USS Callister: Into Infinity

I didn't mean that in an inappropriate way. Just saying there will be plenty of plot holes in this episode, but if you're capable; ignore them. This episode along with the context of the previous somehow manage to bring so many themes into a single piece of cinema. Mirroring the concepts showcased in Ready Player One, Severance, Star Wars/Trek, Inception, Interstellar, Everything Everwhere All at Once and our very own VR/AR, to create a well thought out and impressively creative world of its own.

It may be a bit confusing or simply a lot for those that aren't crazy about the multiverse. But to summarize, that stuff was entertaining. What a cast too!

First of all, I gotta praise the music for this episode, because it's the only episode where the music was so good and well-composed that actually made the episode better.

Secondly, I thought a sequel to USS Callister would be lazy, just to do the same successful thing they did back when Black Mirror was actually good, just to reap the rewards of their past again. But now that I have watched USS Callister: Into Infinity, I think it was absolutely needed, and it is a great addition to this show.

Season 7 has impressed me with its mostly pretty good episodes, compared to the disappointing season 5 and the horribly atrocious season 6. It's not that the season is mindblowing or innovative, it's that it feels like the real Black Mirror we had back in the first 3 or 4 seasons.

This sequel is great in the sense that instead of just nostalgia-baiting and memberberries, it expands upon the original, adds to the lore, and continues the story in a justifiable way.

The idea is good enough you could make an entire show about it, but the two episodes we've had and the way they end this (which I did not expect to go this way) is a satisfying way to wrap up this story, while still having some open-endedness if they want to do a third one, which I hope they don't. Because, like I said, it ends in a very satisfying way and you get a fulfilling conclusion.

Overall, this episode was great and one of the best of this season. Season 7 was adequate enough that it fortunately brought back my interest in this show and enjoyment of it. It ranks up with good season like 3 and 4, and thankfully isn't as horrible as 6 and 5, and I hope they keep doing this and never repeat that 5 and 6, if there ever do another season.

The ending to S7 of Black Mirror was nothing short of spectacular. It was like the creators of Netflix's dystopian hit show, baked all of its best elements into one blockbuster. The season was great overall and it's clear that Black Mirror has returned to form after a bit more mediocre seasons recently.

As I mentioned, USS Callister: Into Infinity is reminiscent of a film you see in theaters. One charachteristic of such an experience is the audiovisual, which is on par with Marvel films. It's almost like you could change the name of the episode to USS Callister: Into Infinity War. Another trait the show shares with many feature films is having an absolutely fantastic cast, where especially Cristin Milioti shines. Black Mirror is so back, and it's better than ever.

Maybe I needed to rewatch the previous USS Callister episode to really appreciate this one, because it's been a while since I saw the original and this one, good as it is, felt like it didn't really measure up.

Don't get me wrong, it really is a very good episode, it's just not up to par with the previous episode this season OR the previous USS Callister episode.

All that being said, Cristin Milioti carries *almost* the entire episode alone, and probably WOULD carry it alone if not for Jimmi Simpson. The two of them together? Fantastic. The supporting cast are great, of course, and Jesse Plemons just OWNS almost every scene he's in (but when doesn't he?), but sadly he's not in it enough.

Probably one of the greatest Black Mirror episodes out there. Best of the bunch of Season 7 and they are ALL great episodes!

The person playing the tech CEO absolutely nails the role and practically steals the show, but there are also fantastic jobs done by every single actor involved. Absolute "BRAVO" to the cast, the writers, the director, the cinemetographer and everyone else, the special effects are great and all of the characters are too.

What a treat to have this show around in this timeline and I can only hope the next season matches the outstanding writing and deep creative process this episode encapsulates.