S04.E01: Unauthorized

[shapeshifter]

S04.E01 "Unauthorized" airs on USA October 6, 2019, 10pm/9 CT, and in the UK and the US on the following day on Amazon Prime Video.

From thetvdb.com:

Quote

xmas time. elliot+mrrobot are BAK. darlene deals with real sh*t. tyrell's bored. dom's paranoid AF.

From IMDb and USA network:

Quote

During the Christmas season, Elliot and Mr. Robot make their return. Darlene deals with real trouble. Tyrell is bored. Dom becomes paranoid.

Edited October 6, 2019 by shapeshifter

[Diapason Untuned]

This was perhaps the best first episode of any season of anything I've ever seen. 

Esmail came out swinging and did not let up for a minute!

Poor Angela! She never really had a chance. 

All the folks that have survived this far are really at the end of their rope, especially Elliott. The fact that Mr. Robot is narrating means that he is seriously losing his mind right now. 

I'm really looking forward to what comes next! 

[Cardie]

I am intrigued at seeing former adversaries Elliot and E-Corp join together to get revenge for Angela’s death. (I am happy to have Portia Doubleday off my screen though.). As I have since Whiterose’s project was first mentioned, I believe she does have a time machine, so eagerly await how it will shake things up. 

[patty1h]

Dom's situation is messed up - the Dark Army still has her under their thumb.  That scene with the dinner guest threatening her and her mother was intense.

[tennisgurl]

What a great, intense start of the season. Poor Elliot, poor Dom, poor Angela, poor everyone really, this is just such a mess I am not sure how Elliot will be able to really fight the Dark Army after all of this. He is so messed up that Mr. Robot is the narrator! 

Oh Angela. She frequently drove me up the wall and made terrible choices due to her desperation and her spiraling mental state, but its awful to see her end up like this after everything. Granted, there could be a way that she is still alive (especially with time travel!) and this is all some Whiterose plot, but it doesent look good for her. 

Things are pretty bleak for Dom now, that woman suddenly threatening to kill her mother was next level chilling. The Dark Army really is everywhere, and have no lines that they wont cross. 

I loved the way the screen kept going in and out like the video was broken or the cable was going out. It added a sort of eerie off-putting feeling to even scenes of just people talking.

[ruby24]

Oh my god. I commented months ago in this forum when I found out that Rami Malek and Portia Doubleday had been dating in real life and had split after last season (due to his cheating apparently on the Bohemian Rhapsody set), that it was going to be awkward for them to do this last season, since obviously Angela and Elliot were going to have to finally end up together...and lo and behold, they conveniently kill off Angela in the first minutes!

When there was no way the relationship between her and Elliot had been resolved at all. 

And reading comments from Esmail about it (how this was not inevitable and they had lots of other ideas they tossed around for Angela at first), and from her (she's a "different person" than she was two years ago and it was a "mutual" decision she and Esmail came up with together for her to leave), and I'm sorry but there is NO WAY you can convince me that she did not want out of the show before the final season because she didn't want to do scenes with him (and probably him with her either).

Man. That really fucking sucks. I guarantee you that if this hadn't happened, Angela would not have been killed off this way. Even if she had to die in the end, there is NO WAY they wouldn't have resolved this love between them somehow before then! No way. 

I'm really irritated by this. I understand it must have been a horribly awkward and uncomfortable situation (as soon as I found out what had happened, I had a sneaking suspicion that this might mean something for the show in a bad way regarding them), but still. ONE more season. Come on.

Edited October 7, 2019 by ruby24

[justmehere]

Great premier.

Everyone is really unraveling. Dom paranoid, with good reason; Darlene seriously losing it; Elliot trying to stuff down feelings and losing perspective and caution because of it - walking into a trap. 

Chilling moment when Angela says there's nothing to stop her, then she stops and stares. Brave of her to sit there and wait. Sad ending to a painful life.

I'm unclear on why Phillip was wearing a wire (can't remember if there was something last season). He hates Whiterose, so why would he cooperate in any way? Then he rather unravels too - and ultimately seeks out Elliot. I'm interested to see how an apparent partnership between them will play out. Certainly an unlikely pair. I suppose "killing" Elliot was meant to prove that Price has the power in that scenario. A little over the top, there, Price!

Wondering about Tyrell Wellick's story. What will having him as a figurehead at E-Corp serve? And what about drug-dealer Vera, who showed up at the end of last season?

I'm torn with Whiterose. She is the worst but I love B.D. Wong's portrayal. Can't wait to finally learn what her "hacking time" is really about.

Fun to have Sam Esmail make an appearance, along with a cameo by Emmy Rossum. (Recognized him right away as Elliot's killer; was looking at her, thinking she stood out in the carolers - but it didn't register until someone elsewhere pointed her out.)

Another fun little bit: Jake Busey played Freddy Lomax, the lawyer. His dad, Gary Busey, played Eddie Lomax, a private detective, in The Firm. 

Anyway -- looks like an intense final season. 

[Neurochick]

I fell asleep on this.  To me, the show started off wonderful, but it's gone off the rails since season 3 with government conspiracies on top of conspiracies.  For some reason this never bothered me on X Files, but it bothers me with this show.  Maybe too much time had gone by between season, perhaps this show is better suited for Amazon or Netflix, when you can binge an entire season in a few days (which was how I watched season 1).

Interesting that you can now say "fuck" on USA, that wasn't true a few years ago.

[Ramona]

Quote

Oh my god. I commented months ago in this forum when I found out that Rami Malek and Portia Doubleday had been dating in real life and had split after last season (due to his cheating apparently on the Bohemian Rhapsody set), that it was going to be awkward for them to do this last season, since obviously Angela and Elliot were going to have to finally end up together...and lo and behold, they conveniently kill off Angela in the first minutes!

When there was no way the relationship between her and Elliot had been resolved at all. 

And reading comments from Esmail about it (how this was not inevitable and they had lots of other ideas they tossed around for Angela at first), and from her (she's a "different person" than she was two years ago and it was a "mutual" decision she and Esmail came up with together for her to leave), and I'm sorry but there is NO WAY you can convince me that she did not want out of the show before the final season because she didn't want to do scenes with him (and probably him with her either).

Man. That really fucking sucks. I guarantee you that if this hadn't happened, Angela would not have been killed off this way. Even if she had to die in the end, there is NO WAY they wouldn't have resolved this love between them somehow before then! No way. 

I'm really irritated by this. I understand it must have been a horribly awkward and uncomfortable situation (as soon as I found out what had happened, I had a sneaking suspicion that this might mean something for the show in a bad way regarding them), but still. ONE more season. Come on.

Wow, bummer. I hadn't heard about this.  That sucks.  I didn't mind Angela, as she was an important part of Elliot's life.  A part of me was hoping she might still be alive, but I guess not after reading this.  

[truthaboutluv]

20 hours ago, Diapason Untuned said:

This was perhaps the best first episode of any season of anything I've ever seen. 

Esmail came out swinging and did not let up for a minute!

This so much. It made me so eager to see how this all ends but then I don't want to, because it'll mean the show's over. But man oh man that series finale is going to be something, if the premiere was any indication.

And Rami did say in some of his media interviews that Season 1 had been his favorite of the show but he truly thinks this season is as good, if not better. Yes, he has to promote the show and say good things about it, but felt like he was being honest with that assessment. 

19 hours ago, Cardie said:

(I am happy to have Portia Doubleday off my screen though.).

Also agree with this. Sorry, not sorry, never cared a lick about Angela and never shipped her and Elliot. Frankly I was more bitter about their killing Shayla in Season 1, because her I liked. Although that was one of the best damn episodes of the whole series and especially that scene of Elliot finding her body in the trunk of the car. 

As for Portia and her reasons for leaving the show, all I'll say is this - if she was forced out because Rami didn't want to work with her, which would be dickish and abuse of power on his and the show's part, then that's one thing and hell she could even sue.

If she chose to leave because she didn't want to work with him anymore, that's on her and a lesson on why co-stars should not date each other if they're not mature enough to be professional after it goes to shit. 

I get that it had to have stung one, being cheated on and two, seeing the guy who cheated on you blow up like crazy, with the new girlfriend by his side but shit happens.

And the writing was on the wall for Angela's character when Portia pretty much went invisible regarding the show. She removed all traces of it on her social media, did not attend the season premiere and essentially has all but wiped it out of her life. Almost like a hack...sorry, I had to.

18 hours ago, patty1h said:

Dom's situation is messed up - the Dark Army still has her under their thumb.  That scene with the dinner guest threatening her and her mother was intense.

No lie, I looked around my apartment freaked out like I was being watched and about to be threatened. Damn, no idea who that actress was but holy f'ing crap, she plays scary murdering hired killer VERY WELL. 

14 hours ago, justmehere said:

I'm unclear on why Phillip was wearing a wire (can't remember if there was something last season). He hates Whiterose, so why would he cooperate in any way?

I got the impression that Phillip's cooperation wasn't exactly voluntary here or up for discussion.  

14 hours ago, justmehere said:

I'm torn with Whiterose. She is the worst but I love B.D. Wong's portrayal. Can't wait to finally learn what her "hacking time" is really about.

Which is what makes her such a perfect villain, IMO. I like my villains deliciously portrayed to where I'm fascinated and spell bound the whole time but I still look forward to their downfall. I know he's been nominated a few times but it is a pity B.D. didn't win for his portrayal. I do think he has a Critic's Choice, but no Emmy. 

8 hours ago, Neurochick said:

To me, the show started off wonderful, but it's gone off the rails since season 3 with government conspiracies on top of conspiracies.

I may be wrong but I don't think the show is selling government conspiracies on top of conspiracies. It's really one evil entity - White Rose and the Dark Army, who through their wealth, power and cyber abilities are manipulating and controlling many other entities, some not even aware of it. 

YMMV, this may be a minority opinion but I for one hope the whole "time travel" never happens because one, I'm not a fan of science fiction (though I know the show gets categorized as such) and two, as heightened as the show may be, I do think it's remained somewhat rooted in reality.

I've never gotten into the whole over thinking and over analyzing and crazy theorizing regarding this show. I liked that Elliot used the word terrorist tonight because for me, that's essentially all this show has been. A psychological thriller about a hacker trying to take down a cyber terrorist yielding mass destruction on the world. We start getting into time travel and shit and it's like yeah, you've lost me. 

Edited October 7, 2019 by truthaboutluv

[Neurochick]

2 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

I may be wrong but I don't think the show is selling government conspiracies on top of conspiracies. It's really one evil entity - White Rose and the Dark Army, who through their wealth, power and cyber abilities are manipulating and controlling many other entities, some not even aware of it. 

YMMV, this may be a minority opinion but I for one hope the whole "time travel" never happens because one, I'm not a fan of science fiction (though I know the show gets categorized as such) and two, as heightened as the show may be, I do think it's remained somewhat rooted in reality.

To me, this show was interesting with interesting characters in season 1, and they threw that all down the toilet for Whiterose and the Dark Army.  YMMV, but I'm not interested in Whiterose, or the Dark Army; however I do love Whiterose's wardrobe.

I too hope the time travel shit never happens; that stuff might work on X Files, but not on this show.  

[mxc90]

Excellent first episode. Very depressing and thanks for no commercials!

Too bad for Angela but she should have listened to Phillip.

Wang Shu may be just as ruthless as Whiterose.

I was expecting the renovator to be the dark army spy but it turned out to be Janice. They made a point to leave the camera on Dom's family. I hope nothing happens to them.

Elliot should show Darlene the proof Angela is dead. She needs to wake up.

When Freddie told the lady (wanting to go home) "see you in 2016", I thought it was a flashback.

Edited October 8, 2019 by mxc90

[Neurochick]

All I know is there were very interesting characters in the first and second seasons and we lost them and got Whiterose, ugh.  

A great ending for me would be Leon killing Whiterose at the end.

[shapeshifter]

15 hours ago, justmehere said:

I'm unclear on why Phillip was wearing a wire (can't remember if there was something last season). He hates Whiterose, so why would he cooperate in any way? Then he rather unravels too - and ultimately seeks out Elliot. I'm interested to see how an apparent partnership between them will play out. Certainly an unlikely pair. I suppose "killing" Elliot was meant to prove that Price has the power in that scenario. A little over the top, there, Price

I thought they only came back to revive Elliot because WhiteRose sent them as soon as she verified Elliot's cyber "deadman's switch."
  
  

1 hour ago, truthaboutluv said:

YMMV, this may be a minority opinion but I for one hope the whole "time travel" never happens because one, I'm not a fan of science fiction (though I know the show gets categorized as such) and two, as heightened as the show may be, I do think it's remained somewhat rooted in reality.

Even though I have long loved time travel stories, this show has not built up a sufficient backstory to support that premise, IMO. It seems time travel was mostly Angela's hope since it was the only way to see her mom again. WhiteRose may have mentioned time travel too, but I think it was more metaphorical. 
  
   

19 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Oh Angela. She frequently drove me up the wall and made terrible choices due to her desperation and her spiraling mental state, but its awful to see her end up like this after everything

Given the alternatives we've seen in this episode suggested by the taxidermist, and with the axe in that field where Angela was shot, or even just most tragic deaths due to disease or accident, I'd say Angela died pretty mercifully.  

[Cthulhudrew]

I'll admit it; for a few minutes there, I actually thought it might be possible they were going to have a single episode season. What a mindf^@& that would have been.

Pretty intense episode.

[Anela]

I was at the movies last night, and totally forgot to set the DVR! Woke up today, and remembered "October 6th, Mr. Robot". So I'll have to catch it on-demand, or hope for a repeat. 

Oh, if it's on prime, maybe I can find it there.

[scrb]

Shows like this one is making me come around to binging.  Just too much time between seasons so the continuity of the narrative you had when you last watched is almost all lost.

Anyways, it still takes me out of the show whenever you see the Red Army operating with impunity.  Maybe China has long-eclipsed the US as superpower in this universe (or maybe this whole plot is in Elliot's head), so the US can't do anything about it.

How about that "taxidermist" smirking as she threatened to gut Dominique's mother?

I rolled my eyes when they used to have Americans in 24 working with these arch-villains to explode a nuclear bomb or unleash a very lethal bio weapon on American soil.  

So when those hired goons take Elliot and then Sam Ismail himself cooks up the heroin(?) and injects Elliot, you wonder, how many Americans would take money to perpetrate a Chinese plot against the America and its people?

Or maybe in this case, it wasn't WR's people but instead Price's henchmen.  Still that taxidermist seems to be working for WR.

The Red Army has dropped a lot of American bodies over the course of this series.  Not in a subtle way but riding motorcycles shooting in public.  There would be a lot of media coverage of such events.  Does White Rose want that kind of attention to pull of his scheme, whatever it may be?

Can you be snapped out of that deep heroin haze or whatever state Elliot was in where he could barely move with some kind of inhalant?

[possibilities]

Narcan (naloxone) is used to reverse opioid overdoses in real life, so yes.

[marcee]

Anyone notice the flash of dead gun-shot wounded Angela when Elliot was talking about the photo WhiteRose sent him? It reminded me of Fight Club. I actually paused to find the frame. It was pretty gruesome. This show has always been hard to follow but with such a long break and such a short "previously", I'm even more twisted. I have no idea what I should be rooting for at this point.

[xaxat]

That was hardcore on Angela's part. I think she knew her discussion with Phillip would force the Dark Army into killing her ("You should probably leave.") With the intention to get Phillip to enact the retribution she sought ("Remove all emotion and you'll do fine.")

Looks like it worked.

Hell of a swerve in Dom's story because I really thought the plumber was going to be Dark Army. (USA ran a promo for a new show and there was a quick shot of the actor who played the FBI agent she replaced. My first thought was "I just saw you get an ax in your chest!")

On 10/7/2019 at 6:13 PM, truthaboutluv said:

YMMV, this may be a minority opinion but I for one hope the whole "time travel" never happens because one, I'm not a fan of science fiction (though I know the show gets categorized as such) and two, as heightened as the show may be, I do think it's remained somewhat rooted in reality.

I don't know if it's a minority opinion, but I totally agree. The fantastical elements have always been mental, not technological. When it come to tech, not only have they rooted it in reality, the show really sweats the details. For example, the name of the web browser Elliot uses in this episode sounds funny, Iceweasel, but was real.

While I still like the show, I do think it got caught up in it's mythology in season two and three. (Like the Matrix trilogy). Hopefully, this season will be a return to form.

[Anela]

I loved Darlene throwing those stupid girls out, who were going through Angela's stuff. 

Poor Dom. That sucked. And her mother is oblivious to what's going on.

Edited October 9, 2019 by Anela

[Guest]

On 10/7/2019 at 6:13 PM, truthaboutluv said:

YMMV, this may be a minority opinion but I for one hope the whole "time travel" never happens because one, I'm not a fan of science fiction (though I know the show gets categorized as such) and two, as heightened as the show may be, I do think it's remained somewhat rooted in reality.

I thought for a second when Darlene insisted to Eliot that she had seen Angela on the street that, in fact, she HAD seen Angela because of whatever time machine Whiterose developed may have undone Angela's death but, after reading here about what went on behind the scenes with Portia and Rami, I'm gonna have to chalk it up to Darlene being wigged out on drugs. 

Excellent episode though. Well worth the long wait.

[benteen]

Really strong episode and a promising start to Mr. Robot's final season.

Jake Busey always seems to play a sleaze but did a really good job here.

I'm surprised that Angela went so quickly. 

[qtpye]

22 hours ago, benteen said:

Really strong episode and a promising start to Mr. Robot's final season.

Jake Busey always seems to play a sleaze but did a really good job here.

I'm surprised that Angela went so quickly. 

That man is almost his father’s twin.

[xaxat]

I forgot to mention, the wood floor in Elliott's apartment is surprisingly nice.

[Hanahope]

So the guys with Price, saving Elliot, were the same ones that just overdosed him?  It was hard to tell for sure.  If so, does this mean that Price is going 'off script' on WR?  Or did WR (or her associate really) intend to revive Elliot as the lesson?  I didn't think it was the dark army because they usually kill people with masked goons, so it seemed a bit more trouble than usual with the heroine.  Though the DA is making more of an effort with Dom, but then, she's a fibby, so can't just threaten to kill her.

When Elliot was ODing, we saw him hallucinate Mr. Robot, a young boy and a woman.  I gathered the two males were manifestations of Elliot's split personality (as his father and Elliot as a boy), who was the woman?  Another manifestation of someone we know?  Again, couldn't see that well.  was it supposed to be a flashback family scene with his mother?

[truthaboutluv]

55 minutes ago, Hanahope said:

Again, couldn't see that well.  was it supposed to be a flashback family scene with his mother?

I'm pretty sure that was a flashback family scene as we know that Elliot's Mr. Robot alter ego (i.e. Christian Slater's character) is in the image of his real father. 

[Hanahope]

Oh, wanted to add, I loved the reference to Cypress National Bank as part of WR's conspiracy.  I love how Esmail weaves in references to real life corruption.  

[Anela]

8 hours ago, Hanahope said:

So the guys with Price, saving Elliot, were the same ones that just overdosed him?  It was hard to tell for sure.  If so, does this mean that Price is going 'off script' on WR?  Or did WR (or her associate really) intend to revive Elliot as the lesson?  I didn't think it was the dark army because they usually kill people with masked goons, so it seemed a bit more trouble than usual with the heroine.  Though the DA is making more of an effort with Dom, but then, she's a fibby, so can't just threaten to kill her.

When Elliot was ODing, we saw him hallucinate Mr. Robot, a young boy and a woman.  I gathered the two males were manifestations of Elliot's split personality (as his father and Elliot as a boy), who was the woman?  Another manifestation of someone we know?  Again, couldn't see that well.  was it supposed to be a flashback family scene with his mother?

I thought his was his mother. 

[Ottis]

That was fantastic. It was like a movie. I love how they moved away from some of the convoluted plots of last season and made it more about people who are doing simple things and dealing with consequences. Much more impactful. 

[Blindfox]

I don’t think that was a flashback scene with Elliot’s family; I think those were all of the people, like Mr. Robot, living inside of him. Just a theory.

For me, I’m kind of over the plot of this show. It’s convoluted, and makes Elliot look like an idiot for destroying the economy without a recovery plan, and for ever getting involved with White Rose and the Dark Army in the first place. I agree with one of the posters above that the Dark Army would never be able to operate so invisibly on U.S. soil, and hopefully couldn’t find so many murderous dupes willing to betray their country for a bit of money. But who knows?

I am really disappointed in Angela’s death. She was the one character I was tuning in for because I really wanted to see where the plot would take her and what she would do next. Nowhere and nothing, it turns out. I definitely shipped Elliot and Angela, and I’m really disappointed there will be no resolution to that storyline. Also, I’d like to know how White Rose duped Angela so thoroughly into believing her mother could be brought back. At least, I hope it’s duping. This show is weird enough without throwing time travel into the mix. It’s still hinting at time travel with Darlene’s sighting of Angela, but Darlene is seriously messed up right now.

I will say that even though I am over the plot, I will keep tuning in because I think this show features some of the best acting on TV.  I also think Sam Esmail is brilliant - he deserves an  Emmy for his directing of this episode alone. It’s great to see this kind of talent on my screen every week.

Edited October 13, 2019 by Blindfox
Spelling

[truthaboutluv]

20 hours ago, Blindfox said:

I don’t think that was a flashback scene with Elliot’s family; I think those were all of the people, like Mr. Robot, living inside of him. Just a theory.

Season 1 showed flashbacks of Elliot's father and mother when he finally put it together who Mr. Robot really was. We've seen memories/flashes of the family when Elliot was a little boy. 

20 hours ago, Blindfox said:

I agree with one of the posters above that the Dark Army would never be able to operate so invisibly on U.S. soil,

The Dark Army is not invisible though. The FBI knows of their existence and has/is trying to take them down. That's how Dom came into the story. She and the team of investigators she was working with, worked out who exactly was behind F-Society, i.e. Elliot and company and knew they were tied to the Dark Army. That was also why the FBI team was in China in S2, when they got attacked by the Dark Army and a bunch of agents were murdered.

Of course that was because they had Santiago under their thumb. And we have seen from Santiago, now Dom, that it's not like the Dark Army has a bunch of people all willingly and happily working for them. Instead they find a way to infiltrate the life of someone they want to use and essentially give them no choice. 

20 hours ago, Blindfox said:

Also, I’d like to know how White Rose duped Angela so thoroughly into believing her mother could be brought back. At least, I hope it’s duping.

White Rose is the best kind of villain in that they find a person's weakness and preys on that. Frankly, I always thought Angela was touch and go with sanity since Season 1. While Elliot's crazy was on full display, I always thought it was obvious that Angela had a vulnerability that in the right circumstances could be exploited.

And that's likely exactly what White Rose did. Angela was trapped in that basement or wherever they had her for who knows how many days. Who knows how much stuff was done, e.g. lack of food, sleep, etc. to make her even more susceptible to manipulation. 

Edited October 14, 2019 by truthaboutluv

[Blindfox]

Thanks, truthaboutluv, for reminding me of some things that I’d forgot in the bazillion years since I’ve seen this show. Now it makes more sense. 

Forgot to mention in my original post that that actress who played the evil taxidermist was bone-chilling! I like that this show introduces me to actors I’ve never seen before who quickly become favorites.

[justmehere]

2 hours ago, Blindfox said:

makes Elliot look like an idiot for destroying the economy without a recovery plan,

As brilliant as Elliot is, he is also idealistic and hyper-focused, and I think he loses sight of the forest for the trees. The show started with him being on a hero crusade to take down individuals for their wrongdoing. The first hack we see is the coffee-shop guy with a child-porn site. He then tried to rescue his therapist from the married guy and was surprised that she was upset. He later took down the prison warden for his dark-web dealings. It's been Elliot's theme. I can almost believe that he only wanted to relieve people's debt and hurt E-Corp., without realizing how it could affect the greater economy. There might have been a comment somewhere to that effect - that he didn't realize how far things would go. Then there's Mr. Robot's involvement, without Elliot's knowledge, so how much is "Elliot's" fault? He's the hero while Mr. Robot is the anarchist - different degrees of the same tendency. 

Elliot's zeal and myopic view were on display again in this opener when he rushed to the fake-guy's apartment, so eager to take down whiterose (apparently it's not capitalized, and it's all one word - I never knew that), that he didn't see the trap. However, the fact that he was able to undo the hack shows that the Mr. Robot part of him did have a recovery plan of sorts. While there was no plan for handling the economy post-debt-erasure, Mr. Robot was at least aware that there could be bigger consequences than intended and kept a door open to restore everything. 

-----

As for Angela, she pushed some very dangerous people, and there were consequences. She built herself up so much with her affirmations that it made her kind of delusional (including thinking that the way she manipulated Price was due to her newfound "power"). whiterose could have killed her straight away, and might have left her to her madness, but Angela wouldn't stop pushing. Not saying she was wrong in how she felt; she just really didn't know what/who she was up against. I fear that madness would have been her outcome anyway, had she lived, and assuming the whole thing isn't reset with time travel or into some sort of repeating loop. (I'm hoping Sam Esmail has a worthy surprise in store - fingers crossed.)

[DoctorAtomic]

I'm pleased at the liberal use of 'fuck' on USA.

I barely remembered anything that happened in the show, so I hope it will come back to me. It usually does. Shows do this all the time now; there's 50 years between seasons and 470 billion new shows in between. I'm surprised I remembered who White Rose is.

On 10/7/2019 at 8:48 AM, Neurochick said:

I fell asleep on this.  To me, the show started off wonderful, but it's gone off the rails since season 3 with government conspiracies on top of conspiracies.  For some reason this never bothered me on X Files, but it bothers me with this show.  Maybe too much time had gone by between season, perhaps this show is better suited for Amazon or Netflix, when you can binge an entire season in a few days (which was how I watched season 1).

Interesting that you can now say "fuck" on USA, that wasn't true a few years ago.

Darlene said 'cunty' last season too.

If there's an actual time machine on this show, then that's the dumbest fucking thing ever.

That was an awesome V/O by Slater.

Best part was Dom's mother correctly saying 'macaroni and gravy'.

Edited October 13, 2019 by DoctorAtomic

[Neurochick]

12 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Darlene said 'cunty' last season too.

Last season, I noticed that "fuck" was allowed on USA.  The year before I don't think it was.

[DoctorAtomic]

Yeah I think that's right. It must be some trend because It's Always Sunny has had multiple 'fucks' this year too.

[Tachi Rocinante]

To prep for this season I watched a few cast interviews/previews and their excitement for the upcoming season, along with season recaps.

Props to Portia for seeming genuinely excited in her interviews. 

I had no idea about the relationship drama.

[truthaboutluv]

On 10/13/2019 at 4:38 PM, justmehere said:

As brilliant as Elliot is, he is also idealistic and hyper-focused, and I think he loses sight of the forest for the trees. The show started with him being on a hero crusade to take down individuals for their wrongdoing. The first hack we see is the coffee-shop guy with a child-porn site. He then tried to rescue his therapist from the married guy and was surprised that she was upset. He later took down the prison warden for his dark-web dealings. It's been Elliot's theme. I can almost believe that he only wanted to relieve people's debt and hurt E-Corp., without realizing how it could affect the greater economy. There might have been a comment somewhere to that effect - that he didn't realize how far things would go. Then there's Mr. Robot's involvement, without Elliot's knowledge, so how much is "Elliot's" fault? He's the hero while Mr. Robot is the anarchist - different degrees of the same tendency. 

All of this. The long wait between S3 and S4 definitely shows in how much some have forgotten. Like you said, Elliot's initial motivation as we saw, was to do good and a big part of the first two seasons was his fighting against his Mr. Robot alter-ego, who was the one more set on destruction. 

A big part of the Season 3 plot was Elliot not even knowing what Phase II was and trying to stop it when he eventually thought he'd figured it out, i.e. that they were going to blow up the one federal building. And of course as it turned out, that was all a ruse for the actual plan, which was to blow up 70 federal and commercial buildings. 

This was also why Elliot and Angela weren't speaking much when S3 ended, because he eventually learned that she was helping to shoot him up, to keep him from waking up and keep Mr. Robot in charge. Because she knew that "Elliot" would not have gone along with the Phase II plan.

And per Season 1, it was Darlene who first wanted to work with and involve the Dark Army and kept pestering her boyfriend to connect her with them. Elliot was not in favor of that, knowing how dangerous the Dark Army was and well as we've seen, he was right to be concerned. 

Of course we know that Mr. Robot is essentially a part of Elliot and so on some level this is still him and these desires exist within him. But I do think at his core, Elliot really just wanted to try and do some good with his hacking abilities. And it all went to shit. 

Edited October 15, 2019 by truthaboutluv

[AudienceofOne]

This show is relentless.

I'm glad I chose to wait till the season was almost over so I could watch an episode a day for the next week and then finish with the finale almost when it airs. 

I personally loved this episode, although I'm still not clear what Whiterose actually wants (I'm assuming time travel is not real).

Well, you know, time travel is not real. It's against the law of physics.

But the real reason I don't want it be real in this show is because a human desire to turn back time is... human... but we can't actually do it. It's one of the points of the show - that we're ultimately responsible for the consequences of our actions (even the unintended ones). Throwing time travel in sends the message that there are no true consequences for what we do, which I thought was against the show's themes.