James R | On 11, Nov 2015

Season 2 of Mr. Robot will be released on Amazon Prime Video in the UK within hours of its US broadcast next year.

Update: Season 2 will premiere in the UK on Thursday 14th July 2016, with a double-bill of Episode 1 and 2.

The cyber-thriller, which stars Rami Malek and Christian Slater and was created by Sam Esmail, landed on Amazon’s subscription service last month in a major deal for the streaming site.

Malek plays Elliot, a young computer programmer who works as a cyber-security engineer by day and as a vigilante hacker by night. Elliot finds himself at a crossroads when the mysterious leader of an underground hacker group (played by Slater) recruits him to destroy the firm he is paid to protect.

The SVOD company has been slowly building up its catalogue of exclusive shows, with some now-cancelled series (Extant, Under the Dome and the under-rated Constantine) gradually being eclipsed by other acquisitions, which include the hugely popular Outlander, Vikings, which is about to return for its fourth season, Halt and Catch Fire and – later this month – Into the Badlands.

Amazon paid good money for Mr. Robot to be included in its exclusive TV roster, with Jason Ropell, Amazon Video Head of International Content, calling it “hands down one of the best and freshest shows on TV”.

“Amazon Prime is the perfect home for this tech thriller and we’re proud to partner with them to bring the series to their audiences in the UK, Germany and Austria,” added Belinda Menendez, President of NBCUniversal International Distribution & Universal Networks International.

Mr. Robot’s acquisition, though, came several months after its debut in the US – something that Amazon doesn’t intend to repeat with the second season next year. Russell Morris, Marketing and Merchandising Director of Amazon Video in the UK, has confirmed that the show will be aired on Amazon hours after US TV when it returns in 2016 – a deal that is similar to its agreements for Into the Badlands, Outlander and Constantine. Indeed, it is becoming more and more common for UK streaming sites and broadcasters to screen US TV shows within 24 hours of their original premiere in a move to not only meet customer demand but also to combat piracy. There are, however, exceptions to the rule, with Ash vs the Evil Dead still awaiting a UK broadcaster and Agent Carter taking months to find a British home.

Morris made the remarks at a London preview of Amazon’s new original series The Man in the High Castle, where CNET were in attendance – we’ve already seen the first two episodes and you can find our review here.

All 10 episodes of Mr. Robot Season 1 are available, as part of a £5.99 monthly Amazon Prime Video subscription. Hit the button below to get watching:

Photos: Peter Kramer/ USA Network

 

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