Black Mirror Standout ‘USS Callister’ Almost Got Its Own Spin-Off Series

On any list of best Black Mirror episodes to date, season four’s “USS Callister” hovers near the top, with many fans and critics calling it their favorite of all time. Part Star Trek homage, part virtual-reality nightmare, part deliciously executed revenge scheme, “USS Callister” also made a mark with its special effects and standout performances.

No wonder, then, it’s the first Black Mirror episode to get a sequel—but it wasn’t always a smooth road to get there, something show creator Charlie Brooker spoke about in a new interview.

With season seven, which includes the much-anticipated “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” arriving next week, Brooker talked to Deadline about how it all came together. Apparently, he considered turning the original story into either a limited TV series of its own—or a feature film, after the episode made such a splash after debuting in 2017.

“Of all the stories we’ve done this one ended as though we were setting it up for the sequel,” Brooker told the trade. “It went through various guises but in the end we made it feature length within the season. It took so long getting it together—we had the pandemic, writers’ strike and then had to get everyone’s schedules lined up, and that was its own Rubik’s cube on a unicycle.”

Fans will recall the original episode starred Cristin Milioti and Jesse Plemons—but Plemons’ villainous character, Robert Daly, died at the end. Aside from Plemons and another character played by Michaela Coel, though, everyone else is back: Milioti (Nanette Cole), Jimmi Simpson (Walton), Billy Magnussen (Valdack), Milanka Brooks (Elena, who somehow has her blue alien skin again?), Osy Ikhile (Nate), and Paul G. Raymond (Dudani).

The digital clones of their human characters, according to a Netflix synopsis, are now “stranded in an infinite virtual universe, fighting for survival against 30 million players.”

It seems likely we’ll also catch up with their real-life counterparts, too, and maybe see what’s happened with the Infinity game now that Robert Daly is no longer oozing his toxicity into its programming, or swiping DNA around the office.

Black Mirror season seven hits Netflix April 10.

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