Over the course of the past two decades, it’s been proven time and time again that television is more than an equal medium to film. Although films were often treated as superior because of the notion of an “auteur filmmaker,” many acclaimed drama shows have succeeded thanks to the creative control of a singular creator. This is certainly the case for the neo-noir hacker series,Mr. Robot, which was written, produced, and primarily directed bySam Esmail.The series’ style felt much closer to film classics likePiandTaxi Driverthan it did to anything else airing on the USA Network at the time. Although Esmail’s style was continuously subversive,Mr. Robotcontained many standout episodes that changed up the show’s formula.
Set in an alternate version of 2015,Mr. Robotcenters on the “Robin Hood-esque” hacker, Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), who secretly exposes corrupt people within positions of power. Elliot is recruited by the enigmatic hacktivist known as “Mr. Robot” (Christian Slater), who convinces him to join the group, “fsociety,” to lead a cyberattack on the conglomerate E-Corp. Over the course of the first season, Elliot realizes that Mr. Robot is his alternate personality, based on the memories of his dead father, Edward. While this twist fundamentally changed the nature of the series,Mr. Robotpaid tribute toclassic sitcomsin the darkly hilarious episode, “eps2.4_m4ster-s1ave.aes.”
The Episode, “eps2.4_m4ster-s1ave.aes,” Changed the Style of ‘Mr. Robot'
By the time that “eps2.4_m4ster-s1ave.aes” aired, the stakes ofMr. Robothad escalated quite dramatically. The attack on E-Corp at the end of the Season 1 had sent the members of fsociety into hiding as they were hunted by both the FBI and agents of the Dark Army, a powerful hacker group led by the enigmatic leader, Whiterose (BD Wong). However,“eps2.4_m4ster-s1ave.aes” takes place entirely within Elliot’s subconsciousas he attempts to cope with the traumatic events that he has experienced. It was both a powerful way to analyze Elliot’smental health strugglesand provide critical insight into the way that he perceives the world.
The episode style is fully redesigned to embody a classic sitcom likeFull HouseorFamily Matters, complete with a cheesy backdrop and laugh track, as the episode reconfigures Elliot’s family based on vague memories of his childhood. Elliot, his sister, Darlene (Carly Chaikin), his father, and his mother, Magda (Vaishnavi Sharma), are all on a road trip across the country with the former E-Corp CEO, Tyrell Wellick (Martin Wallström), trapped in their truck. It serves as a clear allusion to how Elliot is trying to cope with his guilt; he knows that Tyrell was persecuted for his involvement in the hack and that Darlene is also in danger during the FBI raid. Elliot retreats to something that he remembers from his childhood as his mind threatens to spiral out of control.
‘Mr. Robot’s Grace Gummer Reveals What She Thinks of Her Character’s Final Moments
“I felt so bad for her,” Gummer said, while also expanding on the relationship between Dom and Darlene.
The change in format allowed for Esmail to include more than a few fun popular culture references; in addition to a stylized version ofMr. Robot’s opening credits, the episode even features a cameo from Alf that presumably answersthe show’s cliffhanger ending. However,the influence of more broad comedy onMr. Robotallowed Esmail to create a dark sense of humor, with the laugh track playing during genuinely disturbing moments, including the surprise appearance of Gideon (Michael Gill), a character killed in Season 1.
In This Episode, ‘Mr. Robot’ Addressed Its Most Important Relationship
Although it made for a fun detour within a very plot-heavy season,“eps2.4_m4ster-s1ave.aes” indicated the importance of Elliot’s relationship with Mr. Robot.In the show’s first season, Elliot had been resisting Mr. Robot’s influence, as he feared what would happen when he no longer had control of his actions. However, he begins to understand that Mr. Robot only “takes over” when Elliot is in danger. Later on, it’s revealed that Elliot was being tortured by Ray (Graig Robinson) and his gang, and that Mr. Robot took his place in order to save him from trauma. This showed that Mr. Robot’s role was not just a simple plot twist, but one of the most importantcharacters in the series.
“eps2.4_m4ster-s1ave.aes” also addresses Elliot’s romantic relationship with Angela Moss (Portia Doubleday), a childhood friend who also works at E-Corp. Like Elliot, Angela seeks revenge on her employer because her mother was killed as a result of a chemical disease. Elliot’s brief interactions with Angela in a fictionalized gas station store in his imagination hint that he will have to leave her behind; this teases at the dark fate that Angela has in the subsequent season when she becomes entrapped by the influence of Whiterose.
‘Mr. Robot’ Foreshadowed Its Own Future In This Episode
Such a radical change in style was certainly entertaining, but“eps2.4_m4ster-s1ave.aes” laid the groundwork for the biggest twist inMr. Robot’s entire run.The final season revealedthat Mr. Robot had been created to be a more nurturing version of Edward, when in reality, Elliot’s father had sexually abused him. This explains why Elliot is so keen to retreat to a sitcom-style adventure during his delusions, as he doesn’t actually have any happy memories from his real childhood. The episode addresses the fundamental issue with nostalgia: although remembering the past in a more optimistic way may be temporarily rewarding, it doesn’t take the place of recognizing the truth.
Mr. Robotis a show that succeeded by taking risks.Between a“one-shot” episodeduring the break-in at E Corp to a gripping examination of Elliot’s life in prison,Mr. Robotoften bends the rules of what a drama show can look like. It’s due to these radical deviations from the formula thatMr. Robotbecame such a cult success. Like it or not, there was nothing else on television that had the same ambition as the series.
Mr. Robotis available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.
