USS Callister

"USS Callister"
Black Mirror episode
Promotional poster released as part of the "13 Days of Black Mirror"
Episode no.	Series 4 Episode 1
Directed by	Toby Haynes
Written by	Charlie Brooker William Bridges
Produced by	Louise Sutton
Featured music	Original Score by Daniel Pemberton
Original air date	29 December 2017 (2017-12-29)
Running time	76 minutes
Guest appearance(s)
Jesse Plemons as Robert Daly Cristin Milioti as Nanette Cole Jimmi Simpson as James Walton Michaela Coel as Shania Lowry Billy Magnussen as Valdack Milanka Brooks as Elena Tulaska Osy Ikhile as Nate Packer Paul G. Raymond as Kabir Dudani Hammed Animashaun as Pizza Guy Tom Mulheron as Tommy Aaron Paul as Gamer691
Episode chronology
← Previous "Hated in the Nation" Next → "Arkangel"
List of Black Mirror episodes

"USS Callister" is the first episode of the fourth series of anthology series Black Mirror. Written by series creator Charlie Brooker and William Bridges and directed by Toby Haynes, it first aired on Netflix, along with the rest of series four, on 29 December 2017.

The episode follows Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons), a reclusive but gifted programmer and co-founder of a popular massive multiplayer online game who is bitter over the lack of recognition of his position from his coworkers. He takes out his frustrations by simulating a Star Trek-like space adventure within the game, using his co-workers' DNA to create digital clones of them. Acting as the captain of the USS Callister starship, Daly is able to order his co-workers around, submit them to his will, and mistreat them if they get out of line. When Daly brings newly hired Nanette Cole (Cristin Milioti) into his game, she encourages the other copies to revolt against Daly.

In contrast to most Black Mirror episodes, "USS Callister" contains overt comedy, and has many special effects. As a fan of Star Trek, Bridges was keen to introduce many details from the show into "USS Callister", though the episode was conceived mostly with The Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life" and Viz character Playtime Fontayne in mind.

The episode has received positive reception, with reviewers praising the story and cast and naming it the best episode of the show's fourth series, though some criticised the episode's extended length. Some critics saw the episode as about male abuse of authority, and have compared Daly to recent events surrounding internet bullies and Harvey Weinstein.

Captain Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons) and his crew are aboard a spaceship, the USS Callister, trying to defeat their arch enemy Valdack (Billy Magnussen). They destroy Valdack's ship, but he manages to use an escape pod to survive.