Few TV shows have made a first impression quite like Sam Esmail’s tech-savvy thriller Mr. Robot. Thrusting Rami Malek into the role of the reclusive yet brilliant Elliot Anderson, the acclaimed drama has rose through the ranks to become one of the most talked about series on the air, not least for its pressing themes of democracy and cyber-terrorism.
Buoyed by this reception, USA Network quickly ordered season 2 of Esmail’s unsettling, and deeply provocative series, welcoming back Malek to the fray as the hacking visionary. After a trying stint that put both himself and his character through physical and emotional trauma, the actor has dusted himself off and is ready to reprise his role in the drama, though he acknowledged that the sophomore outing of Mr. Robot is “only going to get harder” as it looks to up the ante from its series debut.
Per Variety:
“One thing [Esmail] told me, and I hope I’m at liberty to say this, is, ‘You have to tell me if there’s anything you’re not okay with,'” Malek said. “He said, ‘Just tell me if things are too hard on you, and I’ll pull back.'”
Set for a premiere on USA at some point in 2016, Malek hinted in the past that season 2 will peer closer into Elliot’s fraught relationship with his father across different periods of his troubled childhood, and how this experience ultimately shaped him into the person he is today.
Plenty to look forward, then; plus, should Mr. Robot continue to pull in rave reviews and stellar viewing figures, USA may very well promote Sam Esmail’s drama to the coveted fall window.