CRITIC’S CORNER
ESPY AWARDS ABC, 8 ET/PT
There are those who believe the thrills of athletic competition — or, in the case of many pro athletes, healthy paychecks — are their own rewards. Those people do not run the ESPYs.
MR. ROBOT USA, 10 ET/PT
Here’s the first lesson from Mr. Robot’s extended second-season premiere: If you’re looking to save the world, it may not be the best idea to rely on (and root for) a drug-addicted paranoid schizophrenic. That upsetting “what did we do” frisson leaves both Elliot and the viewers who supported his hacking efforts questioning their decisions, and kickstarts another promising season of this somber, brilliantly unsettling show. With the best of intentions, Elliot has destroyed the economy, and while Robot’s return won’t give you many ideas as to what he does next, it will most likely convince you that star Rami Malek is an astounding find, and that his series is as disorienting and hypnotizing as ever. Take that as a plug and a warning: If what you’re looking for is televised background noise while you surf, look elsewhere.
HACKING ROBOT USA, 11:35 ET/PT
No show today can be considered a buzzworthy hit unless it has its own after-show chatfest. And so fans get Hacking Robot, a weekly chance to rehash the show with selected cast and crew.