USA Network has been amping up their original programming in recent months. What once was looked at as a basic cable wasteland has begun to show a lot of promise for series that can contend with all the best shows airing on networks and premium cable. During the run for the recently concluded series Dig, I saw some enigmatic ads for Mr. Robot. At the time, I didn't know if it was a series, an anti-smoking commercial, a feature film, or something else. Now, I know it looks to be one of the more intriguing offerings this summer.
Here's the breakdown for Mr. Robot.
MR. ROBOT follows Elliot (Rami Malek), a young programmer who works as a cyber-security engineer by day and a vigilante hacker by night. Elliot finds himself at a crossroads when the mysterious leader (Christian Slater) of an underground hacker group recruits him to destroy the corporation he is paid to protect. Compelled by his personal beliefs, Elliot struggles to resist the chance to take down the multinational CEOs he believes are running (and ruining) the world.
The series also stars Portia Doubleday, Carly Chaikin, and Martin Wallström. From Universal Cable Productions, MR. ROBOT is from writer and executive producer Sam Esmail (“Comet”) and executive producers Anonymous Content’s Steve Golin (“True Detective”) and Chad Hamilton (“Breakup at a Wedding”). Star Rami Malek may be most familiar to audiences from the NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM films, but he is perfectly cast here in the lead role. Plus, you can really not go wrong with Christian Slater.
Directed by THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO's Niels Arden Oplev, the first episode of Mr. Robot feels very different than most shows on television. it is much edgier than I expected. It feels like a cross between WANTED and FIGHT CLUB and showcases a much more realistic portrayal of computer hacking than we have seen on screen before. In fact, between the atmospheric musical score and the tense editing, Mr. Robot feels more like a feature film than a television show. This could be one heck of a show if every episode is as good as the first.
Mr. Robot is set to premiere on USA Network on Wednesday, June 24th at 10/9c but you can catch the entire first episode below. You can also check out the official website for the show right here.