“Fuck Society.”
The world is in a state of uncertainty and unrest. Everyone is upset and deep down inside we all know exactly why and who to blame. We dream of changing the system. We dream of being more than just a node in their networks. We dream of freedom.
But we are powerless. Mr. Robot however isn’t.
Sam Esmail‘s newest psychological thriller, Mr. Robot is everyone’s wet dream. A television series that was miraculously approved and will soon begin airing on USA Network on June 24, 2015. The pilot of this enlightening and revolutionary show was released late May on variety of VOD (Video On Demand) online services and I had the chance to stream one hour long orgasmic visual and plot mastery directed by Niels Arden Oplev.
The show follows the story of Elliot played by Rami Malek, a depressive programmer with crippling social anxiety working for a cyber-security company in service to the large and very powerful E(vil) Corp. who’s influences are very similar to some of the more well known Tech companies in real life. Though during the day he is one of the more important assets of the company, at night the real Elliot logs in to become a Virtual Vigilante targeting profile who is breaking the law in worst ways than he is by hacking into their virtual footprints. Of course, every hacker has to do the necessary fact checking of his small circle of ‘friends’ and their closes acquaintances to ensure such relations are beneficial.
The story really picks up when he encounters the Morpheus type of character who Elliot has dubbed as ‘Mr. Robot’ played by Christian Slater, though his name was never addressed just like everything else in the first episode. Mr. Robot’s offer towards Elliot was something I’ve always dreamt ever since high-school, a chance to rewrite the world. A chance to hack into the operating system of modern human civilization and give justice to everyone who has been slaved by their chains of consumerisms. The anonymity of such character and his secret group of hackers plus that cliffhanger at the end of the episode (a tv must) fuels the curiosity in the audience to watch the next episode, which I am waiting patiently.
Mr. Robot taps into the anger and unsatisfied psyche of the majority of the world after the economic fuckery of 2008 towards those who benefited from it and gives the viewers a glimmer of hope. A hope to fulfil our deepest desire to reset the playing field. To redistribute wealth equally or just erase every details of the virtual economic systems that has failed since their departure from gold standards. It plays with the uncontrollable power of an intellectual activist who is knowledgeable in the complex algorithms and protocols of data transference. It plays with the power of information and how such possession of a secret controls human action far greater than the monetary operating system.
In a time where our country is plague with political/economical cons and where internet warriors are labelled as nuisances, this amazing television show is needed more than ever. It finally gives the viewers at home something better to watch than the stupid housewife dramas that is dumbing down the people. It gives the people a little bit more faith in the media that so often feeds us useless distractions from the more important matters and allows us to fantasied a hero that we deserve. There is no way of knowing which direction the show will take the story since the company airing it might have it’s greasy corporate claws but I believe it is in good hands. I hope Mr. Robot can inspire real life Hackers. For they are our future. They are our only hope in this capitalistic world.
Mr. Robot premieres Wednesday, June 24th at 10/9c on USA. The pilot episode is available now across various VOD and digital platforms. Do what is necessary to view it.
Zero Ducks Given 