To call last summer's freshman drama Mr. Robot a sensation is putting it mildly. It won Best Drama Series at both the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards, racked up a number of nominations and trophies for its lead actors Rami Malek and Christian Slater, and earned USA Network its best critical reviews in years. So to say the second season of the techno-thriller is one of the most highly-anticipated events of this summer is also putting it mildly. Good thing the first official Mr. Robot Season 2 trailer is finally here to tide us over until its July premiere.
The 10-episode first season was as chock-full of unexpected twists and turns as a paperback mystery novel. It perfectly blended socioeconomic issues with incredibly detailed hacking thrills, intensely psychological character studies, and mind-blowing plot twists. And, judging by the 90 seconds of the second season that USA has chosen to show us, the series won't be experiencing anything close to a "sophomore slump." In fact, Season 2 looks to be even more mind-bending than the first… if that's even possible.
Here are the TK coolest moments from the trailer that prove Mr. Robot Season 2 is going to be must-see television this summer:
1. The Promise Of Answers
The trailer begins with a voiceover from Mr. Robot himself: "Remember the night of the hack? Remember what happened to you?" he asks. "All I remember is, I woke up three days later," Elliot answers. "And what happened in those three days?" For those of us concerned that the show might prolong its season-ending cliffhanger, it appears that we needn't worried. It might be a while before we get the full truth, but the trailer is all but promising at least some answers right off the bat.
2. A Presidential Cameo
Modern audiences are probably used to seeing stock footage of press conferences and news reports used to bring an air of verisimilitude to a fictional TV show or film. But in the middle of what seems like re-used footage, President Obama suddenly mentions the words "Tyrell Wellick" and "fsociety." So did POTUS actually film a cameo for Mr. Robot? Or is someone just really good at making it sound like he did?
3. The Revolution Is Happening
We already know that fsociety's hack of Evil Corp was successful; now we can see that at least some members of society are very happy about that. I'm pretty sure that's castrated testicles of the famous Wall Street bull sculpture that the man in the foreground is holding. How widespread is the chaos, exactly?
4. What's In The Box?
Tyrell Wellick may still be missing from footage of Season 2, but his wife Joanna quickly emerged as one of the show's most interesting — and threatening — characters in his absence. What's in the gift-wrapped box she's opening here? Could it be some sort of present from her missing husband?
5. The New Girl
In Season 2, Meryl Streep's daughter Grace Gummer (The Newsroom) joins the cast as an FBI agent investigating fsociety's hack. Will she spend the whole season trying to bring Elliot down? Or will she eventually find herself fighting on the side of the angels? Only time will tell…
6. Dream On
"I will follow my dreams no matter what," Angela tells someone off-camera as we get a glimpse of her all dressed up at dinner with Evil Corp CEO Phillip Price. Are they on a date?? Surely not. Whether Angela can keep her moral integrity intact while working for Evil Corp — and whether she even wants to — will be one of Season 2's most intriguing conundrums.
7. Inception
Speaking of Price, here he is telling someone, "I'm sorry, my dear. This is all in your head." Who's he talking to? Is someone other than Elliot having hallucinations? Is this a dream? Or a dream within a dream within a hallucination? Something tells me it's going to be increasingly difficult to tell reality from fantasy in Season 2.
8. A Cry In The Dark
This is either a scream of pain (is someone torturing her?) or a scream of grief (is Tyrell really dead?). Either way, it's probably not good news for Joanna Wellick.
9. I'm Lovin' It
Here we have an impeccably dressed couple at a fancy restaurant wearing fsociety masks while eating Big Macs. In other words, just a normal day in post-Evil Corp America.
10. Kiss Me
Who is Darlene making out with? Why is Elliot watching like it ain't no thang? Why is this scene so much sunnier than literally anything else glimpsed in this 90-second trailer? Surely this most be a hallucination, right?
11. Uh-Oh
"A revolution needs a leader," Mr. Robot says while we watch Elliot getting kidnapped by somebody. Is Evil Corp onto fsociety? Or is this another heretofore unknown faction with an unknown agenda? How will Elliot get out of this pickle?
12. Bang Bang
I'm not too worried about Elliot's fate here, but it is interesting to note how much the character is still at war with himself. They say the truth shall set you free, but clearly finding out about his imaginary alter ego has only driven Elliot even closer to the edge.
Mr. Robot Season 2 will hack its way onto your TV screen on July 13.
Images: USA Network; Television Promos/YouTube (12)
