Professor Popinjay's Compendium of Perspicacity

A Non-Review by Professor Popinjay

I’ve been watching the Mr. Robot series. I like it but if there is such a thing as under-writing as opposed to over-writing, this show does it! You really have to pay attention and patiently piece the plot together. It’s like the writer’s goal was to make no single piece of dialogue have anything to do with the line before or after it and yet it strangely says more than if the writer just plainly spelled it out. As an example I have contrived for you a facsimile dialogue between non-copyright-infringing characters:

Douglas: So what do you say?

Emir: I can’t smell.

Douglas: What is the alternative appliance?

Emir: (Narrating Voice over) Does he know my garage? Does he have the fish? Should I be honest with him? Maybe I already went to the ball.)

Emir: My friend needs me.

Douglas: Your dog won’t crap. EVER!

Emir: Where is Sandra?

Douglas: We need to focus.

Emir: Can I think about the cheese?

Douglas: This all goes down tonight. After the game.

Emir: (Narrating) Is he crazy? Am I crazy for knowing he’s right? Will he buy my blueberry pie? No. He has gloves. There are gloves everywhere.

Emir: It won’t work.

Douglas: You have the key.

Emir: Andrea is good.

Douglas: We need a professional.

Emir: I’m on the inside. 

Douglas: I will never leave.

Andrea: June was killed last night!

Douglas: We have to move our entire operation NOW!

(A three minute montage proceeds with fast synth wave music during which their entire operation is moved, Emir mourns June’s death while coming off of drugs, and Douglas reveals he has a twin.)

Emir: You’re right, Douglas’ twin. I can’t walk on water. But I have to hide these ducks. I can get you three minutes. After that, I’m gone. And Hayman is off your list. Understand? No one can interfere with the glass salesman. We’re going to need heavier curtains. 

(End scene)

Genius writing! I can tell something serious is going down tonight! I have no idea what it is but I can’t wait to find out! The suspense is killing me!

I really like this show but it is twisted and dark. I am trudging through it like a man who swears he loves spicy food and eats a Scotch-bonnet pepper only to realize his tongue has sizzled into oblivion and now he’s trying to appear nonchalant.