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Rabbit Hole
S1.E3
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IMDbPro

The Algorithms of Control

  • Episode aired Apr 2, 2023
  • 57m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
996
YOUR RATING
Charles Dance in The Algorithms of Control (2023)
Rabbit Hole: The Algorithms of Control
Play trailer4:23
1 Video
2 Photos
ActionDramaThriller

Weir's traumatic history is brought to light, along with the origin of his friendship with Valence.Weir's traumatic history is brought to light, along with the origin of his friendship with Valence.Weir's traumatic history is brought to light, along with the origin of his friendship with Valence.

  • Directors
    • Glenn Ficarra
    • John Requa
  • Writers
    • Glenn Ficarra
    • John Requa
    • Alexandra Salerno
  • Stars
    • Kiefer Sutherland
    • Meta Golding
    • Enid Graham
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    996
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Glenn Ficarra
      • John Requa
    • Writers
      • Glenn Ficarra
      • John Requa
      • Alexandra Salerno
    • Stars
      • Kiefer Sutherland
      • Meta Golding
      • Enid Graham
    • 5User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Rabbit Hole: The Algorithms of Control
    Trailer 4:23
    Rabbit Hole: The Algorithms of Control

    Photos1

    View Poster

    Top cast32

    Edit
    Kiefer Sutherland
    Kiefer Sutherland
    • John Weir
    Meta Golding
    Meta Golding
    • Hailey Winton
    Enid Graham
    Enid Graham
    • Josephine 'Jo' Madi
    Rob Yang
    Rob Yang
    • Edward Homm
    Walt Klink
    Walt Klink
    • The Intern
    Charles Dance
    Charles Dance
    • Dr. Ben Wilson
    Jason Butler Harner
    Jason Butler Harner
    • Valence
    Phil Burke
    Phil Burke
    • Ben Weir
    Jorja Cadence
    Jorja Cadence
    • Cara Spader
    Jonas Chernick
    Jonas Chernick
    • Xander Arnaz
    Ishan Davé
    Ishan Davé
    • Hafiz
    Graham Harvey
    Graham Harvey
    • Young John Weir
    Erin Karpluk
    Erin Karpluk
    • Claire Weir
    Finlay Wojtak-Hissong
    Finlay Wojtak-Hissong
    • Young Miles Valence
    Matthew MacFadzean
    Matthew MacFadzean
    • Morgan Shaw
    Wendy Makkena
    Wendy Makkena
    • Debra
    Jed Rees
    Jed Rees
    • Manfred Larter
    Lara Arabian
    Lara Arabian
    • Dina
    • Directors
      • Glenn Ficarra
      • John Requa
    • Writers
      • Glenn Ficarra
      • John Requa
      • Alexandra Salerno
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews5

    7.4996
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    10

    Featured reviews

    lor_

    Bogged down

    This third segment opens with a confusing (poorly structured) set of flashbacks and flashforwards to fill in the boring backstory for our hero, with lots of dialogue by his quirky, asinine father Charles Dance, a poor deus ex machina for the story.

    Instead of exciting footage of Kiefer on the run, we have him and dad with two hostages trying to get to the bottom of the show's mystery. Writers have concocted a trite, embarrassingly "torn from the headlines" gimmick of dark forces working on turning America into a totalitarian state, a la Trump in real life. It's all a series of cliches.

    This is a deadly dull hour guaranteed to turn off a significant percentage of viewers sampling this miniseries, as its initial dynamism has evaporated. For an espionage thriller, even the lame comedy and human interest elements seem out of place.
    2annuraja

    All talk and no action

    There is no action in this episode. The episode has several scenes that have inane dialogues. These are interspersed with scenes that could have been potentially interesting. I am in a dilemma about this series. Should I watch this further or should I cut my losses and stop watching and save time. I am veering towards DNFing this. Other options include fast forwarding or skipping some scenes.

    The leading lady is not serving any purpose right now. I do not know why there are so many scenes that go back and forth as this breaks the flow and it is fully evident in this particular episode. This malaise starts right from the first episode and has reached unbearable levels in this. Not sure if this will continue.
    5Prismark10

    The Algorithms of Control

    The third episode is less conspiracy and more character moments. John Weir's interactions with his father Dr Ben Wilson (Charles Dance) who had faked his own death when John was a kid.

    Ben discusses his research, The Algorithms of Control. It contained techniques to manipulate populations. It can be used to enable regime change, move public opinion even interfere with elections.

    Flashbacks show a young John Weir meeting a young Miles Valence at school. Miles was into breaking codes.

    When they formed their own company, they used Ben's techniques. Both had found Ben's research by breaking into his safe.

    The third episode benefits from Charles Dance presence. It shows the importance of manipulation. Integral to the show's mojo. I did think that a show designed to be fast moving felt dull with the pace slowed down.

    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Goofs
      At 4:24, in one of the flashbacks, young John opens a box with various contents to try to blow open a safe. One of the items in the very front of the box is a roll of duct tape, which is branded "Amazon Basics" in the stylized font printed on the inside of the roll. Amazon Basics did not exist at the time.
    • Quotes

      Dr. Ben Wilson: [speaking in 2018] In the early agency days, we developed techniques on how to manipulate populations, you know. You saw the research. Algorithms of control. We used them to undermine elections, slay puppets, import and elect favorable regimes. All that mattered was that those governments fell in line with U.S. interests. But Crowley didn't see it that way. Crowley saw it through dark eyes. He started selling our cutting edge psy-ops as a service to foreign governments and to businesses on the side, highest bidder, all come. I've been out there, tracking him, hunting him, watching him while oligarchs and dictators and you pick it, scumbags Crowley worked for. Almost had him once. Even stopped a genocide. Well, almost. And now he's all working for hire. He's got so much money, it's not about that anymore. It's about power. He wants power. He wants a regime of his own and he wants it right here.

      Valence: Come on. How do you know that?

      Dr. Ben Wilson: Because I wrote the book. Chapter One, undermine people's faith in media so they begin to doubt the bloody nature of the truth. Chapter Two, polarize factions in society, and people stop seeing the other side as human and human rights cease to be an obstacle. Chapter Three, marginalize the intelligentsia. People stop listening to experts and they become malleable, hmm? That sound familiar? Chapter Four, now you're gonna need chapter four, elect a candidate under the guise of restoring order. Someone smart, someone charismatic, but someone who be controlled.

      John Weir: What's chapter five?

      Dr. Ben Wilson: Oh, there's no chapter five. Now the country's yours.

      [chuckles]

      Dr. Ben Wilson: Oh yeah, the bottom line is it's happening right now. A lot faster than I thought it would. Maybe by even the next election.

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 2, 2023 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      57 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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