‘Mr. Robot’ Season 2 Premiere: The Hack Is Back

I'm curious, what is the writing on Mr. Robot's cap?

This show is entertaining, but it is derivative. I'm getting tired of watching television shows where you spend half your time recognizing which movies inspired the plot. What makes this show interesting is not the Easter eggs, anyone can throw in cultural references, it's the characters. Last season when Angela went to work for Evil Corp, I nearly gave up on the show. She may be competitive, but she has also been shown as deeply caring towards her friends and family. I can't believe she would go work for evil Corp unless completely desperate.

I stuck around to see if season 2 would shape up to be more realistic, if it would be true to the characters. The maxim ,"be careful what you wish for," is on full display in this episode, along with our "heroes" complete inability to play the long game. It will be interesting to see if this "revolution" fizzles or not, because any revolution needs to be run more competently than this to succeed.

Thank you NY Times for publishing this outstanding series of elegantly written and insightful reviews of episodes of Mr. Robot as they are aired -- I intend to read each one, after viewing the episode covered. More please -- this feature is most appreciated!

The second season is darker than last season. Elliot is off the grid. His sister Darlene is having anxiety attacks because she is now the de-facto head of fsociety. Angela seems to be adjusting to playing corporate politics within Evil Corp. itself. It occurs to me that there is always a down time after a major event = good or bad. The main characters are all at a "So where to we go from here?" place. There are still plot threads from last season that have yet to be addressed.
BTW in the after show Hacking Robot Sam Esmail points out that one of the people standing in line at the grocery store behind Grace Gummer is one of the founders of Anonymous. Look for fun things like this in season 2.

It is very disappointing to see that so few people have commented on Mr. Robot. Is it not a show that NYT people tend to watch? Or is everyone on vacation?

Does anyone here remember a show called "Heroes"? The first season was exciting fireworks, each episode packed with a thing called "plot". The second season was the characters moping around, pontificating, and philosophizing. Of course the show got cancelled because it was boooooring.

Only TV critics like that kind of thing (apparently). The "somber tone is an admirably alienating risk"?? Sheesh. Give me a break.

Ye he has a fragile state of mind but I hope like heck that isn't the whole arch of this season. There is enough of that on tv. True Detective took a dive in the 2ed season please don't let Mr. Robot do the same.

Just finished watching for the second time, and it's even better with another viewing because, as a commenter says here, the show takes so many risks it is a challenge to take it all in. I personally can't wait to see who Ray is, although hopefully his wife, she who must be obeyed, is not another Joanna.

Near the beginning of part 2 Philip Price gives a speech to 3 washington dc "tarp" types asking for ballout. The music playing is from some 70's thriller like " the Parallax view" or maybe" Three days of the Condor". anybody know for sure. It was a cool little ester egg.

Isn't Leon at least in part a comment by the creator on show recapppers and recap readers. Leon's commentary would fit well in any subreddit on Sienfield and with a little editing would compete pretty well with a lot of recap columns you can find online.

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

Any significance to naming his journal after the WCW poem?
BTW, the same poem was used in the most recent season of Homeland for 2 spys to identify each other

That scene of Evil Corp CTO burning the 5.9M (5/9) cash is just masterful. Although the music is upbeat, the lyrics are actually pretty dark:

Take that look of worry
I'm an ordinary man
They don't tell me nothing
So I find out what I can
There's a fire that's been burning
Right outside my door
I can't see but I feel it
And it helps to keep me warm
So I, I don't mind
No I, I don't mind

Seems so long I've been waiting
Still don't know what for
There's no point escaping
I don't worry anymore
I can't come out to find you
I don't like to go outside
They can't turn off my feelings
Like they're turning off a light
But I, I don't mind
No I, I don't mind
Oh I, I don't mind
No I, I don't mind

And when the CTO takes off the mask and watch the fire with horror and confusion, this part comes on:

So take, take me home
'Cause I don't remember
...
oh lord
Well I've been a prisoner all my life
And I can say to you
But I don't remember
Take, take me home
'Cause I don't remember...

This is basically Elliot's mental state isn't it?

Love.
This.
Show.

The complexity and layers are amazing. You must discuss the Easter Eggs! Hello! The QR code in Elliot's notebook works!

I am so glad that the NYT is doing recaps of Mr. Robot. I will comment on this episode when I've watched it. Reading the recap before watching the show does not spoil it for me and sometimes enhances my viewing of the show.
Too bad Mike Hale didn't seem to care for this season.

It was worth the wait. This show takes some serious risks. I've been telling people to binge watch season 1 (you have got to watch this show, you have got to watch this show), and it is a good thing a few of them listened, because there's no way somebody's going to arrive en media res and understand what's going on.

I'm sorry, but I don't get what all the fuss is about.

Mr. Robot is a decent show, but nowhere near as good as it's made out to be. Of the shows that had debuts last summer, both HUMANS (BBC) and Deutschland 83 (Sundance) were much better.

The dysfunctional workings of Elliot's brain get boring after a while, and the rest of the plot and characters are a hazy mess.

And some of the plot points beg credulity. For example, if the banking system/economy is failing as the news clips seem to imply, are people really going to stand around taking pictures while a guy in a mask dumps $5.9 million dollars on the ground and sets it on fire?