Mr. Robot
Premise - A cyber security agent by day, vigilante hacker by night, leads the effort to take down the conglomerate E-Corp in order to combat against the mass wealth inequalities in our capitalistic society. Though he excels in computer hacking skills, he struggles to connect with the real world, battling crippling social anxiety, problematic substance use, and dissociative identity disorder.
Review - I'm still in awe of that series finale. With a show this complicated, I wasn't sure the show could possibly be resolved in a satisfying, logical way. Even halfway through the 2-hour series finale, I was thinking "I'm not sure how they're going to finish this." But they did it. And they did it beautifully. I say "they" as television shows are always a group effort, though much of the genius of the show lies in the creative control of showrunner Sam Esmail.
I now just want to go back and rewatch the entirety of the show to see how it all fits together. Though, admittedly, I don't often watch this show for plot. And I'm not alone in that (you can watch entire analysis videos about why the plot in "Mr. Robot" is not important). The real value of this show is its aesthetic. "Mr. Robot" is shot in a unique style that has become incredibly meme-able, where the point of focus is either right-smack dab in the center or, more often, way in the corner. Each frame of the show breaks the rule of thirds that our eyes are so accustomed to. It's disorienting, which is another part of the aesthetic of the show. This is a mind-bending thriller.
As our hero Elliott struggles to connect with reality, naturally we as the audience do too. What is real? What is the result of our unreliable narrator? How much of what he is seeing is true, and how are we supposed to answer that if not even Elliott knows? The audience is even a character within the show, as Elliott talks directly to us in full acknowledgment of the fact that we are mere voyeurs and cannot respond. This gives a lot of opportunity for some fun post-production and editing to make for a very dissociative world for Elliott.
The aesthetic is new, as is the time period for which the show exists, but a lot of the themes are borrowed from previous films which also explore capitalism, anarchy, rebellion, and individuality. "Mr. Robot" is therefore categorized as a "pastiche" that puzzles together pieces of old films. Most notable among these sources of inspiration is the film Fight Club, one of my favorite movies of all time, to which Esmail pays direct homage. In addition to the similarities in plot, there are exact shots (and even a song) included from Fight Club, a nod so as to say, "We're not copying you, we're admiring you." Really, the plot of Fight Club and the plot of "Mr. Robot" are the same, except instead of blowing up buildings to reset all debt to 0 in the 1990's, we're hacking them with computers in the 2010's (that is, until Phase 2, which does involve some real explosions). This used to irk me because it almost felt like stealing from my favorite film and taking the credit. It irked me even more when people watched the show and were saying "Wow it's so original!" It doesn't bother me now that I know how blatantly the show's creators acknowledge their roots. Besides, as I said, they are different enough in aesthetic.
"Mr. Robot" is a thriller at heart that knows how to get my heart pounding. It is a genuinely frightening and horrific show. It also has moments of lightness, comedy, and heart. It pushes the boundaries of what television can be. I love it and will forever hold it in my heart. (97/100)
Quote - "Tell me you're seeing this too"
What to watch for - RAMI FREAKIN' MALEK GIVES ONE OF THE BEST ACTING PERFORMANCES OF ALL TIME FOR FOUR SEASONS STRAIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN I'M SO GLAD HE HAS AN EMMY TO SHOW FOR IT.
I honestly think Rami Malek is the most talented, attractive actor in the world right now. He's so sexy. Like I'm dying typing this right now thinking about how sexy he is. This show introduced me to that and I could just watch it on repeat to look at his jawline so... there's that.
If you liked this TV show, I'd recommend Fight Club!
Created by Sam Esmail
Broadcast on USA
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