Black Mirror Fumbled? USS Callister Sequel’s Missed Opportunity!

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Warning: Minor spoilers ahead for Black Mirror – USS Callister: Into Infinity.

Seasons 3 and 4 of Black Mirror put in extra effort to captivate a broader viewership with daring narratives that outshone the acclaimed earlier episodes on Channel 4. One of the series’ most significant triumphs is USS Callister.

Now, season 7 has rewarded fans with a feature-length sequel, Into Infinity.

Rather than addressing the significant problem in the initial episode, the Star Trek sequel strays away from the central themes and suspense that made it captivating, despite the fact that some of its most powerful scenes were adapted from the original series.

Season 4’s premiere follows the space voyages of a starship inspired by the USS Enterprise crew (renamed “Space Fleet” in the series), led by Captain Daly (portrayed by Jesse Plemons). This captain maintains strict control over his team, who are digital replicas of his former colleagues and superiors from a virtual reality gaming company. He harbors resentment towards them for failing to acknowledge his real-world intellect.

In the series USS Callister, the storylines ran side by side: Nanette, a science officer in the fictional world, was leading a revolution against Daly’s dominance, while her real-life counterpart, also named Nanette, worked to free them from Daly’s unlawful and nonconsensual virtual imprisonment.

The initial installment was extremely successful, skillfully blending traditional Star Trek imagery with a fast-paced narrative centered around power fantasies fueled by a wounded geek pride and the perils of an individual who views themselves as an unappreciated genius. Yet, one might question if it was truly original.

While USS Callister showcased spectacular sets, stunning special effects, and a level of tension greater than usual in Star Trek episodes, it delved into themes previously touched upon by the classic science fiction series.

In the third season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, an apprehensive and timid lieutenant engineer is unveiled as being excessively reliant on the holodeck. This virtual reality room, similar to Robert Daly’s science-fiction massively multiplayer online game Infinity, generates highly authentic simulations for entertainment. However, it has the capability to replicate any era, character, or event across the known universe.

Similar to Daly, Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz) experiences a sense of humiliation at work. He’s acutely sensitive to subtle slights and finds it challenging to express himself assertively or display self-assurance. Consequently, he escapes into the imaginary worlds of the holodeck, where he has designed scenarios in which his superiors are portrayed as romantic heroes and admirers, offering a more idealized version of how he wishes reality to be – women adore him, his peers respect him, and those who bully him receive their just desserts.

As a dedicated fan, I’m utterly astonished: It turns out that Barclay has exploited real individuals by using their likenesses in manners they never agreed to, a chilling foreshadowing of the modern predicament where abusers manufacture AI pornography featuring women without their explicit consent.

In a format reminiscent of ’90s network TV, characterized by self-contained episodes, the team grapples with the impact of Barclay’s addiction on their group dynamics. Simultaneously, they strive to maintain the continuous mission of the Enterprise and seek help for the engineer, who is struggling with addiction issues.

Through subtly portraying softer characters compared to the bold personalities of the primary cast, Hollow Pursuits peels back layers from the polished Star Trek image, revealing that our heroes are not immune to causing harm towards less senior individuals, and that comforting technology can swiftly transition from a source of emotional support to a hazardous addiction capable of inflicting pain on those in their proximity.

As a movie enthusiast, I found Hollow Pursuits to be just as thought-provoking as USS Callister, although perhaps a tad less edgy in its social commentary. What sets it apart is its ability to encapsulate the essence of a 73-minute episode into concise and poignant statements. Unlike some productions that fill their runtime with action or humorous interludes, Hollow Pursuits focuses squarely on the struggles of its characters, delivering an unfiltered portrayal of their journey.

By echoing the path of Star Trek’s golden era, USS Callister seems to grasp merely the superficial aspects of the thought-provoking sci-fi genre that ultimately propelled Black Mirror to its powerful cultural influence.

Rather than showcasing its advanced evolution, USS Callister: Into Infinity draws inspiration from an era in Star Trek that isn’t as highly regarded.

After the successful blockbusters by JJ Abrams, Star Trek and Into Darkness, the series has pursued larger scales, wittier but less genuine character development, and thrilling action sequences. However, these efforts have resulted in decreased overall impact.

While the latest series such as Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds have garnered interest from fans, they seem to deviate from the intricate power struggles and methodical problem-solving that characterized the franchise’s golden era in The Original Series, The Next Generation, and Deep Space Nine.

Inside Infinity, much like Abrams’ controversial 2013 sequel title suggests, unfolds within the expansive digital game landscape. The replicated Callister team strives to survive, as they face a peril where death is merely a momentary setback for other players.

In simpler terms, this movie is essentially a typical action-adventure flick where familiar characters make a reappearance. However, the conflicts between their real-life and game personas seem dull because it’s hard to differentiate them, especially when you take away their unique storylines. The only character that stands out as deeply developed is James Walton, played by Jimmi Simpson, who doesn’t appear to be just a recurring actor but a well-crafted character.

In a manner similar to Hollow Pursuits, there’s a striking difference depicted when the senior crew of the Enterprise find themselves bewildered and dismayed by their lack of purpose, compassion, and intellect within Barclay’s virtual realm. The juxtaposition between the real world and this digital universe is both vivid and intriguing.

Revisiting the USS Callister, a skeptic might ponder over how blatantly the power imbalances were portrayed in the initial episode. Indeed, Daly’s actions, driven by predatory and violent urges, echoed the more explicit, unpleasant daydreams of Star Trek’s Reginald Barclay, but for those unfamiliar with Star Trek beyond cosmetic details and rudimentary setup, the narrative maintained a compelling dramatic arc.

Into Infinity acknowledges and honors fans who can identify the symbols and underlying ideas from a widely acclaimed, albeit excessively hyped, Black Mirror masterpiece.

If Into Infinity aspired to distinguish itself from the fast-paced, witty tone of contemporary Star Trek television shows, it might delve into understanding why Daly’s game doesn’t accurately represent the series that captured Daly’s heart.

Although Daly perished in the opening episode, both in reality and in the digital realm, a continuing digital replica of him is found consistently working in his garage situated within Infinity. Here, his entitled and overly possessive tendencies can grow unchecked due to the lack of oversight.

A dedicated admirer of Space Fleet might find disappointment and dismay when the thoughtfully crafted series he cherishes transforms into a mindless, gun-heavy spectacle.

As a movie enthusiast, if Into Infinity took this turn of events, perhaps the digital Daly would come to understand how his own insecurities and unkindness had twisted a once vibrant show into an empty, pitiful echo, allowing us to witness his character acknowledging and rectifying his errors, instead of serving as yet another adversary for Nanette to conquer.

In simpler terms, the initial follow-up to Black Mirror shows that although the series continues to scrutinize our technology-driven society, it fails to subject its own past to the same level of criticism.

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2025-04-11 15:04