Martin Wallstrom, Sam Esmail Talk 'Mr. Robot: Season One' DVD & Tyrell Wellick! EXCLUSIVE

Before Season 2 returns to USA Network, Universal Studios Home Entertainment is bringing the critically acclaimed Mr. Robot: Season One onto DVD and Blu-Ray. In an exclusive interview with MStars News, creator/showrunner Sam Esmail and Martin Wallström discuss Tyrell Wellick's villainous rise during the first season.

During our first season recap, Elliot (Malek) finds himself in hacker territory against Evil Corp with "FSociety." Elliot finds himself siding with a mysterious man named Mr. Robot (Slater), who wants to take down the corporate entity. As Evil Corp sinks its seductive claws on Elliot's best friend, Angela (Portia Doubleday), Tyrell Wellick (Wallström) stands in the way of FSociety from accomplishing their goal. Struggling with his own paranoia and delusions, Elliot wants to know what the connection is between him, Mr. Robot, and Darlene (Carly Chaikin). At a crossroads, who will Elliot side with, Mr. Robot or Tyrell?

Before Mr. Robot: Season One arrives on Blu-Ray and DVD on January 12, 2016, Esmail and Wallstrom discuss the collaborative effort between director and actor, their favorite moments from the freshmen drama, and keeping the secret behind the season finale question, "Where's Tyrell?"

MStars News: While watching the show, I noticed how everything comes full circle, especially starting and ending with Times Square. Tell me about keeping the series going in an episodic and serialized format.

Sam Esmail: With a show like this, it's very weird to call it episodic. We don't even think about it like that. We actually think of the whole story and cut it up. But there's so many little things setting up in episode two that pays off in episode eight. It's hard to write as the machine. We look at it more as if we're making a feature.

MS: How much of the show, in terms of seasons, have you planned out?

SE: I would have say four. Max, five. In my head, I know how we're ending and the stages to get there.

MS: Tyrell is a manipulator, conniving at times, and yet the fans are rooting for him all the way. Were you surprised by the fans reaction to your character?

Martin Wallstrom: I was surprised because I mean he's a villain. And I didn't think people would like him so much.

SE: Neither did I! [Laughs]

MW: I didn't know that. I also think it had something to do with the relationship with his wife. Because you kind of start to feel sympathy for him throughout. And you realize that okay, he's not the only mastermind here. He's losing it a bit. So I think that brought in some sympathy into the character.

I was surprised! I was in LA a couple of weeks ago, people were coming up to me, saying "Oh I love your show!" I was surprised by it!

MS: Because the series is planned out, do you get a chance to improvise?

MW: I don't think we improvise anything.

SE: No, they're not allowed.

MW: We talked about that sometimes. In episode three, five I think, I asked Sam, "Am I lying here?" He's like, "Doesn't matter!"

And that was so great because I felt I'm guided here. I felt comforted by that. Well, I can pull it off!

MS: Do you prefer writing and directing your own script? Or do you prefer to direct from someone else's?

SE: I'm so close to my project. The whole show is so close to me. It actually doesn't matter. It's all the same. For me, it's about these characters and their journey. I think the writers and I take ownership of each other's work.

MS: Because Sam Esmail is the creator of the show, do you prefer when the episode is directed by him?

MW: I mean we've had a lot of great directors.

SE: Yeah!

MW: Sometimes, it's easier to talk to Sam. Especially when it's about three episodes ahead. It was very good to have Sam on set, as much as he was there.

SE: I mean, I was set even when I wasn't directing. I tried to be there pretty much every day.

MW: That was good! Sometimes, it's hard for a director to know what's going to happen in three episodes.

MS: The show feels in tune to timely events, especially with its references about the hacking of the Ashley Madison website.

SE: Going into writing the show, I really wanted it to be of our time. I really wanted to make a show about today. I want to embrace it every detail. In the scene with Martin and Joanna, you see the decision of the Boston bomber coming out in the news program, in the background.

There's a reviewer that said, "Our show can't help but be dated in a year or two, because of the technology" I actually don't mind that. One of the things I always say, we're actually making a period piece about today. We're just going to embrace it fully. So yeah, totally intentional!

MS: Is it more about commenting on what's happening in the world or setting a date in the narrative?

SE: In episode two, FSociety starts releasing the data dumps. They're revealing all the secrets of Evil Corp. That was something I had in my head before the Sony hack. That's something the hackers did with the Sony hack. It's kinda the reason why Sony shut down for awhile.

It's weird. There's been a lot of hacking stories before then, that inspired me to write the script, the pilot a few years ago. And then, all of sudden, it was getting very popular, we got picked up on the day of the Sony hack; it's kinda uncanny.

[At this point in the conversation, we discuss the upcoming second season. In the first season finale, Elliot searches everywhere for Tyrell, who may or may not be missing.]

MS: What's the creative process like before the second season gets into production?

MW: We talk that through in the beginning. Then we get the scripts. So we go with the flow as they come. But we know the major arc.

SE: I typically sit down with Rami, Martin, and Christian. In a 20-minute pitch, I pitch out the whole season of their particular arc.

MS: Is it a challenge to keep the secret of Tyrell's location for so long?

SE: Incredibly! Even in my car ride, everybody keeps asking me questions! Because they don't know! [Laughs]

MW: I was there too! [Laughs]

SE: Because he knows better! I keep having to say, "Wait till next season!" Yeah, it's a pretty big challenge.

Mr. Robot: Season One arrives in stores on Blu-Ray and DVD on January 12, 2016.

Don't forget to check out our MStars News interview with Rami Malek and Christian Slater.

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