After a few years of silence, «Black Mirror» returns with a new, seventh season, and, as always, it hits the nail on the head. Even before the premiere, the series creator Charlie Brooker promised a return to the roots, but with an experimental approach, new genre solutions, and… the first sequel in the project’s history. Yes, «USS Callister 2» really exists — and yes, it’s not just a fan service. The season tries to balance between criticizing modern society, digital fears, and even satire, which works surprisingly well. And while the episodes vary in both tone and quality, the overall dynamic of the season is impressive-even if a little too rushed.
Pluses:
profound acting, especially by Paul Giamatti and Christine Milioti; impressive visuals and music; mature themes and emotional depth
Minuses:
some episodes could have been more detailed
Genre science fiction, drama, satire
Creator Charlie Brooker
Starring Paul Giamatti, Christine Milioti, Jesse Plemons, Aquafina, and others.
Premiere April 10, 2025, Netflix
The show hasn’t lost its ironic power, but it has matured considerably: the new episodes are darker, less grotesque, but deeper and more emotional. It’s no longer the caustic cynicism of the early 2010s, but the reflections of a man who has seen too much. And despite the genre diversity and tonal changes, the season turned out to be surprisingly coherent. All six episodes are of the same quality, but the third, fifth and sixth episodes stand out.
In the third episode «Hotel Reverie» — the main character, actress Brandi Frieday (Issa Rae), agrees to take part in a technological experiment called Redream, which allows her to recreate a virtual simulation of an old movie, where she immerses herself in the role of a character and begins to live «inside» the film. Virtual reality is becoming more and more important to her than the real thing. Against the backdrop of beautiful aesthetics and light nostalgia, the series suddenly turns into a drama about losing oneself, the search for identity, and romance that no longer exists. It strikes emotionally and leaves an aftertaste of quiet pain, similar to the feeling after a good melancholic movie.
The fifth episode is one of the strongest episodes not only of the season, but of the entire anthology. Here, Paul Giamatti, in his usual wistful way, plays Philip, a man who tries to cope with the loss of his ex-lover through a digital service that creates a virtual memorial. As he plunges into his memories, he learns about completely different circumstances of the breakup that he hadn’t even thought about all these years.
This is a story about love that was not preserved, about a memory that wants to be rewritten, and about pain that can only be lived over and over again. Giamatti is a real titan on camera, and the whole series rests on his inner drama. It’s not just an episode — it’s a complete chamber drama that touches strings that «Black Mirror» hasn’t usually reached.
The sixth episode of «USS Callister: Into Infinity» returns us to the old plot from the fourth season, but to a new level. This time, the main focus shifts from satirizing the toxic geek culture to exploring digital identity. The clones from the game «Infinity» now live their lives, trying to build their autonomy and resist the system. There’s a lot of action, irony, and characteristic Brookerian wit, but behind it all is an obvious question: what do we do with what we’ve created? How do we take responsibility for new forms of life, even if they exist only in code?
Despite the diversity of themes ranging from horror and retrofuturism to melodrama and techno-thriller, the season does not feel disjointed. On the contrary, it forms a single emotional arc. The show once again shows its ability to balance between genres, giving the viewer a little bit of everything: anxiety, nostalgia, surprise, and sometimes pain.
Although some episodes unfold too quickly, they manage to leave a meaningful residue. And it’s not about the future any more — it’s about the present, in which we already live. There is less technological paranoia, but more attention to people. The season seems more mature, less reactionary, but only deeper.
This season has become much darker. While the previous ones still allowed the viewer to keep hope alive in some places, this one has no illusions. Brooker leaves no room for romanticizing technology or the society of the future. There is a sense of fatalism in every frame, as if the author has already lost faith in humanity’s ability to change anything. And this is not pathos, but an honest admission that even the best ideas can be ruined by those at the controls.
The cast of the seventh season impresses not only with names, but also with really strong, deep performances. Paul Giamatti, appearing in the most emotional episode of the fifth season, simply breaks my heart. His character is a lonely man trying to hold on to the pieces of himself after losing a loved one far in the past. Giamatti puts some hard truth in every look and line, not pretentious, but quiet and painful. This is a work worthy of prestigious awards. The same can be said about Christine Milioti — after «Penguin» she became an even more mature actress, able to play not only in genre projects but also to convey extremely subtle emotional states.
Emma Corin, who is already remembered for «The Crown», continues to amaze with her charisma and unconventional approach to characters. Her role in the depths can only be compared to Giamatti’s character. She copes just as incredibly!
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