Page - 16 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 05/02

popular drama that is unusual in that it is a complex and challenging show, yet it consistently undermines its assertions of truth, both visually and textually. Such a3show gives support to the argument for the rise of what is described within television studies as “quality television”,4 which is characterized by, amongst other things, dramatic ambiguity, narrative complexity, and sharp social crit- icism, all of which is coupled with eloquent allusions to popular culture. Mr Robot certainly exhibits these qualities and, I would argue, is indeed a quality television production. Such quality has been driven, to a significant degree, by shifts in media platform technologies such as cable and streaming that allow for greater economic investment supporting long-term series development, rather than the limitations of the traditional broadcast model with its brutal popularity index that could see shows cancelled before they had a chance to establish an economically sustainable audience. Arguably, this shift in investment has ele- vated the role of the series showrunner to a level comparable to the film auteur which posits a singularizing authorial vision as a key creative force, what could be described as a transcendent creator figure for the series universe.5 As evi- dence of this, there is a growing number of high-caliber film directors who have moved across to television, bringing with them some of the best acting and technical talent currently available. 3 The numbering refers to Season 2, Episode 3, and the episode timecode. This may vary slightly depending on which platform it is viewed. 4 McCabe/Akass 2007. 5 See Molloy 2010; Redvall 2013, Chapter 5. Fig. 1. Mr Robot 2.03 (00:45:50)3. 16 | John Lynch www.jrfm.eu 2019, 5/2, 15–30