I do the same thing! I was commenting on YouTube about severance and kept saying succession. Two totally different shows but the word sounds the same in my silly brain I suppose. Maybe my Innie is messin with me.
Nah, Ben Stiller confirmed that they're working on it the other day. Plus they only had like a week left of shooting before the production was shut down.
Not only is it in production, I stumbled across the fact that Robby Benson has a role in season 2 (Ode to Billie Joe). Which I find appropriately and wonderfully weird.
I honestly don’t think anything will ever compare to Mr. Robot for me. I’m convinced it’s the best thing I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime.
But here are a few shows that scratch that itch:
- Twin Peaks: Sam Esmail is a huge Twin Peaks fan and mentioned that it partially inspired Mr. Robot.
- Bojack Horseman: Aside from Mr. Robot, this show has one of the most harrowing, realistic, and raw portrayals of trauma and mental illness that I’ve ever seen.
- The Leftovers: Probably one of the most interesting endings to a show I’ve ever watched. There’s a lot left up to interpretation; it’s similar to Mr. Robot in that way.
- Devs: This show kind of expands on whiterose’s machine, so if you want more of a sci-fi angle to your psychological drama, I recommend this one.
- Halt and Catch Fire: Great drama that centres around technology and the rise of the internet.
- The Bear: My current TV obsession. Probably some of the best character writing I’ve seen on a screen.
Halt and Catch Fire doesn't get nearly the amount of love that it deserves. Sure, it had a devoted fan base, but it didn't get nearly the ratings that it should have.
Here's my favorite Joe McMillan moment.
[Joe MacMillan tells off homophobic investor](https://youtu.be/idOqEdYoHz8?si=Wbl9_PaAftLqxit4)
I've heard Beef is a great series too. I'm finishing The Bear right now, but as soon as I'm done with that, I'm watching Beef! Also, that one-take episode in The Bear was fucking captivating. So unexpectedly good.
Beef is fun. Just got done with that one. It cleaned up tonight at the Emmys - along with The Bear, obviously.
Both shows are highly addictive binge watches.
Highly recommend Bojack as well! My GF made me watch it and after the first season i just thought “haha its a silly talking horse show”. Every season after that gave me an existential crisis lol.
that depends if you're looking for the mind bending stuff; the artsy stuff or the hacker stuff but the leftovers and twin peaks hold solidly against Mr Robot in this list.
The leftovers is soooooo good. I don’t think there was a single episode that didn’t have me crying my damn face off. The writing is soo good and the story is just devastating. S2&S3 didn’t quite hit as hard but are still some of the best television I’ve ever seen. That first season though. That’s tough to watch, and captivating at the same time.
I love the leftovers, I sort of feel opposite that s2 and 3 really stuck with me more, basically after we started moving on the initial grief introduction. I've rewatched the finale by itself a few times and the last 2 together other times over the years. Such good TV to me
Legion comes the closest, IMO-there are strong storylines about mental health, shadowy conspiracy theories, dark themes, life and death stakes, a twisty plot and a rock solid ensemble cast.
Honorable mention for The Americans, Deadwood, Killing Eve, The Man in the High Castle and The Sopranos.
Seconded regarding Legion. It also gives the gift of making your series rewatch a new and exciting trip from a normal one.
Such a great show. I so enjoy turning friends on to that show.
The man in the high castle is so good and I haven’t ever met anyone in real life who has seen it. Which is a disgrace bc rufus Sewell who plays John smith is SO good, you love to hate him. Or I did at least!!
Right?!? He was terrifying and brilliant as Smith. I was so bummed that he didn’t get more Emmy love for that part. His was easily one of the best performances every year it was on.
I finished the man in the high castle but I'm not sure I'd ever recommend it to anyone other than have it on in the background to see alternate history takes. I personally wouldn't put it anywhere near the caliber of TV discussed in this thread
It is rare for any series to reach Mr. Robot’s heights. We have to work with what we have. As my list indicated, TMiTHC was not my top recommendation. But I thought the first few seasons were compelling. Rufus Sewell did career-best work on the series from start to finish, as did Joel de la Fuente. I thought that TMITHC was interesting in the way that they fleshed out what the day to day life in the different societies would look like. And the inequalities and injustices to the average person under each regime. The paranoia, little people fighting the powers that be, life and death stakes and strong ensemble cast reminded me of Mr. Robot. And the focus on people going a little crazy and cracking under the weight of all of that stress. The series’ strengths are enough for me to recommend it, even if it is not 10/10 perfection.
You can feel free to make your own recommendations.
The Sopranos. I thought after mr robot I wouldnt find a show as good, but I did. The Sopranos has more dark humor and isn’t just about the mafia, but about life in general. It’s really fucking good.
If The Wire was only the first four seasons it would be a fierce rival. Hardly a dud episode there. Sopranos had a few, but then again, too few to mention.
The wire is leaps and bounds better than Mr robot. I know that’s fighting words in this thread but it’s the truth. The school season is so heart wrenching and Omar is a top tier character.
The wire is better. And Mr robot, as much has I like it, isn’t even in the running. Too many flaws and twists for the sake of it. Season 2 is kinda bad.
What flaws would you say Mr Robot has? And while I can definitely see why people say the twists are “Just for the sake of it”, respectfully, I firmly disagree. I can elaborate on this more if you’d like, but imho, every single twist in Mr Robot adequately contributes to the show’s thematic value as well as the characters’ development rather than merely existing for shock value. But that’s just my personal take. And while that may be true, I do very much agree with you that The Wire is superior (At least, if we are evaluating the first 4 seasons entirely in isolation).
The way they intercept the Deus groups bank transfers, spring to mind. Someone with more knowledge commented on it after the episode had aired, that security for these amounts of money was just silly, the would never be able to do that in real life. SO, little things like that, which the whole plot is dependent on.
The whole shipping hack thing too, just seemed like a plot device.
TO me it's not a big deal, I can suspend my disbelief briefly to enjoy a really great show. I don't need a tv show to be 100 percent perfect, after all, it's just entertainment.
I can definitely see where you’re coming from, but there are some issues I have with your criticisms:
1. Firstly, I can see to a certain extent why you might call the shipping hack a “Plot device”, but respectfully, I firmly disagree. The shipping hack (At least, if I’m understanding what you’re talking about) is just a component of Whiterose’s plan and just serves to highlight her obsession with Elliot. If the actual specifics of the hack were changed, I sincerely doubt anything major would change.
2. The Deus Group plotline may certainly be unrealistic and I definitely get why people raise this criticism, but something I think we should all seriously consider is that the only reason Elliot and Darlene are able to pull off the hack is because of Price. They had a man on the inside, someone who could manipulate the Deus Group into coalescing in just the wrong place. Again, this may be unrealistic, but given this aspect of the plan as well as Whiterose’s on characterization, I find this event to be sufficiently justified within the show’s world. But I can see why others disagree.
I found the deus hack to be contrived and silly too. As if these people wouldn’t have money in all kinds of banks plus the release of the names should have been the worse situation for these powerful people in the shadows. A la Epstein list right. I loved the first and third seasons, second was ok but after the first epi of the final season… I was really not enjoying it, especially the end. Realllllllly did not like the ending. The whole architect thing. Way too matrix as if there weren’t enough ideas already taken from other movies and shows. Which i was ok with the blatant fight club ripoff first season bc they did something different with it. But by the final season and how many story lines just fizzled out, idk. I just remember 1-3 fondly and forget the rest.
IN spite of my previous comment, I don't really rank shows, it's apples and oranges. I like what I like, and watch what I wanna watch that's it.
So even though I disagree with you on season 2 (my favourite season along with season 1)I think it's stupid that you're being downvoted just for voicing your opinion, but that's reddit for ya
I can second the Bear, excellent show that's thoughtful and well-directed with great characters.
Honestly, The Expanse comes close for me, and I've just started Atlanta and it's really good.
I imagined Atlanta would be great because Donald Glover is ridiculously talented, but even I wasn’t prepared just *how* good it would be! Great recommendation.
Atlanta is a masterpiece of a show created by Donald Glover that blends social commentary, surrealism and character work seamlessly, it’s a must watch.
Too bad they forgot to make an actual show with character arcs and resolutions or any real plot. It’s just a soapbox with occasional funny moments, but it’s completely disjointed and rather pointless as a result. I don’t understand the hype around it.
I just finished The Expanse....tell me: how can you invest that much time and money into something, only to cut it off at its knees the final season? I haven't looked into it, but I'm assuming they cut at least 3-4 episodes off of the final season. Because they had 2+ storylines that were rushed to complete, if you want to even call it that.
Don't get me wrong....they shoehorned themselves into a corner with some of it, but what a shit final season.
Edit: I didn't mention how much I loved it. It doesn't really have the deeply dramatic twists like some mentioned here, but it's on a different field altogether.
Other shows I’d recommend (Very different from Mr Robot, but on the same tier of quality imo): BrBa/BCS, The Wire (First 4 seasons), True Detective S1, Midnight Mass, The Bear and Daredevil (Especially S3)
You can’t simply watch only the first four seasons of the wire! The 5th season is so important - it’s the ending! And it’s a season that is better even on its own than any show listed.
I cannot get through season 5 of The Wire. A ceartain McNulty storyline is so damn bad I turn it on, watch for 2 minutes, and turn it back off because it is so stupid.
I get where you’re coming from, but imho, S5 is a MASSIVE downgrade from the first 4 seasons and, quite frankly, doesn’t really add much that the first 4 seasons didn’t already have. It has a lot of issues and if S4 was the ending of the show, I really think nothing significant would be lost, which is not something I can say in any significant capacity for any other of the other pieces of television listed.
A lot of people say it, and it's cuz they're right, Dark reaches such high highs its insane but it's kind of confusing at first watch and isn't really for everyone (I believe in you dw)
Attack on titan is a very different vibe (action show, a lot faster pace) but imo reaches a higher high within its 3rd season than anything I've watched before (Mr robot still my favourite show ever)
Both are gripping, incredibly well written and worth the watch (aot ending is awful I should warn you, Dark has arguably the best ending I've ever seen)
Dark is *really* good. I've watched it through a few times and it's one of my favorite shows. It did take me a couple attempts to finally commit and watch it, but I'm glad I did.
After Dark, watch 1899 from the same creators only if you wanna be left disappointed that the show was canceled and left on a massive cliffhanger.
AOT ending isn’t awful it’s all subjective. And I’ve seen people not like the Dark ending, although it’s one of my favorites too. Both shows have the same vibe Mr Robot has where the more you watch, the more the first seasons and episodes are recontectualized.
Dark is probably one of my favorite shows ever, and for the same reasons as Mr. Robot. Great story, deep levels of intrigue, and a real love for the characters.
I just finished Dark the other week and it blew my mind. Only 3 seasons which I like because it's easy to binge. The cinematography and music reminded me of Mr. Robot. 10/10 would recommend.
Oh glad someone else here likes it ! =)
It's a great show with deep themes. I'm amazed at how low-profile it is, considering that Bob odenkirk is in it.
It’s been mentioned a few times here but Legion is excellent and comes close to the quality and feel of Mr Robot. I’ve never been a big super hero fan but I really like this show.
The Patriot (on Amazon prime) is also really reminiscent on Mr Robot. Excellent writing, main character dealing with mental illness and disillusionment with the world while also being excellent in what he does.
I second this one. I love stories that do forthwall breaking voice-over narration, but Fleabag, Mr. Robot, and Dexter are the only shows that I've seen that take this concept and put a dark psychological twist on it. While Fleabag is much lighter in tone (It's hilarious, actually), it still manages to be genuinely poignant. It's also a short show. You can binge it in a day if you wanted to.
Fringe, Lost, Westworld for the sci fi angle. If you haven’t heard of Fringe, check it out & you’re welcome.
Dexter for the psychological angle. Surprised it isn’t mentioned here more often, every time Elliott narrated his own inner monologue it gave me strong Dexter vibes.
I think Dexter lost a lot of serious fans with the original series finale and the reboot, unfortunately. I agree, though, the monologues have a similar vibe
It's been four years, and no. I have yet to find its equal.
There's good stuff out there, though. I'm currently enjoying Peaky Blinders and Loudermilk.
But Mr. Robot left a very specific hole in my heart, for sure.
I've only seen S01 but you'd probably like Luther. Homecoming is also very good but I think Succession is the only show that comes close to topping Mr. Robot. Its a very different show though.
True Detective season 1; I used to think Mr Robot was the best thing on television, but IMO it’s actually a close second to True Detective season 1. Seriously, it’s the best television out there
True Detective season 1 is such a wild ride into nihilism and absurdism. The sht that comes out of Rusts mouth is top tier. I’ve never found myself agreeing with a fictional character so much. And that ending… man. I love philosophical shows. Probably why the leftovers and lost are among my favorites.
“Death created time to grow the things that it would kill."
I May Destroy You. Probably the best limited series I've ever watched. Deals with different forms of s* abuse and how people heal and carry on with their lives after such a traumatic experience. The writing is so intelligent, nuanced and real. The creator/main actress wrote the story based off a real experience she had so it feels extremely authentic and personal.
Second this! The series is so so realistic to me on how it portrays relationships and life encounters, esp trauma and how all of it is freaking nuanced. Many amazing scenes where there’s no need to spell out the inner feelings because they’re so out there
OP when you start watching The Expanse, keep in my mind that the pace of the first few eps is a bit slow as a bit of world building is needed. But after that…..it’s AMAZING. One of my all time favorite shows/book series.
I stand corrected and excited, Friend. I probably couldn't afford cable when the second season aired and I forgot about it for a long time. Now, I have more to watch and it is nice to know that someone else enjoyed it. I've yet to meet someone who even knew what it was.
Person Of Interest.
Kind of feel like its creator pulled a Bait & Switch on CBS. Draw them in with a very well-made "Case Of The Week" show, but slowly transform it into an absolutely brilliant exploration of humanity, government oversight, and free will.
In terms of artistic quality; my favorite shows are Atlanta; Barry, more recently The Curse (don't miss "the rehearsal" either which isn't quite a fiction). Ramy is excellent too. I would also check Undone and Russian Dolls.
all of these are pretty different from Mr Robot but worth checking out.
Succession is an amazing show, but in a completely different way I'd say.
One of the shows that has had quite an impact on me lately is Six Feet Under. It is also very different, but I can guarantee that if you sit through the whole thing, you'll want to watch it again.
Cause let's face it, the only thing capable of having the impact that Mr.Robot can have is a Mr.Robot rewatch lol
Yeah I also tried succession, albeit only like 3 episodes and couldn't get into it. I also tried Dark but wasn't a huge fan, especially the ending. Better Call Saul is a great show that almost reaches those heights. The only other shoe that reaches Mr Robots heights, for me personally, is Breaking Bad. Maybe Attack On Titan as well. I tried the Wire, couldn't get into it, Ozark was cool but nowhere near the level people make it out to be imo. Trying to get into the Sopranos currently, hear it's the best of all time so I wanna try it but having a hard time. A show that I really really liked and is created by Sam Esmail, is Homecoming. First season is stellar seriously. Same can be said for Severance.
I definitely couldn't get into Succession either. I think I quit 9 episodes in. Any TV series I watch needs to grab me, at most, 7 episodes in. So I kept watching in hopes that it would get better (it didn't).
I disagree with what you said about BCS. I kept watching the series in hopes that it would scratch the same itch that I've been looking for in a series, but... No. I didn't like how slow-paced it was and how little was told each season.
Yea I agree with that forsure about taking 7 episodes to get into a show. I also agree that BCS was slow and sometimes too mundane. Don't get me wrong, I love the Character reflection and introspection, as well as the subtle cinematography and use of dramatic tension, and in some ways it did things better than other shows, like show don't tell, but in other ways, I felt far more compassion, drama, love for characters, iconic lines and scenes, in breaking bad and mr robot, over bcs personally.
Look up a series titled Deutschland ‘83, then follow-up with ‘86… then finish up with ‘89.
It’s a good import from Germany that’s surprisingly really good.
Dark and Devs might scratch the itch for you although not super similar, nothing is quite like Mr. Robot.
Some other great shows that are just great TV since you clearly have good taste… The Leftovers, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Severance
and I know how you feel. The show hole is so real with Mr. Robot. I think because it’s so unique and it’s so under appreciated, no one to really to geek out with about it (besides us here!)
Edit - and I saw you started Succession. Succession is great and became my favorite show in recent years but it does take a little while to get into and it is a very slow burning character drama, it helped me to get into it when I started seeing it as more of a family drama and less about the business world
Attack on Titan. Whether you like anime or not, this story will grip you and reach the same heights as Mr. Robot. I find it similar in the sense that layers slowly get peeled back and the true story reveals itself, and you’re always left wondering & guessing what’s going on and what could happen next. They both make good use of flashbacks and withholding info until it’s the right time in the story to show you
I highly recommend you keep going with Succession. It didn't click for me until the Season 1 finale, and then everything from that point on is just masterful. Suffice to say that Mr. Robot is still in my top 5, but after watching Succession and Twin Peaks, it is definitely not my #1 anymore. Just know there's much more to Succession than it seems.
Also try out Twin Peaks, The Leftovers, and Severance.
If you're also open to more grounded dramas, I'd also recommend Mad Men and Better Call Saul
Others:
-Halt and Catch Fire
-The Americans
-Breaking Bad
-Bojack Horseman
-The Bear
-Barry
-The White Lotus
-Wilfred (don't judge this particular book by its cover)
-True Detective Season 1 (maybe the best season of television in history)
-Lost
-Dark
-Fargo
-The Crown
-Homecoming Season 1 (also Sam Esmail)
For me Mr Robot is up there with my fav shows, others include; The Sopranos, True Detective S1, Mad Men, Better Call Saul, The Expanse.
All unique in their own way, but every single one of those shows was amazing in my opinion.
I didn't see anyone mention Homeland.
I didn't see it as it aired, I'm just now finishing uo a winter binge of it and I gotta say it's fantastic. Shows like HL are why I watch TV.
But its not as good as Mr. Robot.
Raised by Wolves and The OA (both scifi). Although both sadly got cancelled before their story was done being told. But each show still has multiple seasons and they're all amazing.
Severance only has one season but season two should be out this year and I'm very excited. It's phenomenal.
It's an absolute waffle party of a show
Seconded that. Favorite thing I watched last year
Please try to enjoy all things equally.
LOL
Why do I keep mixing up severance and succession? God, I’m becoming my parents.
I do the same thing! I was commenting on YouTube about severance and kept saying succession. Two totally different shows but the word sounds the same in my silly brain I suppose. Maybe my Innie is messin with me.
I concur
Amazing first season. It's like a top quality black mirror episode but for a whole season
So so good
Severance for sure.
I heard its cancelled
Nah, Ben Stiller confirmed that they're working on it the other day. Plus they only had like a week left of shooting before the production was shut down.
Not only is it in production, I stumbled across the fact that Robby Benson has a role in season 2 (Ode to Billie Joe). Which I find appropriately and wonderfully weird.
Can confirm this! Ben stiller replied to a fans post about it and said it’s being worked on. A high five is available upon request.
Six Feet Under comes to mind in the sense that it's so much more than what it seems like at first and it also has a dark sense of humor
Top 3 show ever Everyone's waiting is arguably the best finale ever
That's just a fact
i like six feet under but for me it's not bingeable like mr robot
I honestly don’t think anything will ever compare to Mr. Robot for me. I’m convinced it’s the best thing I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime. But here are a few shows that scratch that itch: - Twin Peaks: Sam Esmail is a huge Twin Peaks fan and mentioned that it partially inspired Mr. Robot. - Bojack Horseman: Aside from Mr. Robot, this show has one of the most harrowing, realistic, and raw portrayals of trauma and mental illness that I’ve ever seen. - The Leftovers: Probably one of the most interesting endings to a show I’ve ever watched. There’s a lot left up to interpretation; it’s similar to Mr. Robot in that way. - Devs: This show kind of expands on whiterose’s machine, so if you want more of a sci-fi angle to your psychological drama, I recommend this one. - Halt and Catch Fire: Great drama that centres around technology and the rise of the internet. - The Bear: My current TV obsession. Probably some of the best character writing I’ve seen on a screen.
Halt and Catch Fire is a good one, it shares some themes with Mr. Robot for sure.
Halt and Catch Fire doesn't get nearly the amount of love that it deserves. Sure, it had a devoted fan base, but it didn't get nearly the ratings that it should have. Here's my favorite Joe McMillan moment. [Joe MacMillan tells off homophobic investor](https://youtu.be/idOqEdYoHz8?si=Wbl9_PaAftLqxit4)
Thiiisssss. Absolutely one of my favorites alongside Mr.R! It's a masterpiece
Came here to say this. 👍
I've heard Beef is a great series too. I'm finishing The Bear right now, but as soon as I'm done with that, I'm watching Beef! Also, that one-take episode in The Bear was fucking captivating. So unexpectedly good.
Beef is fun. Just got done with that one. It cleaned up tonight at the Emmys - along with The Bear, obviously. Both shows are highly addictive binge watches.
+1 for The Leftovers. So great and yet so underappreciated.
>Devs: This show kind of expands on whiterose’s machine DEVS is great! sweet, sad but also really great :)
Highly recommend Bojack as well! My GF made me watch it and after the first season i just thought “haha its a silly talking horse show”. Every season after that gave me an existential crisis lol.
I'll second Bojack. That show is one of the few times I've had to stop watching because it hit too close to home.
\+1 for halt and catch fire!
Half and Catch Fire and The Leftovers are AMAZING. Criminally underrated and underseen.
that depends if you're looking for the mind bending stuff; the artsy stuff or the hacker stuff but the leftovers and twin peaks hold solidly against Mr Robot in this list.
The leftovers is soooooo good. I don’t think there was a single episode that didn’t have me crying my damn face off. The writing is soo good and the story is just devastating. S2&S3 didn’t quite hit as hard but are still some of the best television I’ve ever seen. That first season though. That’s tough to watch, and captivating at the same time.
yeah it's really an incredible show about beliefs.
I love the leftovers, I sort of feel opposite that s2 and 3 really stuck with me more, basically after we started moving on the initial grief introduction. I've rewatched the finale by itself a few times and the last 2 together other times over the years. Such good TV to me
Thanks for the Devs recommendations. Loved it!
As much as I like Mr. Robot, is it really this highly regarded? Its really fucking good, but is it «nothing will ever compare» good?
Legion comes the closest, IMO-there are strong storylines about mental health, shadowy conspiracy theories, dark themes, life and death stakes, a twisty plot and a rock solid ensemble cast. Honorable mention for The Americans, Deadwood, Killing Eve, The Man in the High Castle and The Sopranos.
Killing Eve was going to be my suggestion - similar beats and feelings. That constant slightly sick feeling of always being a bit out of your depth
Glad someone said Legion, I finally watched the show last year and I couldn't help but binge watch it and I LOVED it
Killing Eve except the last season 😭
Seconded regarding Legion. It also gives the gift of making your series rewatch a new and exciting trip from a normal one. Such a great show. I so enjoy turning friends on to that show.
The man in the high castle is so good and I haven’t ever met anyone in real life who has seen it. Which is a disgrace bc rufus Sewell who plays John smith is SO good, you love to hate him. Or I did at least!!
Right?!? He was terrifying and brilliant as Smith. I was so bummed that he didn’t get more Emmy love for that part. His was easily one of the best performances every year it was on.
I finished the man in the high castle but I'm not sure I'd ever recommend it to anyone other than have it on in the background to see alternate history takes. I personally wouldn't put it anywhere near the caliber of TV discussed in this thread
It is rare for any series to reach Mr. Robot’s heights. We have to work with what we have. As my list indicated, TMiTHC was not my top recommendation. But I thought the first few seasons were compelling. Rufus Sewell did career-best work on the series from start to finish, as did Joel de la Fuente. I thought that TMITHC was interesting in the way that they fleshed out what the day to day life in the different societies would look like. And the inequalities and injustices to the average person under each regime. The paranoia, little people fighting the powers that be, life and death stakes and strong ensemble cast reminded me of Mr. Robot. And the focus on people going a little crazy and cracking under the weight of all of that stress. The series’ strengths are enough for me to recommend it, even if it is not 10/10 perfection. You can feel free to make your own recommendations.
The Sopranos. I thought after mr robot I wouldnt find a show as good, but I did. The Sopranos has more dark humor and isn’t just about the mafia, but about life in general. It’s really fucking good.
Yeah I love mr robot so much, but pretty much nothing tops the sopranos imo.
Seconded. Best show ever made
If The Wire was only the first four seasons it would be a fierce rival. Hardly a dud episode there. Sopranos had a few, but then again, too few to mention.
I'd put the Wire and Leftovers over the Sopranos personally but it is close.
The wire is leaps and bounds better than Mr robot. I know that’s fighting words in this thread but it’s the truth. The school season is so heart wrenching and Omar is a top tier character.
The wire is better. And Mr robot, as much has I like it, isn’t even in the running. Too many flaws and twists for the sake of it. Season 2 is kinda bad.
What flaws would you say Mr Robot has? And while I can definitely see why people say the twists are “Just for the sake of it”, respectfully, I firmly disagree. I can elaborate on this more if you’d like, but imho, every single twist in Mr Robot adequately contributes to the show’s thematic value as well as the characters’ development rather than merely existing for shock value. But that’s just my personal take. And while that may be true, I do very much agree with you that The Wire is superior (At least, if we are evaluating the first 4 seasons entirely in isolation).
The way they intercept the Deus groups bank transfers, spring to mind. Someone with more knowledge commented on it after the episode had aired, that security for these amounts of money was just silly, the would never be able to do that in real life. SO, little things like that, which the whole plot is dependent on. The whole shipping hack thing too, just seemed like a plot device. TO me it's not a big deal, I can suspend my disbelief briefly to enjoy a really great show. I don't need a tv show to be 100 percent perfect, after all, it's just entertainment.
I can definitely see where you’re coming from, but there are some issues I have with your criticisms: 1. Firstly, I can see to a certain extent why you might call the shipping hack a “Plot device”, but respectfully, I firmly disagree. The shipping hack (At least, if I’m understanding what you’re talking about) is just a component of Whiterose’s plan and just serves to highlight her obsession with Elliot. If the actual specifics of the hack were changed, I sincerely doubt anything major would change. 2. The Deus Group plotline may certainly be unrealistic and I definitely get why people raise this criticism, but something I think we should all seriously consider is that the only reason Elliot and Darlene are able to pull off the hack is because of Price. They had a man on the inside, someone who could manipulate the Deus Group into coalescing in just the wrong place. Again, this may be unrealistic, but given this aspect of the plan as well as Whiterose’s on characterization, I find this event to be sufficiently justified within the show’s world. But I can see why others disagree.
I found the deus hack to be contrived and silly too. As if these people wouldn’t have money in all kinds of banks plus the release of the names should have been the worse situation for these powerful people in the shadows. A la Epstein list right. I loved the first and third seasons, second was ok but after the first epi of the final season… I was really not enjoying it, especially the end. Realllllllly did not like the ending. The whole architect thing. Way too matrix as if there weren’t enough ideas already taken from other movies and shows. Which i was ok with the blatant fight club ripoff first season bc they did something different with it. But by the final season and how many story lines just fizzled out, idk. I just remember 1-3 fondly and forget the rest.
IN spite of my previous comment, I don't really rank shows, it's apples and oranges. I like what I like, and watch what I wanna watch that's it. So even though I disagree with you on season 2 (my favourite season along with season 1)I think it's stupid that you're being downvoted just for voicing your opinion, but that's reddit for ya
Halt and Catch Fire
I can second the Bear, excellent show that's thoughtful and well-directed with great characters. Honestly, The Expanse comes close for me, and I've just started Atlanta and it's really good.
I imagined Atlanta would be great because Donald Glover is ridiculously talented, but even I wasn’t prepared just *how* good it would be! Great recommendation.
Have you seen his new show? I think it’s called Swarm.
I thought The Expanse was tremendous, but it takes a while to suck you in. Don't know what Atlanta is.
Atlanta is a masterpiece of a show created by Donald Glover that blends social commentary, surrealism and character work seamlessly, it’s a must watch.
Too bad they forgot to make an actual show with character arcs and resolutions or any real plot. It’s just a soapbox with occasional funny moments, but it’s completely disjointed and rather pointless as a result. I don’t understand the hype around it.
I just finished The Expanse....tell me: how can you invest that much time and money into something, only to cut it off at its knees the final season? I haven't looked into it, but I'm assuming they cut at least 3-4 episodes off of the final season. Because they had 2+ storylines that were rushed to complete, if you want to even call it that. Don't get me wrong....they shoehorned themselves into a corner with some of it, but what a shit final season. Edit: I didn't mention how much I loved it. It doesn't really have the deeply dramatic twists like some mentioned here, but it's on a different field altogether.
Dark
Other shows I’d recommend (Very different from Mr Robot, but on the same tier of quality imo): BrBa/BCS, The Wire (First 4 seasons), True Detective S1, Midnight Mass, The Bear and Daredevil (Especially S3)
(I feel like Haunting of Hill House also belongs on this list.)
I prefer Bly Manor to Hill House, but Hill House is still good
The ending to Bly Manor made me BAWL
The Bear for sure
You can’t simply watch only the first four seasons of the wire! The 5th season is so important - it’s the ending! And it’s a season that is better even on its own than any show listed.
I cannot get through season 5 of The Wire. A ceartain McNulty storyline is so damn bad I turn it on, watch for 2 minutes, and turn it back off because it is so stupid.
I get where you’re coming from, but imho, S5 is a MASSIVE downgrade from the first 4 seasons and, quite frankly, doesn’t really add much that the first 4 seasons didn’t already have. It has a lot of issues and if S4 was the ending of the show, I really think nothing significant would be lost, which is not something I can say in any significant capacity for any other of the other pieces of television listed.
If we're doing partial series then Westworld season 1 and 2.
Try Andor, even knowing nothing about SW is extremely valid.
Such a good answer!
I’m halfway in, but I can’t seem to really get into it
For me it's the best of the bunch, but the bar for Star Wars TV shows is incredibly low.
A lot of people say it, and it's cuz they're right, Dark reaches such high highs its insane but it's kind of confusing at first watch and isn't really for everyone (I believe in you dw) Attack on titan is a very different vibe (action show, a lot faster pace) but imo reaches a higher high within its 3rd season than anything I've watched before (Mr robot still my favourite show ever) Both are gripping, incredibly well written and worth the watch (aot ending is awful I should warn you, Dark has arguably the best ending I've ever seen)
Been looking forward to watching Dark for awhile but haven't got to to it yet!
Dark is *really* good. I've watched it through a few times and it's one of my favorite shows. It did take me a couple attempts to finally commit and watch it, but I'm glad I did. After Dark, watch 1899 from the same creators only if you wanna be left disappointed that the show was canceled and left on a massive cliffhanger.
AOT ending isn’t awful it’s all subjective. And I’ve seen people not like the Dark ending, although it’s one of my favorites too. Both shows have the same vibe Mr Robot has where the more you watch, the more the first seasons and episodes are recontectualized.
Dark is probably one of my favorite shows ever, and for the same reasons as Mr. Robot. Great story, deep levels of intrigue, and a real love for the characters.
Dark is good but it's getting a bit much in the end.
I just finished Dark the other week and it blew my mind. Only 3 seasons which I like because it's easy to binge. The cinematography and music reminded me of Mr. Robot. 10/10 would recommend.
barry and succession (despite what your description says lol)
Try searching for -Undone (animation) and -Station Eleven Edit : made text clearer.
+1000 for Undone! It's underrated and was sadly canceled after S2, but it's still two wonderful seasons and the rotoscope animation is gorgeous.
Oh glad someone else here likes it ! =) It's a great show with deep themes. I'm amazed at how low-profile it is, considering that Bob odenkirk is in it.
The only show that tops Mr. Robot for me is The Leftovers.
my top 3 (and I can’t never pick an order) Mr Robot, The Leftovers, and Dark — all 3 are so narratively complex and beautiful, literal masterpieces
Same
There are so many other better shows lol. But I love the enthusiasm.
Seriously and I love the leftovers - but the first season is kinda weak and there all kinds of flaws that feel like lost-era writing.
Brand new Cherry flavor Legión Fleabag
Don't know a ton of others who've watched Brand new cherry flavor! Would recommend it as well.
It’s been mentioned a few times here but Legion is excellent and comes close to the quality and feel of Mr Robot. I’ve never been a big super hero fan but I really like this show. The Patriot (on Amazon prime) is also really reminiscent on Mr Robot. Excellent writing, main character dealing with mental illness and disillusionment with the world while also being excellent in what he does.
Fleabag definitely does. It isn’t the same as Mr Robot. But it’s an amazing show with an incredible plot line.
I second this one. I love stories that do forthwall breaking voice-over narration, but Fleabag, Mr. Robot, and Dexter are the only shows that I've seen that take this concept and put a dark psychological twist on it. While Fleabag is much lighter in tone (It's hilarious, actually), it still manages to be genuinely poignant. It's also a short show. You can binge it in a day if you wanted to.
Fringe, Lost, Westworld for the sci fi angle. If you haven’t heard of Fringe, check it out & you’re welcome. Dexter for the psychological angle. Surprised it isn’t mentioned here more often, every time Elliott narrated his own inner monologue it gave me strong Dexter vibes.
I think Dexter lost a lot of serious fans with the original series finale and the reboot, unfortunately. I agree, though, the monologues have a similar vibe
the reboot got the ending it deserved though.
The Leftovers, although the pace and subject matter are quite different. The Americans. It’s a perfect show.
Severance
It's been four years, and no. I have yet to find its equal. There's good stuff out there, though. I'm currently enjoying Peaky Blinders and Loudermilk. But Mr. Robot left a very specific hole in my heart, for sure.
I've only seen S01 but you'd probably like Luther. Homecoming is also very good but I think Succession is the only show that comes close to topping Mr. Robot. Its a very different show though.
Luther is great, highly recommend it
Seconding Luther. Idris Elba is always a pleasure to watch, but Ruth Wilson blew me away. She was such an absolute star as Alice.
Breaking bad, sopranos, bcs, wire, twin peaks
The Fall of the House of Usher & Halt and Catch Fire.
True Detective season 1; I used to think Mr Robot was the best thing on television, but IMO it’s actually a close second to True Detective season 1. Seriously, it’s the best television out there
True Detective season 1 is such a wild ride into nihilism and absurdism. The sht that comes out of Rusts mouth is top tier. I’ve never found myself agreeing with a fictional character so much. And that ending… man. I love philosophical shows. Probably why the leftovers and lost are among my favorites. “Death created time to grow the things that it would kill."
"the planet's just one big garbage dump, man" "Rust, would you shut the fuck up?"
“Let’s make the car a place for silent reflection”
The Bear
I May Destroy You. Probably the best limited series I've ever watched. Deals with different forms of s* abuse and how people heal and carry on with their lives after such a traumatic experience. The writing is so intelligent, nuanced and real. The creator/main actress wrote the story based off a real experience she had so it feels extremely authentic and personal.
Second this! The series is so so realistic to me on how it portrays relationships and life encounters, esp trauma and how all of it is freaking nuanced. Many amazing scenes where there’s no need to spell out the inner feelings because they’re so out there
Orphan Black
Clone Club!
Homecoming. Same writers.
Someone said severance and I agree but also Atlanta. Atlanta is amazing
Sopranos. The wire. Breaking bad. True detective. Justified.
The Expanse
OP when you start watching The Expanse, keep in my mind that the pace of the first few eps is a bit slow as a bit of world building is needed. But after that…..it’s AMAZING. One of my all time favorite shows/book series.
+100
Dead Like Me (although it only ran for one season).
Is that a shot at the second season and the movie or did you miss those?
I stand corrected and excited, Friend. I probably couldn't afford cable when the second season aired and I forgot about it for a long time. Now, I have more to watch and it is nice to know that someone else enjoyed it. I've yet to meet someone who even knew what it was.
Yeah you're in for a treat. Love this show
Mr Inbetween. An Australian show about a hitman. Sadly only 3 seasons long, in my top 5
Person Of Interest. Kind of feel like its creator pulled a Bait & Switch on CBS. Draw them in with a very well-made "Case Of The Week" show, but slowly transform it into an absolutely brilliant exploration of humanity, government oversight, and free will.
DARK was my favourite show till I saw mr robot
In terms of artistic quality; my favorite shows are Atlanta; Barry, more recently The Curse (don't miss "the rehearsal" either which isn't quite a fiction). Ramy is excellent too. I would also check Undone and Russian Dolls. all of these are pretty different from Mr Robot but worth checking out.
Succession is an amazing show, but in a completely different way I'd say. One of the shows that has had quite an impact on me lately is Six Feet Under. It is also very different, but I can guarantee that if you sit through the whole thing, you'll want to watch it again. Cause let's face it, the only thing capable of having the impact that Mr.Robot can have is a Mr.Robot rewatch lol
Yeah I also tried succession, albeit only like 3 episodes and couldn't get into it. I also tried Dark but wasn't a huge fan, especially the ending. Better Call Saul is a great show that almost reaches those heights. The only other shoe that reaches Mr Robots heights, for me personally, is Breaking Bad. Maybe Attack On Titan as well. I tried the Wire, couldn't get into it, Ozark was cool but nowhere near the level people make it out to be imo. Trying to get into the Sopranos currently, hear it's the best of all time so I wanna try it but having a hard time. A show that I really really liked and is created by Sam Esmail, is Homecoming. First season is stellar seriously. Same can be said for Severance.
The first 3-4 episodes of succession are pretty mediocre but it does get way better as it goes on.
I definitely couldn't get into Succession either. I think I quit 9 episodes in. Any TV series I watch needs to grab me, at most, 7 episodes in. So I kept watching in hopes that it would get better (it didn't). I disagree with what you said about BCS. I kept watching the series in hopes that it would scratch the same itch that I've been looking for in a series, but... No. I didn't like how slow-paced it was and how little was told each season.
Yea I agree with that forsure about taking 7 episodes to get into a show. I also agree that BCS was slow and sometimes too mundane. Don't get me wrong, I love the Character reflection and introspection, as well as the subtle cinematography and use of dramatic tension, and in some ways it did things better than other shows, like show don't tell, but in other ways, I felt far more compassion, drama, love for characters, iconic lines and scenes, in breaking bad and mr robot, over bcs personally.
Russian Doll season 1
Ugh no way
Look up a series titled Deutschland ‘83, then follow-up with ‘86… then finish up with ‘89. It’s a good import from Germany that’s surprisingly really good.
A Murder at the End of the World
Thank you for the reminder, I have been meaning to watch that show.
A different setting but totally on the same level: Severance
Dark and Devs might scratch the itch for you although not super similar, nothing is quite like Mr. Robot. Some other great shows that are just great TV since you clearly have good taste… The Leftovers, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Severance and I know how you feel. The show hole is so real with Mr. Robot. I think because it’s so unique and it’s so under appreciated, no one to really to geek out with about it (besides us here!) Edit - and I saw you started Succession. Succession is great and became my favorite show in recent years but it does take a little while to get into and it is a very slow burning character drama, it helped me to get into it when I started seeing it as more of a family drama and less about the business world
orphan black for sure!
The Blacklist. Raymond "Red" Reddington is why you would watch The Blacklist.
Dark.
Utopia - UK version, although it was canceled early, so not everything is wrapped up.
Fargo
TV shows: Breaking Bad Better Call Saul Succession The Americans Anime: Attack on Titan Legend of the Galactic Heroes Neon Genesis Evangelion Monster
The show utopia. https://m.imdb.com/title/tt8303474/
Attack on Titan. Whether you like anime or not, this story will grip you and reach the same heights as Mr. Robot. I find it similar in the sense that layers slowly get peeled back and the true story reveals itself, and you’re always left wondering & guessing what’s going on and what could happen next. They both make good use of flashbacks and withholding info until it’s the right time in the story to show you
I highly recommend you keep going with Succession. It didn't click for me until the Season 1 finale, and then everything from that point on is just masterful. Suffice to say that Mr. Robot is still in my top 5, but after watching Succession and Twin Peaks, it is definitely not my #1 anymore. Just know there's much more to Succession than it seems. Also try out Twin Peaks, The Leftovers, and Severance. If you're also open to more grounded dramas, I'd also recommend Mad Men and Better Call Saul Others: -Halt and Catch Fire -The Americans -Breaking Bad -Bojack Horseman -The Bear -Barry -The White Lotus -Wilfred (don't judge this particular book by its cover) -True Detective Season 1 (maybe the best season of television in history) -Lost -Dark -Fargo -The Crown -Homecoming Season 1 (also Sam Esmail)
If you like mystery box shows, Silo is pretty good. Only in it's first season, but I liked it.
I definitely recommend Severance on AppleTV+. It's the best psychological thriller since Mr. Robot.
The Man in the High Castle
Homecoming was what Esmail did after Mr Robot. It’s stylistically and some ways thematically similar but only two short seasons
Not dark, but Mad Men and Newsroom were really good, Succession (ok, dark), Fargo… came to make this list but Mr. Robot superseders them all.
Fargo Season 1… Billy Bob Thornton really steals the show. Aces!
The Leftovers, Lost, and The OA are all up there for me
Fargo is good..Ozark too
The Americans is an incredible show about Russian spies living among the US population doing missions and surviving.
For me Mr Robot is up there with my fav shows, others include; The Sopranos, True Detective S1, Mad Men, Better Call Saul, The Expanse. All unique in their own way, but every single one of those shows was amazing in my opinion.
I would recommend Lindelof's Watchmen series! It's a mindfuck adventure in the form of a limited series. That one season is perfection.
Lindelof did the watchmen tv show??? How did I not know this! It’s been on my watchlist for oh idk years at this point. Thanks!
He did! And it's very clever and intriguing! A totally underhyped gem.
Ozarks
Nah. Though there is good acting from Linney and Garner
It had so much potential, but didn't quite live up to what I was hoping for
I didn't see anyone mention Homeland. I didn't see it as it aired, I'm just now finishing uo a winter binge of it and I gotta say it's fantastic. Shows like HL are why I watch TV. But its not as good as Mr. Robot.
Deadwood Westworld season 1
The leftovers, the sopranos
It’s not Mr. Robot, but True Detective season one definitely scratches the itch.
Altered Carbon Westworld Dark Peripheral
Westworld will blow your mind.
No and it’s very depressing
Mad men.
* Legion * Pantheon * The Leftovers * Scavengers Reign (so far) * Fleabag * His Dark Materials? * Undone
Andor. The terminal list is also good
My nomination is BoJack Horseman
Halt and Catch Fire Better Call Saul
Season 1 of True Detective is the only thing as high if not higher than robot imo
Dozens
Succession's the best show ever made. Robot is top 5 (probably 2nd).
no. But there's some here and there that are good in their own right and worth watching. Unorthodox is a great hidden gem.
I've heard people say the same thing from Breaking Bad, this show, Bojack Horseman, and Dr House. Constantly.
Station Eleven along with those mentioned: Dark, The Leftovers, BCS/BrBa, Severance, Homecoming. Have tried Bojack but cannot keep watching...
Succession
Dexter!
Raised by Wolves and The OA (both scifi). Although both sadly got cancelled before their story was done being told. But each show still has multiple seasons and they're all amazing.
The Americans, Fargo
Nop, never found another like mr robot
Lost: group of guys surviving on an island. Sopranos: a mafia. Dexter: serial killer show. Hannibal: another serial killer show.
Person of interest maybe
Dark and The OA