Episode three of this season brings in something Mr. Robot has been avoiding for awhile: genuine empathy. The series's MO has been cynicism for it's entire lifetime and it has served it well. But as we bring this journey to a close, if we are to truly reckon with Elliot's misdeeds and start to see progression in the way that Esmail has been pushing him it is a necessity to open up the world tonally to others' suffering. This episode does not exist in a vacuum. Mr. Robot has been hinting towards an empathetic break for years. But it is in this episode that it feels as though those teases are finally coming to fruition. Elliot has been changing from someone self-centered and pushed into understanding his actions for those around him. To actually see the other people he affects. Now, for the majority of the show's lifetime, Elliot and f_society have been hacking people around them with few redeeming qualities. But if the shift in super-objective is not only to revert 5/9 but also to rid the world of evil as he sees it, then Elliot must understand the consequences of the hacks he commits on the daily level. From a writing perspective, this pushes the boundaries of the world significantly and brings the perspective of the show into a different arena. By changing focus, we are now left to struggle with gray area in a more realistic way.
I am impressed by this season. Esmail has had tricks up his sleeves for years, but bravo on this one. It's not an outright twist so much as a subtle subversion ultimately tasty and nuanced.
Review by filmboicoleBlockedParentSpoilers2019-11-12T14:34:28Z
Episode three of this season brings in something Mr. Robot has been avoiding for awhile: genuine empathy. The series's MO has been cynicism for it's entire lifetime and it has served it well. But as we bring this journey to a close, if we are to truly reckon with Elliot's misdeeds and start to see progression in the way that Esmail has been pushing him it is a necessity to open up the world tonally to others' suffering. This episode does not exist in a vacuum. Mr. Robot has been hinting towards an empathetic break for years. But it is in this episode that it feels as though those teases are finally coming to fruition. Elliot has been changing from someone self-centered and pushed into understanding his actions for those around him. To actually see the other people he affects. Now, for the majority of the show's lifetime, Elliot and f_society have been hacking people around them with few redeeming qualities. But if the shift in super-objective is not only to revert 5/9 but also to rid the world of evil as he sees it, then Elliot must understand the consequences of the hacks he commits on the daily level. From a writing perspective, this pushes the boundaries of the world significantly and brings the perspective of the show into a different arena. By changing focus, we are now left to struggle with gray area in a more realistic way.
I am impressed by this season. Esmail has had tricks up his sleeves for years, but bravo on this one. It's not an outright twist so much as a subtle subversion ultimately tasty and nuanced.