The most unlikely contender for show of the year? Mr Robot, at face value, should never have been so good. It was on the USA network. It was about hackers. It had Christian Slater. It all sounded so 90s, and not in a fun nostalgia-fuelled way. Instead it delivered an intelligent and thrilling journey that, yes, was about hacking, but it was also a scathing critique of corporate America and featured a mystery that helped make this stand above lots of other dramas this year, giving off a real feeling of films Fight Club and American Psycho. All of this was anchored by Rami Malik as Elliot, a genius hacker with serious social anxiety issues. He narrates his story to the audience, and while he may not be a reliable narrator, that makes it all the more intriguing, and he turns Elliot into a really complex character you can care about, rather than simply being defined by one character trait. Christian Slater is also great, and the big twist pays off because, by the time it happens, it has been well set-up and you genuinely care about those involved.
NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far.
A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.
