Sydka

Bwill3113 -- you said everything I came here to say. The show is re-treading old storylines. My patience is wearing. Even the music has gone downhill -- it's not as good this season as it's been in past seasons. If the music doesn't improve, there will really be no reason to continue watching the show.

Fringe is everything. My favorite show of all time. If you haven't seen it, please watch it. And I agree with hincandenza -- John Noble was hands down the best actor in any universe during every year that show was on. The man should have 600 Emmys. kat165 - The Fringe vibes I get are usually tonal, like Mr. Robot wants to be more sci-fi than it currently is. Also character-wise: Elliot and Peter/Olivia being special. The Chosen Ones in a cosmic plan.

I often get the Fringe vibe from this show too, Milaxx, which is why I'm hoping the (somewhat popular) alternate universe version of Mr. Robot is not Sam Esmail's actual plan. Fringe did it so well. I don't think anyone can top it.

At the end of the Tyrell-Angela phone call, my first thought was, "Angela and Tyrell must die." I may be a tad too attached to Elliot. :) The FBI still thinks Tyrell is the mastermind behind the hack! If Darlene keeps her mouth shut like Mobley did, she may make it out of that building. This episode was far less frustrating than previous episodes have been, perhaps because we got a surprise (Elliot was shot) but not a twist or cliffhanger per se (we know Elliot is not dead). I might actually be okay until whenever Season 3 appears.

I would very much miss Darlene if she died. I hope she's okay. Are we going to talk about that kiss?? Elliot "Hates-to-be-touched" Alderson initiates both a hug AND a kiss. That was a long time coming. I was happy he could finally act on his love for Angela, even if it took (possibly) losing her to get him to do it.

Seriously? Has Angela never seen "Michael Clayton" or "The Bourne Ultimatum"? When you find damning evidence on a corporation or any entity more powerful than you, you DO NOT bring it to the authorities yourself. And you do not confront that entity. The first rule of whistleblowing is "Disseminate Disseminate Disseminate." If you're the only one holding the evidence, you've got a target on your back. Bring your evidence to trustworthy media outlets. More than one. Because if you give it to just one reporter, then that person has a target on her back too. 2 people are easy to get rid of. The entire staff of 10 different media outlets -- not so much. Angela was lucky to get out of that creepy hallway alive. Generally I found this episode unsatisfying. There were little moments I loved -- Darlene bringing Elliot French fries; Darlene on the couch with Mr. Robot -- but otherwise the whole hour felt like set up. Getting the chess pieces into position for some future attack. I understand the writers and producers approached this season as one long, 12-hour movie. From that perspective the episode does work within the story. But as a stand-alone hour of television, it felt kind of empty. I wonder if this show might be better as a binge-watch. That's how I watched Season 1, and I loved that experience. This episode set up about 6 shoes that need to drop within just 3 more episodes. Waiting a week between episodes is frustrating. It's important in serialized TV that each episode stand on its own, and this one didn't for me.

I did miss Elliot -- I find Rami Malek riveting; I am always waiting for him to come back on screen -- but I loved this episode. A perfect episode is one where we get this much story movement with Elliot integrated into the action. In a recent "The Watch" podcast, one of Andy Greenwald's critiques for Season 2 thus far was, "we miss having a protagonist." Last night we got Darlene instead of Elliot, but at least we finally got one. I think I spent the entire episode saying "Damn, Darlene!"