Man, Sam Esmail is such a tease. Each time I feel like he's setting us up to finally get an answer of some sort, he just makes it more strange and ambiguous. It's one of the things that I love about this show, but it's also growing pretty irritating in some ways this season. I've enjoyed the mystery surrounding Tyrell, but I've not enjoyed the countless times we've been set up to think we're about to get the answer only to have the rug pulled out from under us. I enjoyed the Lupe's cliffhanger from last episode, but I was furious that it was not resolved in this one. Ultimately, the problem that Mr. Robot is encountering at the moment is not exactly that they are taking too long to give us answers, but rather that it is milking the questions too hard during that wait.
The perfect example of the over-zealous milking in this episode can be found in Angela's story. She dominates the episode, with the most screen-time by far. Most of that time is spent on a really weird setup that feels very Lynchian. This is drawn out to such a degree that I was beginning to accept the idea that we were now seeing hallucinations from Angela's point of view. Finally, however, it is revealed what has been going on here, and we move on to the real purpose of the scene. As much as I enjoyed the weirdness of the lead-up, it ultimately feels very pointless. And then, the scene we've been building to this whole time with this elaborate setup... ends with ANOTHER secret being hidden from the audience. You've got to give us something, Esmail!
As always (though more than usual), there appears to be some reveal and/or advancement in the Tyrell story this episode, but even that is so strange and muddled that I don't really trust anything about it. In fact, the reveal seemed deliberately anti-climactic and side-lined as a way of making the audience realize subconsciously that it isn't entirely real. I mean, I was sitting there with bated breath, and yet when the moment came, I had literally no reaction. I have to admire the skill that went into crafting a scene that so perfectly undercuts my own intense investment. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Sam Esmail is succeeding 100% at doing exactly what he wanted to do with this episode. The question is whether or not what he wanted to do will push audiences beyond their threshold of patience. This still isn't the last episode, so I remain hopeful. But the final scene of this one does have me worried. I wouldn't have any problem with the finale leaving a bunch of huge questions, but if the huge questions from the season 1 finale remain unanswered, I will be very angry indeed.
The perfect example of the over-zealous milking in this episode can be found in Angela's story. She dominates the episode, with the most screen-time by far. Most of that time is spent on a really weird setup that feels very Lynchian. This is drawn out to such a degree that I was beginning to accept the idea that we were now seeing hallucinations from Angela's point of view. Finally, however, it is revealed what has been going on here, and we move on to the real purpose of the scene. As much as I enjoyed the weirdness of the lead-up, it ultimately feels very pointless. And then, the scene we've been building to this whole time with this elaborate setup... ends with ANOTHER secret being hidden from the audience. You've got to give us something, Esmail!
As always (though more than usual), there appears to be some reveal and/or advancement in the Tyrell story this episode, but even that is so strange and muddled that I don't really trust anything about it. In fact, the reveal seemed deliberately anti-climactic and side-lined as a way of making the audience realize subconsciously that it isn't entirely real. I mean, I was sitting there with bated breath, and yet when the moment came, I had literally no reaction. I have to admire the skill that went into crafting a scene that so perfectly undercuts my own intense investment. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Sam Esmail is succeeding 100% at doing exactly what he wanted to do with this episode. The question is whether or not what he wanted to do will push audiences beyond their threshold of patience. This still isn't the last episode, so I remain hopeful. But the final scene of this one does have me worried. I wouldn't have any problem with the finale leaving a bunch of huge questions, but if the huge questions from the season 1 finale remain unanswered, I will be very angry indeed.
