Mr. Robot

[Rob, Roberator]

Anyone else watch this yet? They put the first episode online a few months back, but I avoided it in case it was good so I wouldn't have to waits months for the next one.

Glad I waited. Really looking forward to the next episode already.

And apparently it's already been renewed for a second season.

[Joel]

I've been really wanting to watch it. Just haven't had the time yet.

[Andy]

I loved it. Rami Malek's acting is fantastic and the monologue in the character's head is a joy.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

I really enjoyed it. Though it is hard to tell what is real and what isn't inside his mind. Which is part of what makes it fun.

Though I'm pretty sure that (view spoiler)[the Christian Slater character is inside Elliot's head and Elliot is actually Mr. Robot. (hide spoiler)] It should be an interesting ride.

[Rob, Roberator]

Kaleb wrote: "It's already been renewed?! "

Yup.

http://gizmodo.com/the-mr-robot-pilot...

[Rick]

Just watched ep 1. This is top notch, even the tech stuff is believable.

[Trike]

I enjoyed it. The tech bits aren't exactly accurate, but not eye-rolling lay idiotic the way it is on other shows like NCIS or CSI: AOL.

[Andy]

Trike wrote: "I enjoyed it. The tech bits aren't exactly accurate, but not eye-rolling lay idiotic the way it is on other shows like NCIS or CSI: AOL."

The show also had me at the non-embarrassing hacking. They paid someone some money to consult on terminal usage and actually listened (at least a little).

[Andy]

Tassie Dave wrote: "I really enjoyed it. Though it is hard to tell what is real and what isn't inside his mind. Which is part of what makes it fun.

Though I'm pretty sure that [spoilers removed] It should be an inter..."

I did not see that possibility... FUN.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

Andy wrote: "I did not see that possibility... FUN."

I could be totally wrong. I've seen a few other people speculate the same. (view spoiler)[A few reviews actually compare it to "Fight Club" (hide spoiler)] Though it could be set up to fool us into thinking that. Either way will be interesting.

[Rick]

Tassie Dave wrote: "I could be totally wrong. I've seen a few other people speculate the same. (view spoiler) Though it could be set up to fool us into thinking that. Either way will be interesting.
..."

PRECISELY. It's done so that it could go either way and work which is awesome. On the tech side, I just loved the (accurate) description of TOR and exit node hacking in the first scene not so much because it was basically accurate but that it wasn't made up. It's real - TOR exists, exit nodes exist and that vulnerability is real. For a tech show not to deliver gibberish but to actually use real stuff is a really nice thing to see.

And Elliot... the actor really nails this. He makes him weird, but not nerd-goofy weird. Weird in the sense that he's not normal, knows it, tries to compensate and gets it kind of right. Kind of. His oddness is slightly endearing, slightly repellent. If the rest of the season stays anywhere close to this level it will easily be one of the best new shows this year.

[Srinivas]

Trike wrote: "I enjoyed it. The tech bits aren't exactly accurate, but not eye-rolling lay idiotic the way it is on other shows like NCIS or CSI: AOL."

You're right. Not entirely accurate on the tech bits, but it's at least plausible. Not total cockamamie like the original Jurassic Park with the little girl saying towards the end "I know this! This is Unix!"....and then cut to screenshot of "/usr"!!!

Won't go into details about some of the trite stuff or loopholes. But a very enjoyable first episode. Waiting for the next one.

[John (Nevets)]

Tassie Dave wrote: "Andy wrote: "I did not see that possibility... FUN."

I could be totally wrong. I've seen a few other people speculate the same. [spoilers removed] Though it could be set up to fool us into thinkin..."

I'll take it one step further (view spoiler)[ I'm not convinced any of the people at the arcade location are real, they may all be in his head. Same with the scene at the end. (hide spoiler)] But like was said before, that is the cool thing it was written so it could go either way.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

LOVED it but I have a soft spot for hackers. The main guy reminds me of the new guy on SNL in body type but the mild drug use and brainy awkwardness (spectrum possibly?) is done better than I've ever seen on TV. Compare with the horrible acting and tech writing on a show like Scorpion.

[John (Nevets)]

Yea, I watched the first episode of scorpion, and liked some of the ideas for characters, but the tech was so bad, and the obsuriditiy of the plot was just awful, I just couldn't do more.

[Trike]

Erk, I'd forgotten about Scorpion. That was so relentlessly stupid I dropped it like a psychotic girlfriend.

[Rick]

Scorpion's success mystifies me as it's such a crappy show.

[Trike]

"No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." -- H.L. Mencken

[Rob, Roberator]

I couldn't make it through a whole episode of Scorpion. I don't really get how it's on the same network as Person of Interest. Then I realize it's also on the same network as NCIS..

[Trike]

Rob wrote: "I couldn't make it through a whole episode of Scorpion. I don't really get how it's on the same network as Person of Interest. Then I realize it's also on the same network as NCIS.."

Like.

[John (Nevets)]

This series just keeps getting better. Epsiode 1.2 (third episode if you consider the pilot) was my favorite so far. I'm more convinced then ever that Tessie Dave was dead on, and my suggestion was an over extension, and wrong.

The tech still seems mostly dead on, or at least close enough for me. The acting continues to be solid, and the story just keeps getting better. This may be my favorite new show since "True Detective" debuted last year. Correction: I just checked my DVR list and "Agent Carter" would be a tie, but still that's good company, and a completely different kind of show.

If you have not checked this out yet, please do it really is worth it.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

John (Nevets) wrote: "This series just keeps getting better. Epsiode 1.2 (third episode if you consider the pilot) was my favorite so far. I'm more convinced then ever that Tassie Dave was dead on, and my suggestion was an over extension, and wrong."

I haven't seen this weeks episode, but the 2nd ep. had me second guessing the popular theory, because they were trying so hard to make us think that. (view spoiler)[E.g. When all the hackers are together, Mr. Robot stands in front of Elliot so all their eyes are looking in Elliot's direction, if Mr. R isn't really there. (hide spoiler)] I still think that theory is correct, but I thought they would be a little bit more subtle if they didn't want it to be obvious.

John (Nevets) wrote: "This may be my favorite new show since "True Detective" debuted last year."

For me Season 2 so far is very disappointing, considering how great Season 1 was right from the first scene.

[John (Nevets)]

I' haven't started season two of TD yet, I do have them collecting space on my DVR, and plan to start it soon.

[Rob, Roberator]

Really enjoying this. Episode 3 got even stranger.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I really wish this was a Netflix show so I could watch the episodes back to back.

A few things from episode 3 (view spoiler)[
-we noticed that nobody ever talks to hacker girl. Are we sure SHE even exists?
-the guy who wants to be CIO is important obviously, but that took a different turn than I expected. What language was he speaking to his wife before he tied her to the bed?
-okay so Elliott knew the now jailed CIO was somehow connected to his father's death but is it possible really that he would have been getting a job for him and just hoping for a chance to do something? It can't all be random.
(hide spoiler)]

Also I laughed about the Starbucks. Possibly a tongue in cheek in-episode advertisement?

[John (Nevets)]

Jenny, about your notes (view spoiler)[
-I'm more convinced the hacker girl is real then Mr. Robot. Her presence was at least in a scene with someone Elliott knows, his neigbor, and she seemed to acknowledge a presence there, or at least didn't call Elliott on his craziness. Where Mr. Robot has yet to be in a scene with anyone else, he even had his drink before the bartender had talked to Elliott.
-Not sure on language, but it sounded eastern European to me. And yes he is supper creepy.
-Are we sure Elliott consciously knew the CIO was involved, or was it maybe only his Mr. Robot persona had figured out? (hide spoiler)] Either way I like the questions being brought up in this episode.

[Trike]

It strikes me as weird that we have a show about an unusual human named Mr. Robot and a show about an unusual robot named Humans. And both are good!

[terpkristin]

I'm seeing a lot of love but never heard of it otherwise (like in ads). What network is it on? Is there a spoiler-free premise?

[Trike]

terpkristin wrote: "I'm seeing a lot of love but never heard of it otherwise (like in ads). What network is it on? Is there a spoiler-free premise?"

It's on USA and it's about a hacktivist.

Here's the preview they ran, which is the first scene of the show, so no spoilers: https://youtu.be/nJNZF3LR0VM

[J.C.]

This one is definitely at the top of my list of new shows this year.

I haven't rewatched any of them yet. I know that some time either in episode 1 or 2 (view spoiler)[he refers to himself as "schitzo" in his internal monologue. (I think that's the term, and I think it was internal.) And he's of course in therapy (I think we confirmed in ep 3 that the therapist is real). There's drug use, and a history of either a condition or behavioral pattern that has him in long term therapy. Do we know if he is actually schizophrenic? (hide spoiler)]

Definitely a refreshing use of tech in a tv series. I don't think we're ever going to see two people typing on one keyboard at the same time on this one. ;-) And I'm not sure when was the last time I wanted to rewatch a tv show right away because I knew I wasn't catching everything.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Yes! I should go undelete the episodes on TiVo so I can re watch it consecutively.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

Jenny, he is speaking Swedish (He is a Swedish actor).

I recognised that one, but I didn't know until I read it on another forum that the woman is speaking Danish (the actress is Danish)

The languages, apparently, are close enough that Swedes & Danes (and Norwegians) can easily understand each other.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Okay thanks. I heard some words that sounded Russian but a few that sounded German and knew it was neither. Swedish/Danish makes sense! I was unsure about that guy at first, if he was even human. Still not really sure.

[Rob, Roberator]

Ep 3 spoiler (view spoiler)[Not only does his neighbor acknowledge the hacker girl, when he asks the neighbor to go to the dinner party she asks why he doesn't take hacker girl instead. I take that to be definitive proof that she's real. (hide spoiler)]

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Rob wrote: "Ep 3 spoiler [spoilers removed]"

Okay but (view spoiler)[nobody seems to LOOK at her. It's weird once you start noticing it. (hide spoiler)]

[Walter]

I'd heard about the show beforehand, but hadn't watched any episodes until the other night (my wife had been saving them per my request), whereupon I bingewatched all three. Agree, this is one of the best shows on right now.

As for who or what is real, I imagine we'll see more of which is which as we see other characters acting or reacting to things outside of Eliot's presence.

[Andy]

Episode 7... That was intense. I need to process that some before I say more. Anyone else caught up?

[Rob, Roberator]

Do you mean episode 8? That was the one that aired this week I believe. I'm caught up either way.

[Andy]

Maybe it was 8. White Rose.

[J.C.]

What the...

Yeah, that's going to need some time to settle. But I sure do love it when a show catches me completely off guard like that. That's some well done work.

[Walter]

What J.C. said.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

We knew we couldn't trust anything Elliot sees, but (view spoiler)[how f***ed up do you have to be to completely forget your sister and your father :-?

Episodes 6 & 7 started leading me away from the "Mr Robot is Elliot" theory, but not only is that more obvious, he is also manifesting his dad's likeness onto Mr.Robot. (hide spoiler)]

What else is not what it seems? I hope they can pull it all together before the season finale.
This is one of those shows that once it's all over, it will be worth re-watching to piece it all together. Great show.

[Rob, Roberator]

I've been thinking that: (spoilers through ep 8) (view spoiler)[Mr. Robot was the image of his father for several weeks. Until now I avoided the spoiler tags because I didn't want

I've been feeling/worrying Elliot is Edward Norton and Slater is Brad Pitt. This week certainly makes that seem the most likely scenario.

I'm Hoping that either 1) Slater really is his dad, whose not really dead/faked his death, and he just forgot him. But his sister would have reacted differently if his father wasn't really dead, and it seems like there have been scenes with all 3 of them.

or 2) Mr. Robot is someone else and Elliot just puts his father's face on him, much like how he replaces ecorp with evil corp.

If it turns out Elliot has been Mr. Robot all along and just imaging him..that's too directly from fight club and I'll be kind of disappointed.

I do want to rewatch for certain things now though and I'm enjoying it, but that being the reveal would sort of drop it down for me. Can't you be inspired by Fight Club without blatantly ripping it off? (hide spoiler)]

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

I like your 2nd theory. That would be a cool twist.

It seems we are going to get some answers next episode. Though whether we can believe anything at this point is debatable.

I don't mind confusing, if they pull it all together in the end. They have taken the unreliable narrator to another level.

[Rob, Roberator]

Tassie Dave wrote: "I don't mind confusing, if they pull it all together in the end. They have taken the unreliable narrator to another level. "

Yeah. The fact that Elliot is so unreliable as a narrator has me hopeful that what seems obvious as to the direction the story has been heading for the last few episodes will be completely wrong on my part..but maybe that's just wishful thinking.

[Eric]

The story is trippy as all hell, but the showrunners did a good job of making sure that it doesn't go too over the top with how unreliable Elliot is as a narrator... at least until what happened in that last episode where he seemingly forgets his most important life details.

[John (Nevets)]

I was an episode behind last week, but I got caught back up today.

Wow. Spoilers for episode 9.

(view spoiler)[I wasn't a huge fan of the drug dealer side track, so was glad to see in episode 8 it had ended and we were back to destroying evil corp. The Darlene/sister revelation did blind side me, but after thinking about it, it makes sense with how she reacted in the Elliot's apartment the first time. Also the scene in the dance studio makes more sense.

One of the biggest disappointments I've had with the series was the 1994 Mr. Robot computer store. They just insisted on hitting us over the head over and over with the fact that it was 1994. Every poster had it on it, and the radio announced it several times in the first 30 seconds. Come on, your viewers are smart, back off a bit.

I agree with Rob, that they took the simplest way out in who Mr. Robot was, but I actually liked the reveal and how the alluded to the fact that we suspected from the beginning that he was delusional about that. It was very similar to Fight Club, but they stuck the reveal enough, that for me, it works.

I know they have been picked up for a second season, but I hope they still reach some sort of conclusion at the end of this one, the structure and writing deserves it.

Anyway, that's my take so far.
(hide spoiler)]

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

Once those blue gloves went on, I was expecting the ending to be a bit more painful & bloody. Though if the crazy man who's telling me about his murder wants to know something, I'd probably tell him everything he wants to know before the hurty bit ;-)

I expect we will see an end to the Tyrell and Evil corps hacking storylines. Surely they can't drag them out for another season.

[Rob, Roberator]

(view spoiler)[Well that was disappointing. I really hoped it wouldn't be so fight club. I still enjoyed the episode, and am looking forward to the finale. I think it's because I didn't see the sister angle coming plus the story of the evil corp exec. (hide spoiler)]

[Darren]

Sometimes I think he's also Tyrell. That name's a little too Blade Runner, anyhow, and there was way too much storyline from Tyrell's POV. (view spoiler)[It might also explain why the wife was acting so weird with him. (Yes, it might also just be that she's alpha weird anyhow). It was the scene with not recognizing his sister all over again. (hide spoiler)]