When I think Christmas TV, one of the first things that comes to mind is the opening of this episode, so it just had to earn a high spot on this list. Without giving too much away, something completely shocking starts the episode off the back of a twist-heavy finale of the previous season. There is a sense of doom and danger to the main characters and just as that impending doom reaches a breaking point, the episode cuts to a montage of Christmassy streets set to Low’s dreary and dark version of ‘Little Drummer Boy’. It’s a stroke of genius that immediately lets the audience know that in its final season, Mr. Robot is going to pull no punches.
Since this episode kicks off the final season of the show, I’m going to use this segment more as a strong recommendation for the entirety of Mr. Robot. There are plenty of people who couldn’t get into its Fight Club-inspired thriller story of season 1, and a lot of those that did dropped off the show during its languid second season. I enjoy both, but neither are a patch on seasons 3 and 4, which are both among the best seasons of TV ever made. Season 3 is my personal favourite, but season 4 is right behind and it being set at Christmas puts an even greater emphasis on the show’s darkest ever moments and its eventual satisfying ending.
Past its brutal opening, this episode features some great exciting thrills thanks to protagonist Elliot’s escapades. Rami Malek is always great in this star-making role, but arguably never better than when he’s screwing someone over. Really any episode from this season could’ve qualified for this list, but this one is the one I feel captures the spirit of the final season’s emphasis on Christmas the best.
A close second would be 405 Method Not Allowed, which is one of the show’s most iconic “gimmick” episodes. In that one, the episode commits to an entirely wordless (apart from a line at the start and a line at the end) episode centred around a heist. Though the heist is great and the episode features some of the show’s best visuals, my highlight of the episode is FBI agent Dom’s awkward Christmas being emphasised by the loudest silence you will ever see.
Bit of a less in-depth review here, but that’s by design. Watch Mr. Robot please and enjoy it, because you will. It’s among the most visually striking and cinematic TV shows ever made and features a deep and strong cast from top to bottom. Once you reach its final season, you won’t only have a new festive favourite, but you’ll undoubtedly be witness to one of the best-managed multi-season TV shows of its generation.