The teaser trailer for Black Mirror season 6 teases a sequel to the “USS Callister” episode, but that could pose a serious problem for the series. Ahead of the release of the sixth season of the anthology series, a trailer release has provided a glimpse into the stories to come. From the looks of things, one will call back to a particularly memorable episode from Black Mirror season 4.
“USS Callister” was the first episode of the fourth season and was one of the few where the villain of the story was actually beaten. The critically-acclaimed episode saw the crew of the USS Callister succeed in escaping the control of Robert Daly. At the end of the episode, the crew receives a call from “Gamer 691,” voiced by Aaron Paul. The new Black Mirror season 6 trailer shows an image of the “USS Callister,” and Paul’s character a spaceship. This implies that Paul will be featured in a continuation of the “USS Callister” story, which, if true, would be the first time Black Mirror has taken such a course.
Related: Why Black Mirror Season 6 Took So Long To Happen
A USS Callister Sequel Would Continue A Bad Black Mirror Trend
Although a sequel episode admittedly hasn’t been done in the past, it would continue an increasingly problematic trend. As Black Mirror has grown and expanded, the series has become increasingly self-referential and episodes suggest there is a wider shared universe. This was further emphasized by the “Black Museum” episode which featured many references to previous Black Mirror episodes, including a convict picture from “White Bear”, a display of the robotic pollinators from “Hated in the Nation”, and Daly’s DNA-cloning device from “USS Callister”. Not only do these references suggest a shared universe, it forces Black Mirror to have a set timeline which will then have to be followed for continuity purposes.
Tying the Black Mirror episodes into one shared universe is fun for spotting Easter eggs, but unfortunately, it’s begun to harm the series. The anthology style of Black Mirror meant each episode was not restricted to the rules of others, and technologies and stories also had more freedom. This approach also meant audiences did not have to watch every episode to understand a story; episodes could be watched in any order. Creating an actual sequel for “USS Callister” goes against that guiding principal.
How A USS Callister Sequel Could Work In Black Mirror Season 6
However, Black Mirror can avoid too much of a shared universe within each episode even with a direct sequel to “USS Callister.” There were rumors that there would be a spinoff to it in 2021, so it is evident there has always been more to the story. Aaron Paul voiced Gamer 691 at the end of “USS Callister,” so, since he was not seen, the clip from the season 6 trailer could be a completely new story. That said, it’s more likely that Paul is playing the same character who was once interested in taking over the USS Callister.
In the season 6 Black Mirror trailer, Paul is seen aboard the ship, looking lost and confused. Paul played a human in “USS Callister” so it now seems as if he has somehow been drawn into the game, which could mean that a new story is being told, but one that still links directly to “USS Callister.” For the sequel to work, and fit with Black Mirror’s successful style, Paul’s arc should be its own story specifically about Gamer 691, and one that’s told in a way that doesn’t require viewers to have seen the original Black Mirror episode.
