Bingeworthy Breakdown: 'Mr. Robot' Looks To Bounce Back

“When we lose our principals, we invite chaos.”

What exactly that chaos is in the world of Sam Esmail’s Mr. Robot” remains debatable. Our characters, following the humdrum fall out of season two, are back for an enlivened start to the third season as the characters, especially Elliot, try and pick up the pieces of the disarray left in his wake. Having been met with a rather muted response, season two suffered from a sophomore slump. While there was much to still appreciate, there was too little of it to make up for the engorged length of the episodes, the narrative detours, and style bloat, creating an air of style over substance.

Season one was such a phenomenon because it nearly perfected the marriage of big ideas, humanistic details and world building along with filming all of it in a style that we don’t often see on television, taking risks with angles, lighting and editing that made it all feel relatively singular. Season two, while technically proficient, dropped all of its heart in favor of the BIG ideas. No matter how much Esmail professes that he wanted the viewers to guess the Elliot had really been in prison all along story arc, it didn’t lessen how little the reveal mattered.

Similarly, for all that went on in the finale, including the return of Tyrell and him shooting Elliot, and Angela’s perceived shifting allegiance, it all landed on such a moot point I had to strain to remember what exactly had actually happened.

Season three, however, seems adamant (obviously so) to rectify some of those missteps with a debut episode that, while serious — the world is seemingly ending around these characters — allows some levity to re-enter. The one surprise is a genuine one and the relationships they set up for the remainder of the season are intriguing. Add in a pencil-mustachioed Bobby Cannavale and all of the interest that was ripped from me last year comes flooding back to see how worlds will crash and burn in the season ahead.

Okay, be honest, how much of season two did you really remember?
Embarrassingly, not much. So yes, I was that person furiously Googling last years recaps and reviews to jog my memory. All I was reminded of was the disappointment that managed to fog up my recollection. And Alf! Alf killed someone last year in one of the oddest episodes of 2016.

Is this really still set in 2015?
Shockingly, yes. I’m terrible at understanding the movement of time in television, often just believing whatever the screenwriters say in any given week. However, with as much as has happened within the world of the show, one might imagine more time has passed. This is especially jarring when, in a breakdown towards the end of the episode, Elliot denounces the version of the world that has yet to come, one ruled by a talk show host that allows hate and fear to win. It’s on the nose and a way to acknowledge that our present day is almost as scary as the one Elliot is currently living in but considering the show currently still resides in a time where President Obama is in office, perhaps it’s something that may have fared better a year or two ago.

Is it as good as it was in season one?
Almost. The show clearly understands where it went wrong and is making slight changes to remedy this. Most importantly, Elliot is no longer an isolated figure and instead gets to interact often with Angela, Darlene and Irving, presenting new and old dynamics. The old are ones that have been tweaked with new emotions. In Darlene’s case it’s abandonment, and in Angela’s missed opportunities. Capitalizing on the chemistry of the cast while putting plot points into motion — such as Angela trying to land Elliot a job at Evil Corp or Mr. Robot’s plan to go on with phase two while Elliot tries to dismantle it — present stories that could pave the way to exciting twists and turns or be a slow and steady build. They’re not forcing their hand, which is a nice change of pace.

The tone shift is also welcome. While the electricity remains out and the civilization around them crumbles, there’s room for humor and for moments that explore the characters current psyches (specifically Angela and Darlene).

Is it as boring as season two?
Thank goodness no. Season two required a lot of rewinding as I’d find myself nodding off when things became too stilted but the season three premiere found me coveting every inch of the screen. I’m not one to spot twists (or really look for them since it tends to ruin the fun of being in the moment) but the show has enough going on visually to become totally engrossing. Every frame had me engaged, something that was a rarity last year. There are still moments that find themselves stalling, and it still has some fixing up to do, but overall season three offered up an episode that was visually daring and striking in its emotional blows.

From the scene on the train as Angela’s face is basked in green, off colored lighting, to the reds in the opening when Irving is introduced, so soon followed by an image of Elliot bleeding out, to the candlelit lighting in Angela’s apartment, Esmail is a master of mood.

And Bobby Cannavale is in it! 
He is and I couldn’t be more pleased. He’s an actor who is easy to overlook due to how effortless he makes everything look (minus whatever on earth “Vinyl” was). Here he gets to play someone a little stranger than usual, diving into some character actor roots as he hides behind new facial hair, a certain pitch of voice and a different demeanor.

I’m doubly pleased as I’d just been lamenting over how much it stunk that Cannanvale would never reprise his role as Vince on the revival of “Will & Grace,” a universal concern I’m sure.

And Rami Malek, is he his still blowing minds?
Rami Malek never stopped being anything less than engaging, but he was written lesser material in season two. This makes his return to form this year all the more thrilling as Elliot is struck with a sense of confidence that’s so unlike him. He’s frantic but controlled, and while he’s still an internal character, his first words are asking us what he’s missed. He’s finally at a place where he’s expressing almost as much to others as he is to us.

What’s the most Mr. Robot thing that Mr. Robot does tonight?
A hard choice, as this was an episode that both had the operatic title role and the moment where Elliot has the ability to mute his surroundings. But what really takes the cake is Elliot’s walk and talk about how he’s the one to blame for society’s current downfall. Instead of his usual inner monologue, Elliot faces the camera, lamenting the current and present state of the world, all through a stream of consciousness that also contains a dose of self-loathing. Infuriating, but watchable.

What was your favorite part of the episode?
Angela, Angela, Angela! Portia Doubleday has been crushing it since last year as she stepped up her game while the surrounding quality went down and she continues that here. Angela is arguably the most radically changed character. Timid but intelligent at the start, Angela has grown to hold her own and be assured in her own motives and ideals, so much so that she is comfortable in turning her back on Elliot to join forces with Mr. Robot himself. Casting her in the candlelight of her apartment, dressed all in white, she looks every part as angelic as the world perceives her to be, which makes her turn such a fascinating and shocking one. Even as we’ve stayed with Elliot throughout most of the ride, it’s Angela whose taken the most intriguing strides.

Final thoughts?
If the show manages to stick to the threads they’ve introduced and follow through with them, rather than introducing more and more on top of it to try and stay ten steps ahead of the audience, they’ll have a season just as good as their debut on their hands, if not better. However, it’s a fine line and with a show such as “Mr. Robot,” it’s easy to become self-indulgent. Fingers crossed “Mr. Robot” will fight that impulse.  [A]