Charlie Brooker's dystopian sci-fi anthology series, Black Mirror, has served up an intriguing Star Trek homage. Fans have anticipated the trailer for Black Mirror season 4’s ‘U.S.S. Callister’ episode for months; ever since a stack of eye-catching first look images were released back in September. These promising promo pictures hint at a dark subversion of Gene Roddenberry’s idealistic Star Trek vision.
As the release of Black Mirror season 4 looms ominously on the horizon, fans have been treated to numerous weird and wonderful trailers. As well as presenting his own twisted take on Star Trek, Brooker's fourth season will also offer fans a Black Mirror episode about online dating and one about the dangers of over-parenting. This promises to be another mind-bending season of highly eerie episodes, with ‘U.S.S. Callister’ being a particularly intriguing proposition.
Related: Black Mirror Episodes May Be Set In The Same Universe
The trailer for ‘U.S.S. Callister’ (see the video in the space above) is the final Black Mirror season 4 episode trailer to arrive online. As fans patiently await the season’s arrival on Netflix, this is sure to increase the hype levels.
The trailer opens on Cristin Milioti’s Lieutenant Cole, who is looking worried in the snazzy corridor of an Enterprise-like spaceship. She is welcomed aboard by Jesse Plemons’ Captain character, before a quick cut takes the viewer outside of the ship into the cold vacuum of space. The visuals are highly impressive, proving that Brooker is making the most of the show’s increased budget, which he gained by moving Black Mirror from UK broadcaster Channel 4 to the global behemoth Netflix.
Brooker may have turned down offers to make a Black Mirror movie, but here – with help from director Toby Haynes and co-writer William Bridges – he’s offering spectacle on a cinematic scale regardless. The trailer goes on to showcase CGI aliens, distant worlds, and a hand-melting special-effects shot. Although he is clearly mocking the cheesy and cheap era of Star Trek with this satirical send-up, Brooker has still delivered something visually impressive.
However, this will need to be a really strong episode to stand out from the pack. Star Trek: Discovery is currently proving that the franchise can still work in the modern age, and Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville has already cornered the comedic Star Trek parody market. Hopefully, Brooker has something unique up his sleeve that will make ‘U.S.S Callister’ a worthy addition to the discourse.
More: The Black Mirror Episodes That Deserve A Sequel
Netflix has yet to reveal the Black Mirror season 4 premiere date, but rumor has it that it will arrive online this month.
Source: Netflix