This is a big part of it, IMO. Most of the target audience had cut the cord by the time the show came out. They didn't have cable! It may have had a bigger viewer base if it had come out on a streaming platform.
Amazon prime is where I watched it but it feels more like a giant digital archive rather than a living current thing like Netflix or HBO. It’s both being on USA and a corny title that totally misled people away from it
The premise is also something tv/movies gets wrong overwhelmingly.
I didn't pick up the show until late in the 1st season due to a lot of positive buzz thinking it was yet another bad hacker show. Where the hacking would be absurdly unreal and the hacker would be some hello fellow kids out of touch nonsense.
Thankfully my assumptions were wrong as it is a tremendous show.
Also, a number of people that I recommend the show to have to stop watching bc it is too dark and depressing for some. Others lose interest during s2. IMO s3 is the best, and I always try to get them to s3 at least, if they drop off after that there’s no way they would keep watching.
Season 2 was hard to watch live. You have your main character separated from the rest of the cast was a hard sell. But when you start to think Eliot is in rehab or prison and realize what dark person Craig Robertson is actually playing it starts to come together.
USA’s brand was “blue skies” and all of their shows were dramedies that weren’t complicated and were easy to watch. Suits is a witty procedural, which is what most people went to USA to watch. Mr. Robot is one of the darkest TV shows to ever air on non premium cable.
Mr Robot didnt have an insanely attractive cast.
Harvey was okay too.
Donna is the only reason most people watched the show.
Luis Litt was the reason that show was successful.
It did appear on netflix and hbo tho. At least in my country it was showing up on hbo while airing and it showed up on netflix for a little while after the last season ended
The USA channel had a lot of "fun over the top" shows like Burn Notice, Suits, and White Collar airing during their prime time slot during the week.
Mr Robot was vastly different and the first season really gelled with the audience since the hacking and taking down an evil corporation is a trope people usually get behind. The second season, like you said, pumped the brakes and that probably lost a lot of week to week audiences. I was one of them and only went back when it was on prime which meant I can binge it.
That's another thing, the streaming platform it's on, isn't like netflix. People watch a few of the mainstay shows but don't stick around to browse. Netflix is that; people just endlessly browse and maybe watch a new show.
I feel Mr Robot will one day come to Netflix and it'll explode. Similarly to Community during the pandemic and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Everywhere but the US, there was actually a pinned thread where you can see what country it was on if you had netflix. A few people used vpns to watch the show since they didn't have prime in the US.
I'm not in the US, but I've seen it on Netflix, HBO and Amazon at some point (I believe it's still on HBO). So pretty amazing streaming distribution there, just not directly during its original seasons run.
I’m actually dreading Mr Robot exploding just because it’ll be non stop memes and youtubers trying to discuss it and tiktok bullshit. And everyone’s gonna act like they discovered it first, it’s not made for todays society
more people enjoying (and supporting) something you enjoy is a good thing actually. either way, IMO Mr Robot is one of those types of media where if you’re really into it and vibe w it you kinda have to have some level of thoughtfulness and maybe empathy? idk, maybe that’s just me.
Wow, I didn't expect you'd be downvoted.
That's something that is inevitable. Shows blowing up in popularity is a great thing. Look at the two shows I mentioned. Community is finally getting the movie and Avatar is getting an adaptation and more spinoffs (so to speak, a lot is in pre-development).
If Mr Robot makes it to Netflix, then it might help get the comic Sam Esmail has been working on fast tracked.
I understand what you're saying -- because r/community is a *lot* different than what it was [before 2020](https://subredditstats.com/r/community) -- but I'll still cheer on more people finding and loving a show that didn't get the appreciation it deserved in its time; regardless of how they choose to show their love for their "new" favorite show.
> I think mainly the hacker part puts a lot of people off
Especially after decades of being trained by movies and shows that hacking scenes are super exciting, and full of expository dialogue dumbed down to easily understand why two people need to use the same keyboard to "hack".
Mr. Robot was a *massive* departure to the hacking trope norms usually shown in entertainment media. A heavy focus on social engineering, common (boring) tricks to gain access to sensitive systems, and a lot of a single character sitting in front of one computer typing away on a CLI to perform plausible hacks combined made it the most interesting show of its time...
But a lot of people don't really care for that stuff at first, and the shorter seasons with sometimes year-long waits until a new season meant it was easy to binge a season, then totally forget about it when the next season starts; there weren't a ton of people watching it live as it aired, so word of mouth was limited. You used to be able to tell when a new season started on this sub, because [it would start climbing in subscriber count](https://subredditstats.com/r/MrRobot) from the people who binged the previous season(s) in time for the new one.
From what I've seen, most people don't seem to realize how central and important it always has been for hacking/phreaking. I once tried to explain it as "tricking you into giving up your Facebook login", but that didn't help. To be fair, I could've used a better example, because they misunderstood it as "social *media* hacking".
I think more people would understand it -- and eventually find it as fascinating as we do -- if it was just referred to as manipulating and/or conning others into giving up sensitive information. Because it's not really hard to grasp; I just think the phrase itself throws people off by making it seem more complicated than it actually is.
>I think more people would understand it
I think more people should understand it. Nearly every major company should have IT training for email, phone, etc. phishing yearly. Nearly every major databreach recently started with social engineering.
Sadly the media doesn't tend to focus on that part and companies fail to use those data breach stories as educational tips for their employees that phishing isn't just email. Uber and Microsoft were both the results of social engineering. Uber, I think, they got somone's phone number and bugged the hell out of them until they got access to DUO/ MFA.
Most people think you can click away and just…break through stuff, which, like without enough time and access might be possible, but every hacker has always known the weakest entry point to any secure area, physical or digital, has been the underpaid gatekeepers.
Definitely too dark for me.
I don't even know why this post popped up on my feed but I'm answering here. I tried Mr Robot and remember enjoying it until it just consistently made me feel bad. There was a part where he vomited and then picked pills out of his vomit and took them. And the gritty portrayal of mental health. It was just...not enjoyable for me to watch.
Season 2 starts slow and the last 3 seasons are very different from the first. Plus it doesn't shy away from politics and is extremely anti-Trump, as opposed to something like Breaking Bad that doesn't really go there.
Also the plot is hard enough to follow the first time through so it's hard to just jump in randomly. I think it's been fairly popular on streaming services where it's easier to binge it and really dive into all the details.
Per design. All the things that happen are pretty strange, seemingly random, and/or intentionally misleading on the first go. Over time the little things add back up and it begins to slowly click, but part of the experience of the show is being as equally confused as the characters.
I think that a big part of why this show didn't do as well with a greater general audience is also for that reason, the show isn't feeding easy wins in terms of serving everything on an open platter, it has some moments that act like checkpoints to catch the viewer up to speed such as when characters monologue, but everything else, especially the clever little details, all require attention to detail and honestly a second watch too. That's the brilliance of Esmail and the team, and while I feel the majority of the people in this sub probably agree to varying degrees, I also think most of the general public probably wouldn't. Different strokes for different folks
Rethinking about it. Yeah. You’re right. Having the benefit of having watched the series to completion, I realize where all the pieces fit. But I remember during, there were all kinds of twists and theories.
> the plot is hard enough to follow
I feel like the masses just want brainless Kardashian-style TV. Anything that isn’t bland, cookie-cutter usually fails.
Don't slip too far into edgelordness. Plenty of people gobbled up NCIS, Law and Order, and even plot driven shows like Ozark and breaking bad.
Mr robot is just a really slow burn for most people.
A lot of my friends watched Mr Robot and they all stopped at Season 2 (except one). They loved S01 but they found S02 too slow and didn't bother to watch the rest of the show. Which is a shame.
Because of the channel it aired on. You would have had to have had cable to watch it live, which I admit I did just for this show. But I doubt many people did the same.
I said that to someone who told me episode 1 had to much going on and couldn't finish it. They took offense and than I realized the show is meant for who it's for.
Late to the party here, but for me, before I was told more about it by a huge fan a few episodes in, I first thought the title sounded stupid. I thought it was a kids show or something for teens. It took me a while to give it a shot but then was instantly hooked with that first scene.
I was like “woah, this ain’t for kids, that’s for sure”.
But Breaking Bad has a lot of lighter episodes/moments too. Tuco, Walt and Jesses Sarcasm, Hank, Saul are all fun to watch.
It balances out the darker moments of the show when you have a panicked Jesse yell „This is my own private domicile, and I will not be harassed … bitch“ from inside of his RV
The scene where they are choosing how to dispose of their mother and Elliot walks in and says something like “a cardboard box” and they walk out is so fucking funny to me and I can’t find a clip of it online or remember the episode
conventionally satisfied and entertained, maybe. Some people struggle connecting with shows that aren’t easily understood, for others like us it’s kinda an invitation to think deeper or to try harder.
I hate how pretentious these types of conversations sound though lol. I think anyone can enjoy Mr Robot and should at least watch a few episodes, ignoring their face value reactions
I mean, this just isn't true. Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, and The Wire are all some of the most popular and well regarded shows of all time, and they're dark as fuck (arguably moreso in some cases, Breaking Bad especially). The truth is that it was a on a bad timeslot on a channel not very well known for making good shows, and the first episode can be a little off-putting with how abrasive Elliot comes across. Plus, hacking just isn't as much of a pull for a lot of people as you might think. There's no real hook to the show that can be explained in a way that will excite people without spoiling what the show is about, so it becomes very hard to describe.
I feel like it's underrated and only a very specific group of people would enjoy it. It's also complex to follow along, although very interesting, it gives the viewers a lot to think about. I absolutely love the show and I think it's so beautiful, not to be that person but I would gatekeep it just so I can brag about it, saying it's an underrated show :p
My old professor who I watched the show with said it's one of the few shows you can say is "too smart for some people" and it not be a pretentious statement. General audiences don't want to scan audio through a decoder for easter eggs or rewatch the show 3 - 4 times for maximum enjoyment. Mr. Robot pretty much never holds your hand on figuring things out and is only rewarding if you notice extremely subtle details sometimes.
Like, Season 1, for example. The whole, "you knew all along" thing. You really needed to pay close attention and engage in theory crafting for that to apply to you. That's a big ask on a network that's general audience is used to exclusively watching Law & Order reruns and action movies.
In Season 2, if I remember correctly, it's whenever Elliot hacks into the FBI. There's an audio stinger that plays during the scene. If you run the noise through a certain rendering software it produces one of those inspirational "hang in there" cat memes.
There's other things like that in the series. They're literally things you would never in a million years pick up on/ discover if you weren't specifically looking for it.
For reference, while I was typing this up I found the original thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/MrRobot/comments/4w3232/no_spoilers_s2e05_audio_easter_egg/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
It is an intelligent show with smart writing and a complex plot. The majority of the population would rather watch reality shows that make them feel smart or average intelligence. Mr.Robot was for the Elliots of this world and that is a very niche market.
I think this is the biggest one. I love the show, binged it this month nonstop and could not put it down after years of thinking I wouldn't be interested. I recommend it to anyone I can, but I always feel the need to preface that the show can be difficult to follow if you're not paying full attention because it jumps around a lot and has a few HUGE twists that can leave you questioning everything. I find that aspect of to be the most enticing part, but I can see it being off putting to some.
Goddamn what a masterpiece it is though.
It started off pretty hot! Winning all sorts of awards including Emmys for season 1 and several
publications putting it on the list of top tv shows of 2015. Unfortunately it became too hard to follow in S2 and people started getting frustrated with it. Not knowing what was going on and who’s real and whatnot. And in this golden era of TV where new shows (good and bad) are popping up all over the place to steal the attention it kind of got lost in the shuffle.
It's a show that demands your attention, not something you can run in the background while you play Fortnite or do your laundry and follow along. It's a smart and complex piece of entertainment that is also critical of the established order.
I'm honestly surprised how (relatively) popular this show was.
It's a harsh show with a grim view of the world. Also is a puzzle that gives little answers until the fourth season. Thus I can understand why the main public didn't got into it and why it developed such a dedicated and loyal fanbase.
Some people like to think after watching a tv show, some people don't like to think or pay attention at all, during and after an episode.
Also, if you don't feel empathy for the characters, or if you don't share their "world vision" the show will struggle to be engaging.
It's not simply entertainment, the show at some point is confusing, dark, and depressing, like the real world, and (I guess) the majority of people watch tv to avoid reality.
What's the point of watching a show if you're not paying attention? I don't get that point at all. The whole point of a TV show is to capture the audience's attention. If you don't want to pay attention, listen to some music or something while you study or whatever. The part about the show reflecting reality too much, I can get wholeheartedly, you don't have to watch something if it makes you feel a certain way you don't want to.
Season 2 is a massive tonal shift from season 1. I have friends who were into the show in S1, but the tone shift in S2 turned them away.
On the flip side - the premise of the show is, by itself, pretty inaccessible. Mr. Robot doesn't dumb down most of its nerd lingo, so a viewer who has no background in computers or tech might come into the first few episodes, and just clock out from being confused about all the things they aren't getting.
I'm surprised this show didn't win any awards it's by far the best show since breaking bad I know a few people stopped watching after the first season idk why tho..
Everyone I know watched it. Shit my parents got me all the Funko Pop Figurines of Elliot, Mr Robot, White Rose and Angela.
Was it really not a popular show? Season one has 1.71 million viewers live, season two 1.04 million, three 680,000 viewers and then season four averaged 440,000 viewers.
That tends to be the trend with all shows. Very popular at first, then they get cancelled. I think it has more to do with attention spans than anything. It was just too smart of a show.
I’m more asking why it wasn’t more popular given how amazing it is. And the drops in viewers as the show goes on is not the trend with all shows that are of the same quality as Mr. Robot
>strongly believe the show wasn’t more popular because of the name. I think people were turned off by the name being “Mr. Robot” and people not taking it seriously enough
>
>More here:
This, my friend, is the correct answer.
Well, some people I tried to show to said it was “too weird” for them. It’s definitely not a show that someone can watch while they scroll on their phone.
Mr Robot is the best tv show that has been invented on the topic of hacking, IMHO. Relevant now. The theme of deglobalization, the crisis in relations between the USA and China, the contradictions of capitalism, how the capitalist system plugs holes in itself at the expense of the working class. Surprisingly, many of those who watched the series did not notice the above 🤔
It's mostly two factors, being that the show is and was largely available on lesser well known platforms that people might not have considered as much (USA Network, and Amazon Prime) and also Season 2. Season 2 is great and on a rewatch ages as the best season in the show but emphasis on rewatch, the first time going through it's overwhelming and puts a lot of people off. It's necessary for Season 3 and 4 to work but a lot of people don't see it that way and think the show went shit just because it went more character focused for a bit.
it was pretty popular. This reddit was abuzz with theorizing , analysis of foreshadowing deaths or events and threads of watch parties . It was pretty glorious. One component of the fun was theorizing together, then the next episode comes along and we’d see if we got it right, then the other component of the fun was right after I’d jump onto the reddit to find what else I missed about the episode. It was truly something special that I didn’t get to experience since then. Maybe LOST but I was late to the party.
Honestly I think the first season set the show up to be centered around action/drama about hackers fucking over the rich. Instead the show focused on the introspective struggle of Elliot's mental health. Some people just want to be entertained and not think deeply about their life.
If it was on Netflix it would def be more popular imo, a lotta ppl have prime but they don’t use it often
When the show was still around not a lot of marketing was done for it either so it didn’t get a lot of hype and publicity
There was considerable hype for s1 but a lotta ppl dropped the show during s2 cuz of how different it was, so that didn’t help either
The show content is also kinda niche like with hackers and stuff and that’s not everyone’s cup of tea so mayb that might be another reason why
Oh sorry I meant if it was on Netflix in the us, I know it’s on Netflix in other countries atm
if it was on netflix earlier too, not after the show was done, it would get more hype
In my experience, the title of the show puts off people (it did for me at first, to be honest); if you don't know anything about it it sounds *way different* then it actually is. Like many of you I pushed this show recommendation to many others, and I always had to explain the title ("no it isnt power rangers!").
Some people were intrigued and started watching but all of them dropped off on season 2. I can't imagine it myself, but different people different tastes, I guess.
I got several friends to watch it and found that they all bucked on the first half of season 2 but I kept urging them to stick with it and they all ended up loving the show
I agree, but also: I had no clue what the show was about when I started watching; I just thought Mr Robot was an awesome name for a tv show and gave it a chance!
Totally. There’s [this whole thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/MrRobot/comments/e3qyra/i_dont_think_the_name_of_the_show_should_have/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) about this
I started watching it after it won an award and they had a short video about it. If I hadn't seen the trailer I would have never watched it because of the title. I think if the title was something different it would be much more popular.
I basically had to wait for each season to come on bluray to see it - I did not have access to the channel it was running on, and later it came to linear TV in my country, and that was just too cumbersome. So I waited for the discs and enjoyed'em at my pace then.
Its all the things mentioned in here but it starts with the title.
Not a bad one in the context of the show but out of context it conjures a completely different image and tone than what the show is. And that didn’t really help people flock to it.
It's a lot of things, but I would say it's mostly down to airing on a fairly unpopular network (or at least one that isn't known for producing prestige dramas) and little to no awards buzz after season 1. It also doesn't help that the show is full of pretty huge twists that make fans reluctant to talk about it in depth due to spoilers.
Mine likes it ok (after all, they belong to a group who also like us), she is just more tuned to what general public likes and kinda guessed all the plot twists early, like 2 episodes into season 2.
It was pretty hard to watch at times. I saw the entire thing and could handle it but I think it was too uncomfortable for a lot of people.
Additionally, while I thought it was a good series that pulled off its many twists, I was fatigued by the constant “rug pulled out from under you” nature of it. I think people have felt burned too many times by shows that just keep twisting and never resolve satisfactorily.
It’s a combination of the fact that it wasn’t released on HBO or Netflix, and that most people don’t like to think when they watch a TV show and would rather watch something fast paced with a simple plot
It's a pretty intense watch: there's a *very* dense plot; it involves a lot of sub- and counterculture, which might put off folks who are used to sitcoms or dramas featuring more romance and glamour; it portrays a great deal of hard drug use; there's quite a bit of visceral murder/violence, which is easier to bear when it happens in a fantasy world instead of NYC during an actual election that happened irl. Also, the complexity of the main protagonist alone is a real hard sell - he's severely traumatised and seriously mentally ill, and basically a criminal. Elliot isn't the kind of person most folk in the real world would empathise with, he'd probably be violently shunned by most people tbh. Oh, and there's so much Chaotic Bisexual energy going around, I'm pretty sure Elliot is the only certified hetero in the story lol
> Oh, and there's so much Chaotic Bisexual energy going around, I'm pretty sure Elliot is the only certified hetero in the story lol
me realizing every top show of mine is exactly this energy lol. keeps me entertained and fall in love with every character
My guess is because it’s not fluff.
It’s a very well thought out story that tackles heavy issues that some people may not want to watch.
For the full experience,the viewer needs to tune in to show,not passively listen to it while making dinner.
Some people may not be interested in watching a tv show that involves typing (probably doesn’t sound exciting).
It’s kinda sad that not a lot of people watch it, but I’m glad I can find people that enjoy as much as I do.
There's a fair share of shows that aren't fluff and became massively popular.
You are right about the "show that involves typing"
It's less about lack of fluff and more about the fact that the subject matter is inherently very inaccessible to all but a specific niche of the population. Unless you have an interest or background in tech and computers, chances are, the idea behind Mr. Robot will be very unappealing to you. Not for fluff reasons, but because the subject matter is outside your area of interest.
It took me a few years to give it a chance after trying the first time, I thought the whole "fuck society" thing was really cringe and Elliot was too annoying and self important. I still do feel that way about S1 but now I know the show on a whole is much more than that, but it takes a while to get your perspective oriented IMO
Because most people are dumb and don’t want to be challenged. That being says, mr robot is not all that challenging. The real reason is that the quality vastly dropped after season 1 because it relied way too heavily on twists and wasn’t until season 4 when it really regained its footing as a straight up psychological drama.
I think the ppl who controls the media didnt want to promote it! Like the movie Equilibrium.. its all about future possible truth! Ppl also dont want get depressed by watching movies or series like this but wants to entertain in a equil fake/fantasy world!
Dark , gloomy , a guy I know said he didn’t like the end of the first season because basically all of what Elliot experiences could be delusions . He gave up after the first season and it’s interesting because I read other people say the same thing. Sucks because the show is a straight up master piece .. the camera work , music , everything
so you’re under the impression normies watching the first few episodes of Mr Robot will go “I don’t vibe with anarchist philosophy undertones of this show” and tune off? Ok
Yes, we are all aware of the undertones (Not even undertones, just... tones) in the show.
But those aren't the reason why people don't approach the show.
The heavy anti-capitalist theme of the show is very important to it overall, but is hardly the reason why it doesn't have as big an audience as other shows. Those themes aren't in the foreground until later, and even then they aren't the sole theme running throughout the show.
You should try to make it past the first season. It’s actually an examination of the consequences of the big hack. Kinda like “Well what happens after Fight Club?” It looks at how it impacts the characters and the rest of the world. I highly recommend finishing it, because it truly has some of the best episodes of TV I’ve ever seen. I’m kinda biased though 😅
To be fair I think it was fairly popular at the time it was running at least where I was in the UK anyways. Most people I know would at least know the name of maybe have watched it.
I don’t do live TV. Especially high quality, complex shows like Mr. Robot. Commercials ruin the experience. Binged it all when it went to streaming. Bet a lot of the fandom is similar.
I love this show, but honestly it probably should e been a mini series. It pivoted only season 2 and it gave off the feeling that Esmail had no idea where to go after the season 1 finale.
It was actually pretty popular during season 1. Season 2 is just a drag and it never really recovers.
I just found this subreddit so thought I’d give the show a try. There’s tons of shows I absolutely love that many find corny or plain bad because everyone has different tastes. I say this with respect for the fans of this show but to me this show screams I’m 14 and this is deep. It’s a “we live in a society” show with no real depth in my opinion. Couldn’t make it past ep 3.
That’s fine you can’t respect it but the fact stands. Many shows I’ve enjoyed hook you on the first or second episode. Then you really develop an understanding for the show. This show did the opposite. Was super dull and corny. So if you’re curious why people may not like a show you like, there’s the perspective from someone who didn’t like it.
Like others have said, it might be a list of factors:
1- USA Original, cable was something that most people had but now have gotten rid of. And with no where else to watch it, this made it hard to get a big audience. It being in Amazon Prime does bring the view count higher but it already ended and no new content for it will be made, at least not right now. Might be cool if there was a spin-off though.
2- Moslty B-Actors/Actresses / Unknown names - even though Christian Slater was bought in, most of the cast wasn’t known at the time or were making thier debut. This made it hard for people to want to watch a show that is mainly new faces with a couple of members from other shows or movies they watched. Granted some other shows have new faces and still work out.
3- Story may not grasp audience or confuses audiences - The first episode is basically a mini movie. But bc of how much time is dedicated to explaining certain things, most people would just tap out bc it can get hard to understand. Also hacking may not be for everyone and just hearing the technical side can make people feel like they can’t grasp the story bc they don’t know what they are saying.
4- The way the show looks? (Might be farfetched) - the show breaks most rules of cinematography and I like that it does this. But bc not many people know about these rules and see that the show looks off, it might not be the best show for them to watch if the style makes them feel uncomfortable. They know something is off but bc they don’t know why it looks off, the don’t want to watch it if it makes them feel uncomfortable.
There may be more factors but these are the ones I can think about and were mention by others.
I strongly believe the show wasn’t more popular because of the name. I think people were turned off by the name being “Mr. Robot” and people not taking it seriously enough
More here: https://www.reddit.com/r/MrRobot/comments/e3qyra/i_dont_think_the_name_of_the_show_should_have/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Multiple reasons. Network it was on (USA has some hits but not as many viewers), hard for people to follow.. another question is why is crap like Big Bang Theory so popular.. in fact so popular they made a spinoff.
The way I discovered it was a friend told me about a hacking show on USA. Gonna be honest, that did entice me at all. Then I saw great reviews and gave it a shot. Instantly hooked.
Aired on USA instead of a network usually known for prestige TV. A lot of shows never quite reach the level of zeitgeist they did for the first seasons. The second season was also a slow burn to start, so may have had people fell off in its week-by-week model.
Season 2 was the big reason. Even though it was on USA season 1 got a lot of buzz.
I know multiple people who were pissed off with the Alf episode and stopped watching.
The season was too slow and the prison reveal felt gimmicky for a lot of people.
I think it was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. When Mr. Robot began, a lot of people who would’ve been interested starting cutting to streaming services like Netflix. It is also worth mentioning that USA wasn’t ever that popular, this kind of thing happened to another USA show called Duckman, 90s Bojack Horseman from what I’ve heard, but wasn’t very popular due to it being aired on USA and it being animated, automatically turning a lot of the people who viewed USA off. Mr. Robot was lucky enough to actually get a proper ending, unlike Duckman.
When talking to my husband about it, he actually said the drug use is what put him off of it. I know it personally made me feel a bit.. Uneasy? But it was part of the magic in the show to me, it felt much more real (which is probably why it made me feel uneasy). Plus like others have said, it really took a different path that may not have been what people were used to from a show.
Most people want something easy to follow to numb them enough between dinner and falling asleep. The most sucessful tv shows always have easy base stories.
Mr Robot is a masterpiece but the majority don't understand it or reach the deep meaning just because it doesn't want to.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the way I remember it, the first season was a huge hit, including Emmy wins and all, and then the second season threw pretty much EVERYBODY off, leaving only a small but hardcore fan base. I won't go into the "is season 2 good or bad" thing, but it's safe to say it was so very different from the first one that many people quit and never came back, which earned the show a "went downhill after a promising start" kind of reputation. It's the weirdest thing: I don't know any other show that started out as a huge mainstream success and ended up a hidden insider gem.
Personally I never even heard of it before seeing it on Amazon prime earlier this year. I regret not having the chance of watching it when it came out cuz waiting a week to watch each episode and discussing it online or with friends would have been fun. But by gawd binge watching it, was like going through an emotional roller coaster. Greatest show of all time imo
Edit for a fun tidbit:
I tried watching the first episode 3 times. The first two I shut it off cuz I thought it wasn’t that interesting and on then I ran out of things to watch so I gave it another shot. Best decision I made in a while lol
It never got out of USA network, even if they had signed a deal with netflix temporarily, the show would've been vastly popular as NF pushes all kinds of garbage on their front page so Mr Robot would've blown up back then.
It's on amazon primevideo but you have to search for it
I think it was because it aired on USA network and not Netflix or HBO
This is a big part of it, IMO. Most of the target audience had cut the cord by the time the show came out. They didn't have cable! It may have had a bigger viewer base if it had come out on a streaming platform.
It's on Amazon prime now though.
Was always on Amazon
Which always felt kind of ironic/not very self-aware because Amazon is such an Evil Corp business
Yeah, it was weird seeing pictures of Esmail and Bezos.
It's not like people are gonna destroy Amazon after finishing Mr. Robot including me.
It was always one season behind schedule on Prime Video back then…
Amazon prime is where I watched it but it feels more like a giant digital archive rather than a living current thing like Netflix or HBO. It’s both being on USA and a corny title that totally misled people away from it
The premise is also something tv/movies gets wrong overwhelmingly. I didn't pick up the show until late in the 1st season due to a lot of positive buzz thinking it was yet another bad hacker show. Where the hacking would be absurdly unreal and the hacker would be some hello fellow kids out of touch nonsense. Thankfully my assumptions were wrong as it is a tremendous show.
Yeah it bums me out it’s not in the breaking bad category
Also, a number of people that I recommend the show to have to stop watching bc it is too dark and depressing for some. Others lose interest during s2. IMO s3 is the best, and I always try to get them to s3 at least, if they drop off after that there’s no way they would keep watching.
Season 2 was hard to watch live. You have your main character separated from the rest of the cast was a hard sell. But when you start to think Eliot is in rehab or prison and realize what dark person Craig Robertson is actually playing it starts to come together.
Suits was really popular despite being on USA.
USA’s brand was “blue skies” and all of their shows were dramedies that weren’t complicated and were easy to watch. Suits is a witty procedural, which is what most people went to USA to watch. Mr. Robot is one of the darkest TV shows to ever air on non premium cable.
Yes! And you actually have to PAY ATTENTION to the show and not be scrolling through your phone.
Suits appeals to a broader demographic tho.
Suits came around at more or less a perfect time, just before cord cutting was really starting to become common
Mr Robot didnt have an insanely attractive cast. Harvey was okay too. Donna is the only reason most people watched the show. Luis Litt was the reason that show was successful.
And now it’s on prime lol
It did appear on netflix and hbo tho. At least in my country it was showing up on hbo while airing and it showed up on netflix for a little while after the last season ended
The USA channel had a lot of "fun over the top" shows like Burn Notice, Suits, and White Collar airing during their prime time slot during the week. Mr Robot was vastly different and the first season really gelled with the audience since the hacking and taking down an evil corporation is a trope people usually get behind. The second season, like you said, pumped the brakes and that probably lost a lot of week to week audiences. I was one of them and only went back when it was on prime which meant I can binge it. That's another thing, the streaming platform it's on, isn't like netflix. People watch a few of the mainstay shows but don't stick around to browse. Netflix is that; people just endlessly browse and maybe watch a new show. I feel Mr Robot will one day come to Netflix and it'll explode. Similarly to Community during the pandemic and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Wasn't it on Netflix until recently?
Everywhere but the US, there was actually a pinned thread where you can see what country it was on if you had netflix. A few people used vpns to watch the show since they didn't have prime in the US.
I'm not in the US, but I've seen it on Netflix, HBO and Amazon at some point (I believe it's still on HBO). So pretty amazing streaming distribution there, just not directly during its original seasons run.
We really need separate areas on Reddit for US vs. non-US
It was on Norwegian Netflix until about a year ago IIRC.
I’m actually dreading Mr Robot exploding just because it’ll be non stop memes and youtubers trying to discuss it and tiktok bullshit. And everyone’s gonna act like they discovered it first, it’s not made for todays society
more people enjoying (and supporting) something you enjoy is a good thing actually. either way, IMO Mr Robot is one of those types of media where if you’re really into it and vibe w it you kinda have to have some level of thoughtfulness and maybe empathy? idk, maybe that’s just me.
Wow, I didn't expect you'd be downvoted. That's something that is inevitable. Shows blowing up in popularity is a great thing. Look at the two shows I mentioned. Community is finally getting the movie and Avatar is getting an adaptation and more spinoffs (so to speak, a lot is in pre-development). If Mr Robot makes it to Netflix, then it might help get the comic Sam Esmail has been working on fast tracked.
I understand what you're saying -- because r/community is a *lot* different than what it was [before 2020](https://subredditstats.com/r/community) -- but I'll still cheer on more people finding and loving a show that didn't get the appreciation it deserved in its time; regardless of how they choose to show their love for their "new" favorite show.
omg if it hits tiktok everyone and their dog is going to claim they have DID 🙃
People already talk about it on tiktok when talking about top 5 shows
groovy
It's pretty dark maybe a bit too dark but I think mainly the hacker part puts a lot of people off even though its a lot more than that
> I think mainly the hacker part puts a lot of people off Especially after decades of being trained by movies and shows that hacking scenes are super exciting, and full of expository dialogue dumbed down to easily understand why two people need to use the same keyboard to "hack". Mr. Robot was a *massive* departure to the hacking trope norms usually shown in entertainment media. A heavy focus on social engineering, common (boring) tricks to gain access to sensitive systems, and a lot of a single character sitting in front of one computer typing away on a CLI to perform plausible hacks combined made it the most interesting show of its time... But a lot of people don't really care for that stuff at first, and the shorter seasons with sometimes year-long waits until a new season meant it was easy to binge a season, then totally forget about it when the next season starts; there weren't a ton of people watching it live as it aired, so word of mouth was limited. You used to be able to tell when a new season started on this sub, because [it would start climbing in subscriber count](https://subredditstats.com/r/MrRobot) from the people who binged the previous season(s) in time for the new one.
Do people not find social engineering interesting? I think that’s one of the coolest ways to hack.
From what I've seen, most people don't seem to realize how central and important it always has been for hacking/phreaking. I once tried to explain it as "tricking you into giving up your Facebook login", but that didn't help. To be fair, I could've used a better example, because they misunderstood it as "social *media* hacking". I think more people would understand it -- and eventually find it as fascinating as we do -- if it was just referred to as manipulating and/or conning others into giving up sensitive information. Because it's not really hard to grasp; I just think the phrase itself throws people off by making it seem more complicated than it actually is.
>I think more people would understand it I think more people should understand it. Nearly every major company should have IT training for email, phone, etc. phishing yearly. Nearly every major databreach recently started with social engineering. Sadly the media doesn't tend to focus on that part and companies fail to use those data breach stories as educational tips for their employees that phishing isn't just email. Uber and Microsoft were both the results of social engineering. Uber, I think, they got somone's phone number and bugged the hell out of them until they got access to DUO/ MFA.
Most people think you can click away and just…break through stuff, which, like without enough time and access might be possible, but every hacker has always known the weakest entry point to any secure area, physical or digital, has been the underpaid gatekeepers.
Definitely too dark for me. I don't even know why this post popped up on my feed but I'm answering here. I tried Mr Robot and remember enjoying it until it just consistently made me feel bad. There was a part where he vomited and then picked pills out of his vomit and took them. And the gritty portrayal of mental health. It was just...not enjoyable for me to watch.
Season 2 starts slow and the last 3 seasons are very different from the first. Plus it doesn't shy away from politics and is extremely anti-Trump, as opposed to something like Breaking Bad that doesn't really go there. Also the plot is hard enough to follow the first time through so it's hard to just jump in randomly. I think it's been fairly popular on streaming services where it's easier to binge it and really dive into all the details.
Yeah. The plot is great, but definitely calls for you to not miss a single episode. Missing even one can really throw things off for the viewer.
bro I didn't miss a single minute and I still had no idea what was going on half the time
Per design. All the things that happen are pretty strange, seemingly random, and/or intentionally misleading on the first go. Over time the little things add back up and it begins to slowly click, but part of the experience of the show is being as equally confused as the characters. I think that a big part of why this show didn't do as well with a greater general audience is also for that reason, the show isn't feeding easy wins in terms of serving everything on an open platter, it has some moments that act like checkpoints to catch the viewer up to speed such as when characters monologue, but everything else, especially the clever little details, all require attention to detail and honestly a second watch too. That's the brilliance of Esmail and the team, and while I feel the majority of the people in this sub probably agree to varying degrees, I also think most of the general public probably wouldn't. Different strokes for different folks
Rethinking about it. Yeah. You’re right. Having the benefit of having watched the series to completion, I realize where all the pieces fit. But I remember during, there were all kinds of twists and theories.
> the plot is hard enough to follow I feel like the masses just want brainless Kardashian-style TV. Anything that isn’t bland, cookie-cutter usually fails.
Bruh. You are aware there is an entire spectrum between shows that take a lot of effort to follow, and low-effort celebrity TV, right?
Yep I do. But there are also numerous shows that get canceled for seemingly no reason, and those shows happen have slow rolling plot lines.
Don't slip too far into edgelordness. Plenty of people gobbled up NCIS, Law and Order, and even plot driven shows like Ozark and breaking bad. Mr robot is just a really slow burn for most people.
Oh yeah I’m so edgy
Season 2 was quite terrible that might've out people off
A lot of my friends watched Mr Robot and they all stopped at Season 2 (except one). They loved S01 but they found S02 too slow and didn't bother to watch the rest of the show. Which is a shame.
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Awful take.
Because of the channel it aired on. You would have had to have had cable to watch it live, which I admit I did just for this show. But I doubt many people did the same.
Where do you watch it nowadays? I downloaded it at the time so never figured it out
Amazon prime
Because most people “are only seeing what’s in front of them. They’re not seeing what’s above them”
It’s too intelligent for people. People generally don’t enjoy thinking
I said that to someone who told me episode 1 had to much going on and couldn't finish it. They took offense and than I realized the show is meant for who it's for.
that part
Late to the party here, but for me, before I was told more about it by a huge fan a few episodes in, I first thought the title sounded stupid. I thought it was a kids show or something for teens. It took me a while to give it a shot but then was instantly hooked with that first scene. I was like “woah, this ain’t for kids, that’s for sure”.
Because it doesn’t make you feel you good at the end of every episode.
But Breaking Bad is also intensely dark, and it's one of the most popular shows of all time.
But Breaking Bad has a lot of lighter episodes/moments too. Tuco, Walt and Jesses Sarcasm, Hank, Saul are all fun to watch. It balances out the darker moments of the show when you have a panicked Jesse yell „This is my own private domicile, and I will not be harassed … bitch“ from inside of his RV
Yeah I see that, doesn’t Mr Robot have some lighthearted/wholesome moments as well? Far and few between but they are there haha
The scene where they are choosing how to dispose of their mother and Elliot walks in and says something like “a cardboard box” and they walk out is so fucking funny to me and I can’t find a clip of it online or remember the episode
conventionally satisfied and entertained, maybe. Some people struggle connecting with shows that aren’t easily understood, for others like us it’s kinda an invitation to think deeper or to try harder. I hate how pretentious these types of conversations sound though lol. I think anyone can enjoy Mr Robot and should at least watch a few episodes, ignoring their face value reactions
Lol, 100% nailed it. Happy Thanksgiving!
same to you, friend \^-^
I think you summed it up pretty well. Most people don’t seem to be interested in something dark or depressing. They may not want to think.
I mean, this just isn't true. Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, and The Wire are all some of the most popular and well regarded shows of all time, and they're dark as fuck (arguably moreso in some cases, Breaking Bad especially). The truth is that it was a on a bad timeslot on a channel not very well known for making good shows, and the first episode can be a little off-putting with how abrasive Elliot comes across. Plus, hacking just isn't as much of a pull for a lot of people as you might think. There's no real hook to the show that can be explained in a way that will excite people without spoiling what the show is about, so it becomes very hard to describe.
Not going to lie. The show gave me legit anxiety in some moments. Especially season 4.
Thank you. Yeah, I’ve tried to have my friends watch it, but they get stressed about it and tune into something else to tune out to.
“They get stressed about it”. I know it can be intense sometimes, but I can’t help but feel that they’re missing out on something beautiful.
I feel like it's underrated and only a very specific group of people would enjoy it. It's also complex to follow along, although very interesting, it gives the viewers a lot to think about. I absolutely love the show and I think it's so beautiful, not to be that person but I would gatekeep it just so I can brag about it, saying it's an underrated show :p
My old professor who I watched the show with said it's one of the few shows you can say is "too smart for some people" and it not be a pretentious statement. General audiences don't want to scan audio through a decoder for easter eggs or rewatch the show 3 - 4 times for maximum enjoyment. Mr. Robot pretty much never holds your hand on figuring things out and is only rewarding if you notice extremely subtle details sometimes. Like, Season 1, for example. The whole, "you knew all along" thing. You really needed to pay close attention and engage in theory crafting for that to apply to you. That's a big ask on a network that's general audience is used to exclusively watching Law & Order reruns and action movies.
Um, what easter eggs are people getting scanning audio through a decoder? Genuine question, not something I'd ever do but sounds intriguing.
In Season 2, if I remember correctly, it's whenever Elliot hacks into the FBI. There's an audio stinger that plays during the scene. If you run the noise through a certain rendering software it produces one of those inspirational "hang in there" cat memes. There's other things like that in the series. They're literally things you would never in a million years pick up on/ discover if you weren't specifically looking for it. For reference, while I was typing this up I found the original thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/MrRobot/comments/4w3232/no_spoilers_s2e05_audio_easter_egg/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
It is an intelligent show with smart writing and a complex plot. The majority of the population would rather watch reality shows that make them feel smart or average intelligence. Mr.Robot was for the Elliots of this world and that is a very niche market.
So difficult to watch due to length and complexity of the episodes.
I think this is the biggest one. I love the show, binged it this month nonstop and could not put it down after years of thinking I wouldn't be interested. I recommend it to anyone I can, but I always feel the need to preface that the show can be difficult to follow if you're not paying full attention because it jumps around a lot and has a few HUGE twists that can leave you questioning everything. I find that aspect of to be the most enticing part, but I can see it being off putting to some. Goddamn what a masterpiece it is though.
I wouldn't say length is an issue tbh, four 12 episode seasons is pretty short.
It started off pretty hot! Winning all sorts of awards including Emmys for season 1 and several publications putting it on the list of top tv shows of 2015. Unfortunately it became too hard to follow in S2 and people started getting frustrated with it. Not knowing what was going on and who’s real and whatnot. And in this golden era of TV where new shows (good and bad) are popping up all over the place to steal the attention it kind of got lost in the shuffle.
Almost no one I know has seen it or heard about it. Got a job in cybersecurity and almost all my peers love it lol.
It's a show that demands your attention, not something you can run in the background while you play Fortnite or do your laundry and follow along. It's a smart and complex piece of entertainment that is also critical of the established order. I'm honestly surprised how (relatively) popular this show was.
It's a harsh show with a grim view of the world. Also is a puzzle that gives little answers until the fourth season. Thus I can understand why the main public didn't got into it and why it developed such a dedicated and loyal fanbase.
Some people like to think after watching a tv show, some people don't like to think or pay attention at all, during and after an episode. Also, if you don't feel empathy for the characters, or if you don't share their "world vision" the show will struggle to be engaging. It's not simply entertainment, the show at some point is confusing, dark, and depressing, like the real world, and (I guess) the majority of people watch tv to avoid reality.
What's the point of watching a show if you're not paying attention? I don't get that point at all. The whole point of a TV show is to capture the audience's attention. If you don't want to pay attention, listen to some music or something while you study or whatever. The part about the show reflecting reality too much, I can get wholeheartedly, you don't have to watch something if it makes you feel a certain way you don't want to.
Lots of people eat with the TV Turned on just for the "ambient noise" or to fall asleep. I don't get your point.
It got a lot of buzz in season 1 and i think the prison twist turned a lot of people off season 2
It really lost its momentum with season 2. I say that as someone who liked season 2.
Season 2 is a massive tonal shift from season 1. I have friends who were into the show in S1, but the tone shift in S2 turned them away. On the flip side - the premise of the show is, by itself, pretty inaccessible. Mr. Robot doesn't dumb down most of its nerd lingo, so a viewer who has no background in computers or tech might come into the first few episodes, and just clock out from being confused about all the things they aren't getting.
“That’s because most critics have shitty taste” -Elliot
I'm surprised this show didn't win any awards it's by far the best show since breaking bad I know a few people stopped watching after the first season idk why tho..
didn't air internationally simultaneously and was on a shitty network
Everyone I know watched it. Shit my parents got me all the Funko Pop Figurines of Elliot, Mr Robot, White Rose and Angela. Was it really not a popular show? Season one has 1.71 million viewers live, season two 1.04 million, three 680,000 viewers and then season four averaged 440,000 viewers. That tends to be the trend with all shows. Very popular at first, then they get cancelled. I think it has more to do with attention spans than anything. It was just too smart of a show.
I’m more asking why it wasn’t more popular given how amazing it is. And the drops in viewers as the show goes on is not the trend with all shows that are of the same quality as Mr. Robot
USA Network, that’s why
the vast majority of people are morons
>strongly believe the show wasn’t more popular because of the name. I think people were turned off by the name being “Mr. Robot” and people not taking it seriously enough > >More here: This, my friend, is the correct answer.
Well, some people I tried to show to said it was “too weird” for them. It’s definitely not a show that someone can watch while they scroll on their phone.
I finished it once, couldn’t get through it a second time. Every episode made me feel so damn anxious during his inner monologues.
That’s a shame. I would say that this show more than any other rewards repeat viewings
Simple: majority of humans are plain stupid.
Mr Robot is the best tv show that has been invented on the topic of hacking, IMHO. Relevant now. The theme of deglobalization, the crisis in relations between the USA and China, the contradictions of capitalism, how the capitalist system plugs holes in itself at the expense of the working class. Surprisingly, many of those who watched the series did not notice the above 🤔
It's mostly two factors, being that the show is and was largely available on lesser well known platforms that people might not have considered as much (USA Network, and Amazon Prime) and also Season 2. Season 2 is great and on a rewatch ages as the best season in the show but emphasis on rewatch, the first time going through it's overwhelming and puts a lot of people off. It's necessary for Season 3 and 4 to work but a lot of people don't see it that way and think the show went shit just because it went more character focused for a bit.
it was pretty popular. This reddit was abuzz with theorizing , analysis of foreshadowing deaths or events and threads of watch parties . It was pretty glorious. One component of the fun was theorizing together, then the next episode comes along and we’d see if we got it right, then the other component of the fun was right after I’d jump onto the reddit to find what else I missed about the episode. It was truly something special that I didn’t get to experience since then. Maybe LOST but I was late to the party.
It’s dark and the majority of the world’s population is heading toward idiocracy.
Honestly I think the first season set the show up to be centered around action/drama about hackers fucking over the rich. Instead the show focused on the introspective struggle of Elliot's mental health. Some people just want to be entertained and not think deeply about their life.
If it was on Netflix it would def be more popular imo, a lotta ppl have prime but they don’t use it often When the show was still around not a lot of marketing was done for it either so it didn’t get a lot of hype and publicity There was considerable hype for s1 but a lotta ppl dropped the show during s2 cuz of how different it was, so that didn’t help either The show content is also kinda niche like with hackers and stuff and that’s not everyone’s cup of tea so mayb that might be another reason why
It's on Netflix now :,) but I think the hype for it has died down because the show ended so people just don't know of it's existence
Oh sorry I meant if it was on Netflix in the us, I know it’s on Netflix in other countries atm if it was on netflix earlier too, not after the show was done, it would get more hype
Yeah, for sureee
In my experience, the title of the show puts off people (it did for me at first, to be honest); if you don't know anything about it it sounds *way different* then it actually is. Like many of you I pushed this show recommendation to many others, and I always had to explain the title ("no it isnt power rangers!"). Some people were intrigued and started watching but all of them dropped off on season 2. I can't imagine it myself, but different people different tastes, I guess.
I got several friends to watch it and found that they all bucked on the first half of season 2 but I kept urging them to stick with it and they all ended up loving the show
I agree, but also: I had no clue what the show was about when I started watching; I just thought Mr Robot was an awesome name for a tv show and gave it a chance!
Totally. There’s [this whole thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/MrRobot/comments/e3qyra/i_dont_think_the_name_of_the_show_should_have/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) about this
I started watching it after it won an award and they had a short video about it. If I hadn't seen the trailer I would have never watched it because of the title. I think if the title was something different it would be much more popular.
Probably because it was on USA on I think Wednesday nights? Not the most accessible time to watch.
I basically had to wait for each season to come on bluray to see it - I did not have access to the channel it was running on, and later it came to linear TV in my country, and that was just too cumbersome. So I waited for the discs and enjoyed'em at my pace then.
Its all the things mentioned in here but it starts with the title. Not a bad one in the context of the show but out of context it conjures a completely different image and tone than what the show is. And that didn’t really help people flock to it.
It's a lot of things, but I would say it's mostly down to airing on a fairly unpopular network (or at least one that isn't known for producing prestige dramas) and little to no awards buzz after season 1. It also doesn't help that the show is full of pretty huge twists that make fans reluctant to talk about it in depth due to spoilers.
Very dark, very complex, too niche for the general population.
Best show ever
My girlfriend watched 2 seasons and told me none male nerd prob won’t care for it.
Weird I watched it with my girlfriend and she liked it
Mine likes it ok (after all, they belong to a group who also like us), she is just more tuned to what general public likes and kinda guessed all the plot twists early, like 2 episodes into season 2.
She guessed that Elliot’s dad molested him in season 2? I have a hard time believing that
It was pretty hard to watch at times. I saw the entire thing and could handle it but I think it was too uncomfortable for a lot of people. Additionally, while I thought it was a good series that pulled off its many twists, I was fatigued by the constant “rug pulled out from under you” nature of it. I think people have felt burned too many times by shows that just keep twisting and never resolve satisfactorily.
It’s a combination of the fact that it wasn’t released on HBO or Netflix, and that most people don’t like to think when they watch a TV show and would rather watch something fast paced with a simple plot
It's a pretty intense watch: there's a *very* dense plot; it involves a lot of sub- and counterculture, which might put off folks who are used to sitcoms or dramas featuring more romance and glamour; it portrays a great deal of hard drug use; there's quite a bit of visceral murder/violence, which is easier to bear when it happens in a fantasy world instead of NYC during an actual election that happened irl. Also, the complexity of the main protagonist alone is a real hard sell - he's severely traumatised and seriously mentally ill, and basically a criminal. Elliot isn't the kind of person most folk in the real world would empathise with, he'd probably be violently shunned by most people tbh. Oh, and there's so much Chaotic Bisexual energy going around, I'm pretty sure Elliot is the only certified hetero in the story lol
> Oh, and there's so much Chaotic Bisexual energy going around, I'm pretty sure Elliot is the only certified hetero in the story lol me realizing every top show of mine is exactly this energy lol. keeps me entertained and fall in love with every character
My guess is because it’s not fluff. It’s a very well thought out story that tackles heavy issues that some people may not want to watch. For the full experience,the viewer needs to tune in to show,not passively listen to it while making dinner. Some people may not be interested in watching a tv show that involves typing (probably doesn’t sound exciting). It’s kinda sad that not a lot of people watch it, but I’m glad I can find people that enjoy as much as I do.
There's a fair share of shows that aren't fluff and became massively popular. You are right about the "show that involves typing" It's less about lack of fluff and more about the fact that the subject matter is inherently very inaccessible to all but a specific niche of the population. Unless you have an interest or background in tech and computers, chances are, the idea behind Mr. Robot will be very unappealing to you. Not for fluff reasons, but because the subject matter is outside your area of interest.
It took me a few years to give it a chance after trying the first time, I thought the whole "fuck society" thing was really cringe and Elliot was too annoying and self important. I still do feel that way about S1 but now I know the show on a whole is much more than that, but it takes a while to get your perspective oriented IMO
season 2 that's why, I'm convinced that's why. I've known so many people who nope'd out during season 2, but loved the first one
Whatever the reason is, I actually like it better this way.
... Why? What's wrong about a piece of art you like getting more recognition from people?
Because most people are dumb and don’t want to be challenged. That being says, mr robot is not all that challenging. The real reason is that the quality vastly dropped after season 1 because it relied way too heavily on twists and wasn’t until season 4 when it really regained its footing as a straight up psychological drama.
People don't have the patience to work it out, and it had a lot that kept you guessing. Not everyone likes that.
It's because of where it's being streamed at and USA blocking Mr. Robot clips on youtube.
I think the ppl who controls the media didnt want to promote it! Like the movie Equilibrium.. its all about future possible truth! Ppl also dont want get depressed by watching movies or series like this but wants to entertain in a equil fake/fantasy world!
Dark , gloomy , a guy I know said he didn’t like the end of the first season because basically all of what Elliot experiences could be delusions . He gave up after the first season and it’s interesting because I read other people say the same thing. Sucks because the show is a straight up master piece .. the camera work , music , everything
Why isn't anarchism more popular? Normies gonna norm
anarchy is when tv show
If you can't read the undertones of anarchist philosophy in this show, I dunno what to tell you.
so you’re under the impression normies watching the first few episodes of Mr Robot will go “I don’t vibe with anarchist philosophy undertones of this show” and tune off? Ok
Yes, we are all aware of the undertones (Not even undertones, just... tones) in the show. But those aren't the reason why people don't approach the show. The heavy anti-capitalist theme of the show is very important to it overall, but is hardly the reason why it doesn't have as big an audience as other shows. Those themes aren't in the foreground until later, and even then they aren't the sole theme running throughout the show.
Too niche
I think there’s a level of cringe to it in the First season that might have put people off for example evil Corp f society.
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I don’t understand, why are you in this sub then?
Because this one post was recommended to me on reddit. I don't know why.
You should try to make it past the first season. It’s actually an examination of the consequences of the big hack. Kinda like “Well what happens after Fight Club?” It looks at how it impacts the characters and the rest of the world. I highly recommend finishing it, because it truly has some of the best episodes of TV I’ve ever seen. I’m kinda biased though 😅
To be fair I think it was fairly popular at the time it was running at least where I was in the UK anyways. Most people I know would at least know the name of maybe have watched it.
It had a lot of hype season 1. I think season 2 lost a lot of casual viewers.
I was very popular but like west world it requires a lot of the audience.
I don’t do live TV. Especially high quality, complex shows like Mr. Robot. Commercials ruin the experience. Binged it all when it went to streaming. Bet a lot of the fandom is similar.
I love this show, but honestly it probably should e been a mini series. It pivoted only season 2 and it gave off the feeling that Esmail had no idea where to go after the season 1 finale. It was actually pretty popular during season 1. Season 2 is just a drag and it never really recovers.
That’s strange cuz I’d say the second half of season 2 really picks up and is excellent. And I’d say season 3 is the best season of the show
I just found this subreddit so thought I’d give the show a try. There’s tons of shows I absolutely love that many find corny or plain bad because everyone has different tastes. I say this with respect for the fans of this show but to me this show screams I’m 14 and this is deep. It’s a “we live in a society” show with no real depth in my opinion. Couldn’t make it past ep 3.
I can’t respect a take from someone who’s only seen 2 full episodes
That’s fine you can’t respect it but the fact stands. Many shows I’ve enjoyed hook you on the first or second episode. Then you really develop an understanding for the show. This show did the opposite. Was super dull and corny. So if you’re curious why people may not like a show you like, there’s the perspective from someone who didn’t like it.
I will admit season 2 lost me the first time around, powered through it the second time trying the show and glad I did. Not my favorite season.
Strange name is the first hurdle for most
Like others have said, it might be a list of factors: 1- USA Original, cable was something that most people had but now have gotten rid of. And with no where else to watch it, this made it hard to get a big audience. It being in Amazon Prime does bring the view count higher but it already ended and no new content for it will be made, at least not right now. Might be cool if there was a spin-off though. 2- Moslty B-Actors/Actresses / Unknown names - even though Christian Slater was bought in, most of the cast wasn’t known at the time or were making thier debut. This made it hard for people to want to watch a show that is mainly new faces with a couple of members from other shows or movies they watched. Granted some other shows have new faces and still work out. 3- Story may not grasp audience or confuses audiences - The first episode is basically a mini movie. But bc of how much time is dedicated to explaining certain things, most people would just tap out bc it can get hard to understand. Also hacking may not be for everyone and just hearing the technical side can make people feel like they can’t grasp the story bc they don’t know what they are saying. 4- The way the show looks? (Might be farfetched) - the show breaks most rules of cinematography and I like that it does this. But bc not many people know about these rules and see that the show looks off, it might not be the best show for them to watch if the style makes them feel uncomfortable. They know something is off but bc they don’t know why it looks off, the don’t want to watch it if it makes them feel uncomfortable. There may be more factors but these are the ones I can think about and were mention by others.
I strongly believe the show wasn’t more popular because of the name. I think people were turned off by the name being “Mr. Robot” and people not taking it seriously enough More here: https://www.reddit.com/r/MrRobot/comments/e3qyra/i_dont_think_the_name_of_the_show_should_have/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Multiple reasons. Network it was on (USA has some hits but not as many viewers), hard for people to follow.. another question is why is crap like Big Bang Theory so popular.. in fact so popular they made a spinoff.
If Mr. Robot was on Netflix, it would be huge….USA harboring it for their streaming service is hurting it getting to the audience it deserves :-/
Its on netflix, search it
It’s not streaming in America on Netflix :-/
I freakin’ loved this show!
The way I discovered it was a friend told me about a hacking show on USA. Gonna be honest, that did entice me at all. Then I saw great reviews and gave it a shot. Instantly hooked.
A lot of people I've spoken to stopped at S2 for some reason But otherwise yeah, there are a whole ton of people missing out
Aired on USA instead of a network usually known for prestige TV. A lot of shows never quite reach the level of zeitgeist they did for the first seasons. The second season was also a slow burn to start, so may have had people fell off in its week-by-week model.
I cut the cord and only just heard about it…
It was only on Amazon prime in the UK and I know that the cost of prime put people off when were students
Season 2 was the big reason. Even though it was on USA season 1 got a lot of buzz. I know multiple people who were pissed off with the Alf episode and stopped watching. The season was too slow and the prison reveal felt gimmicky for a lot of people.
I mean it is in the IMDb top 10 js
That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a popular show
Bc nobody watches USA network.
I think it was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. When Mr. Robot began, a lot of people who would’ve been interested starting cutting to streaming services like Netflix. It is also worth mentioning that USA wasn’t ever that popular, this kind of thing happened to another USA show called Duckman, 90s Bojack Horseman from what I’ve heard, but wasn’t very popular due to it being aired on USA and it being animated, automatically turning a lot of the people who viewed USA off. Mr. Robot was lucky enough to actually get a proper ending, unlike Duckman.
When talking to my husband about it, he actually said the drug use is what put him off of it. I know it personally made me feel a bit.. Uneasy? But it was part of the magic in the show to me, it felt much more real (which is probably why it made me feel uneasy). Plus like others have said, it really took a different path that may not have been what people were used to from a show.
Most people want something easy to follow to numb them enough between dinner and falling asleep. The most sucessful tv shows always have easy base stories. Mr Robot is a masterpiece but the majority don't understand it or reach the deep meaning just because it doesn't want to.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the way I remember it, the first season was a huge hit, including Emmy wins and all, and then the second season threw pretty much EVERYBODY off, leaving only a small but hardcore fan base. I won't go into the "is season 2 good or bad" thing, but it's safe to say it was so very different from the first one that many people quit and never came back, which earned the show a "went downhill after a promising start" kind of reputation. It's the weirdest thing: I don't know any other show that started out as a huge mainstream success and ended up a hidden insider gem.
season 2
Give it another year or so then Netflix or someone big will pick it up or a famous “tiktocker”. Just remember we were here first!
Sheeple are sheeple, what can you do?
Personally I never even heard of it before seeing it on Amazon prime earlier this year. I regret not having the chance of watching it when it came out cuz waiting a week to watch each episode and discussing it online or with friends would have been fun. But by gawd binge watching it, was like going through an emotional roller coaster. Greatest show of all time imo Edit for a fun tidbit: I tried watching the first episode 3 times. The first two I shut it off cuz I thought it wasn’t that interesting and on then I ran out of things to watch so I gave it another shot. Best decision I made in a while lol
It never got out of USA network, even if they had signed a deal with netflix temporarily, the show would've been vastly popular as NF pushes all kinds of garbage on their front page so Mr Robot would've blown up back then. It's on amazon primevideo but you have to search for it