Ctrl+Alt+Delete the world.
Every week we’re choosing one TV show that deserves your attention because time is precious and there are some stunning shows available to watch.
As we’re looking forward to some incredible new TV shows in 2016, here’s a look at one of the very best shows from 2015, the sublime Mr. Robot.
1) What’s it about?
Some shows have the unique ability to capture the mindset of the world that we currently live in and much like the most perfect piece of malicious malware, Sam Esmail’s wonderful piece of nihilism is the perfect antithesis to the faux-pas reality that people construct and hide behind on Facebook, Instagram and social media.
We live in a world where anonymous internet groups can bring down companies, personal records can be wiped out with the click of a button and computer coders are kings. This is the domain where Mr Robot exists.
A young, anti-social computer programmer named Elliot works as a cybersecurity engineer during the day, but at night he’s a vigilante hacker. His character is a myriad of angst, anxiety and social isolation – very much a reflection of the personal issues that some adolescents are experiencing in the world.
His frailties and weaknesses are ironic when measured against his godlike skill and power when using a laptop.
The drama in the show comes from those moments when his online life can’t help but crash into his personal one. What’s the only answer? Reboot the entire system.
Elliot finds himself recruited by the mysterious leader of an underground group of hackers. His job? Help bring down corporate America, including the company that he’s paid to protect, which presents him with a moral dilemma.
Will his personal beliefs stand in the way of his innate urge to bring down the heads of those multinational companies that he knows are running – and ruining – the world.
To paraphrase The Joker, some men want to watch the world burn but in Elliot’s case, why use kerosene when you have a keyboard?
2) It’s almost like…
The nihilistic outlook of Fight Club but with a lead character that has plenty in common with Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series.
3) It’s worth your time because…
There are times when you just have to take a step back from everything and admit that the entire world can be s**t. Thank god for those people that are willing to try and make the rich, greedy and powerful fall to their knees.
Fsociety and death to technocracy, it’s time to (re)boot the system in the arse.
4) Did you know…?
Depending on how you look at it, E corp’s logo clearly resembles the slanted ‘E’ in the old Dell logo or Enron.
5) One episode and you’re hooked…
There’s a wonderful scene between Elliot and a coffee shop owner in the pilot that outlines Mr Robot’s entire raison d’etre.
6) If the show was a person…
It’s the colleague in your office that keeps to themselves but you instantly know that there’s an aura of mystery, integrity and intrigue to them also.
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