize a similar idea in “USS Callister,” but set in the future. The story centers on Robert Daly (played by Jesse Plemons), a tech leader who created a hugely popular virtual reality game called Infinity. Players control spaceships in this simulated world. Despite the game’s success, Daly feels unappreciated by his coworkers, and his frustration turns into something darker. He begins creating a Star Trekstyle space adventure within* the game, using his employees’ DNA to make realistic digital copies of them. He then subjects these copies to mistreatment during the adventures. However, when a new employee, Nanette Cole (Cristin Milioti), joins the game, she sparks a rebellion.

In the book Inside Black Mirror, the writer of a particular episode, William Bridges, shared that he’s a big Star Trek fan and heavily influenced the episode with ideas from the movie Galaxy Quest, which centers on ordinary people unexpectedly thrust into a real sci-fi adventure. He also took inspiration from a classic Twilight Zone episode, “It’s a Good Life,” about a boy with god-like abilities who cuts off his town, Peaksville, Ohio, from the outside world and dominates its inhabitants.

Like other episodes of Black Mirror, “USS Callister” is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Beyond offering a commentary on obsessive fandom and the desire for recognition, the episode also tackles the issue of power abuse. Daly’s actions – using his employees’ DNA without permission and then punishing them for his own enjoyment – reflect real-life situations where abusive patterns repeat with no clear resolution.

“USS Callister’s Cast Has Contributed Much More to the Sci-Fi Genre

Re-watching “USS Callister” is such a treat, not just for the story itself, but for seeing how incredibly successful the cast has become! It’s wild to think it’s been nine years, and now so many of them are major stars, especially in the sci-fi world. Jesse Plemons, in particular, really blew me away in Bugonia – honestly, he deserved an Oscar for that performance. And he hasn’t slowed down since, with fantastic roles in films like Killers of the Flower Moon and The Power of the Dog. It’s a real testament to the talent on display in that Black Mirror episode.

Cristin Milioti continues to impress audiences. Many remember her from the charming sci-fi rom-com Palm Springs, where she played a character stuck repeating the same day—a premise similar to an episode of Black Mirror. She also delivered a fantastic performance in Made for Love, playing a woman who discovers her tech-billionaire husband has been tracking her. More recently, she’s gained attention and won an Emmy for her role as Sofia Falcone, a mobster, in The Penguin.

The people who made “USS Callister” have all had successful careers since then. Writer William Bridges has contributed to hit sci-fi series like Soulmates and Stranger Things, and director Toby Haynes directed episodes of Utopia and Andor. It’s worth checking out other work from the entire team, including the supporting actors.

“USS Callister”s Is One of Only Two ‘Black Mirror’ Episodes to Get a Sequel… and Emmys

The episode “USS Callister” is still a standout in the Black Mirror series because it’s one of only two to receive a follow-up story. If you don’t count the interactive film Bandersnatch, it’s the only one. Just like the first installment, “USS Callister: Into Infinity” moves quickly, keeping viewers entertained with humor, surprises, and excitement. The Season 7 episode was a hit with fans, earning an 8.1/10 rating on IMDb. Anyone new to the show in recent years might find themselves wanting to revisit this episode, and it could lead them to explore some of Black Mirror‘s earlier seasons.

Originally, the creators of the “USS Callister” episode – Charlie Brooker and Toby Haynes – envisioned a follow-up as a separate series. Netflix agreed, and development was scheduled to begin in 2023. But the SAG-AFTRA strike that year put those plans on hold, forcing a change in direction. The ideas were then reshaped into a standalone TV movie, and ultimately became a sequel episode within Season 7 of the show, according to Radio Times.

Beyond that, “USS Callister” is one of the few Black Mirror episodes to be recognized by the Television Academy. It won the Emmys for Outstanding Television Movie, Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special, Outstanding Sound Editing, and Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing. Additionally, it earned nominations for cinematography, acting (Plemons), and music. “San Junipero” is the only other episode to win an Emmy.

If you enjoy science fiction anthology series and are thinking about watching Black Mirror, the episode “USS Callister” is a great place to start.

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2026-03-27 14:03