Mr. Robot

Network: USA Network
Episodes: 45 (hour)
Seasons: Four

TV show dates: June 24, 2015 — December 22, 2019
Series status: Ended

Performers include: Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Portia Doubleday, Carly Chaikin, and Martin Wallström.

TV show description:      
This psychological thriller TV series follows a young programmer who finds himself at a crossroads when the mysterious leader of an underground hacker group recruits him to destroy the firm he is paid to protect.

As a senior network technician for cybersecurity firm Allsafe, Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek) protects corporate clients — including the ubiquitous Evil Corp — from security breaches and data theft. As a vigilante hacker, he monitors the people in his daily life and protects those he’s close to from their own flaws, sometimes with unpredictable results.

Originally from Washington Township, New Jersey, Elliot now lives alone on the Lower East Side. He suffers from crippling anxiety, which stems from memories of his difficult childhood. His father died when Elliot was young, and his now-estranged mother was brutally cruel. Elliot has spent most of his adult life isolated from the world around him.

After being arrested for financial hacking, he has been attending court-ordered therapy for almost a year — talking to therapist Krista Gordon (Gloria Reuben). Elliot, however, prefers self-medication by morphine, an addiction he mediates with suboxone. He obtains both from his next-door neighbor, Shayla.

With the arrival of Mr. Robot (Christian Slater), Elliot’s world changes entirely. The mysterious figure approaches Elliot with the opportunity to contribute to a worldwide revolution. Mr. Robot has a murky history but he has huge plans for the future. He recruits the members of fsociety to come together at an abandoned arcade — and is relentless in his leadership of the team. Fsociety’s members and mission offer Elliot a renewed purpose — though accompanied by a risk of heightened paranoia.

Darlene (Carly Chaikin) is a malware coder whose skills are fundamental to fsociety’s master plan. Though biting and jaded, she becomes Elliot’s confidante. He relies on her resilience and creativity for quick problem solving and fast hacks. She is an excellent lock picker, a crass jokester, and a jobless transient. She obtains money from hacking ATMs.

At Allsafe, Elliot works with Angela Moss (Portia Doubleday), an account executive and his childhood friend. She is ambitious but lacks confidence, savvy but lacking technological skills. She relies on Elliot for assistance in critical situations — in both business and her personal life. Angela’s mother died when she was young, from cancer which developed after her exposure to toxic chemicals at a factory owned by Evil Corp. She has a strong relationship with her father, Don, though events at Allsafe begin to strain their relationship.

After a hacking scandal, Tyrell Wellick (Martin Wallström) was appointed Interim Chief Technology Officer at Evil Corp. The job is a position he intends to make permanent, no matter who he has to impress or suppress to achieve this goal.

His partner in social climbing and career mobility is his wife, Joanna, who goads him to more aggressive action and darker schemes. While Tyrell depends on their partnership, he also struggles to find his own path. When his interest in Elliot collides with his professional mission, Tyrell must choose whether to follow Joanna’s plan or take matters into his own hands.

What do you think? Do you like the Mr. Robot TV show? Do you think it should have ended or been renewed for a fifth season?