What’s in a name? We’ll soon find out, since Netflix has announced the titles of all six episodes in the upcoming season of Black Mirror in a new video, as well as released cast and crew information. While the studio is only offering us a look at the briefest of snippets of each episode, the names give us a lot to ponder (“Arkangel”? “Hang the DJ”?) until the new season is released. But there’s one episode that stands out as aesthetically very different from the others—and very different from what we’ve come to expect from Black Mirror in general. “USS Callister” has a distinctly Star Trek look to go with its name, apparently taking place aboard a starship with panels and uniforms similar to those of the original series.
Star Trek and Black Mirror share a common interest in examining how technology will shape humanity’s future, but they’re so different in tone that it’s somewhat jarring to see that garish purple bridge and a blue, miniskirted alien in the Black Mirror announcement video. Whether “USS Callister” is intended as homage, parody, or something that isn’t quite either, one thing is certain: There will be a twist, and knowing Black Mirror, probably not a utopian one.
Here’s the rest of what we can expect in Season 4, which was written almost entirely by series creator Charlie Brooker:
- “Arkangel” stars Rosemarie Dewitt, Brenna Harding, and Owen Teague. It is directed by Jodie Foster.
- “USS Callister” stars Jesse Plemons, Cristin Milioti, Jimmi Simpson, and Michaela Coel. It is directed by Toby Haynes and co-written, along with Brooker, by William Bridges.
- “Crocodile” stars Andrea Riseborough, Andrew Gower, and Kiran Sonia Sawar. It is directed by John Hillcoat.
- “Hang the DJ” stars Georgina Campbell, Joe Cole, and George Blagden. It is directed by Tim Van Patten.
- “Metalhead” stars Maxine Peake, Jake Davies, and Clint Dyer. It is directed by David Slade.
- “Black Museum” stars Douglas Hodge, Letitia Wright, and Babs Olusanmokun. It is directed by Colm McCarthy.
