Do you need to rewatch USS Callister before Black Mirror Season 7s sequel episode?
"Black Mirror" Season 7 features a sequel to "USS Callister." Do you need to revisit the original before you watch?
Black Mirror has always used Easter eggs to link its many episodes, but in Season 7, it delivers the show's first direct sequel.
Season 7, episode 6, "USS Callister: Into Infinity," is a direct follow-up to Season 4 opener "USS Callister." It follows the crew of the ship USS Callister — all made up of digital clones of real people — after their escape into the video game Infinity from Robert Daly's (Jesse Plemons) private gaming universe.
It's been more than seven years since "USS Callister" first aired, so with all that time (and so many other Black Mirror episodes) between its release and now, you may wonder, "Do I need to revisit the original episode before diving into the sequel?"
My frank answer: Only if you really want to! "USS Callister" is a Black Mirror standout thanks to its clever combination of the show's usual technological warnings and Star Trek pastiche, so it's worth a watch on those merits alone. But if you'd only be checking back in for a plot catch-up, don't worry. "USS Callister: Into Infinity" has you covered.
The episode comes with a "previously on" segment — an unusual sight for an anthology like Black Mirror! — that catches you right back up on the crew of the USS Callister, their real-world counterparts, and the ins and outs of the world of Infinity. Trust us, you won't get lost in space.
"USS Callister: Into Infinity" also incorporates minor flashbacks of footage from "USS Callister" into the episode itself, either in dream sequences, memories, or just as a quick way to refresh you on certain specifics. With all these reminders, it's a breeze to jump right back onto the bridge of the USS Callister.
