Some Thoughts on Mr. Robot

Sylvia and I binge-watched Mr. Robot over the course of the last month or so, and we both found it rewarding. It's very difficult to describe the show without spoiling it, so I will only list a few of the highlights:

• A compelling, timely narrative with a well-earned, satisfying conclusion
• Rich, nuanced characters
• Excellent performances
• Innovative editing and direction
• Heartbreaking pathos
• Superb music that complements each scene perfectly (I bought all seven volumes of the soundtrack)

I can say this much without spoiling things: The show is about a troubled young man who, for reasons to be revealed over the course of the show, decides to hack capitalism itself in an effort to, as he puts it, "save the world." Does he succeed? And if so, at what cost? Watch and find out; I don't think you'll regret it. 

Hardware Connections

A few days ago I watched Color Out of Space, a pretty decent adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's creepy Cthulu Mythos tale. After logging the film in Letterboxd, I reviewed the rest of director Richard Stanley's filmography, and was surprised to discover he directed cyberpunk thriller Hardware, a considerably less accomplished film, in my view.

However, Hardware features a pretty catchy tune by Public Image Ltd., "The Order of Death," or as I always remember it, "This is what you want...this is what you get...this is what you want...this is what you get..."

I haven't seen Hardware or heard the song in years, so I was surprised earlier tonight to hear "The Order of Death" featured in a late season two episode of Mr. Robot, which Sylvia and I are working our way through. (An excellent series, by the way.)

It means nothing, of course; such connections are all around us. But it still struck me as a little weird.