“Metadata” begs the question: how much longer can style make up for poor pacing on Mr. Robotreview contains spoilers
Mr.
Robot Season 3 Episode 4
Mr. Robotmay have a pacing problem.
Throughout season 2, many viewers were turned off by a perceived lack of progress.
Style and a smile will get you far with television viewers.
Still, the show seemed to want to speed things up in the first three episodes of season 3.
Elliot has a clear vision and purpose, the show has made the rules of Mr. *
*One week removed from the controversial Tyrell-specific Legacy, my thoughts havent changed.
Things are beginning to move faster inMr.
Robots post 5/9 New York wasteland.
But faster doesnt mean paced better.
The newest and most clear example of this is Metadata.
This is an episode that paradoxically feels like too much and too little.
There are plenty of big, plot-moving moments to be found in here, to be sure.
Thats where the too much aspect comes in.
This also leads to Angela, Mr.
The reveal of Elliots misdeeds leads to a big moment for Elliot and for Tyrell.
Tyrell is new at this whole Elliot Alderson is two people thing and lashes out at the Mr.
Robot version of Elliot.
Robot responds violently, pinning Tyrell against a wall and calling him a Swedish scumfuck.
More important than Mr. Robots creative profanity, however, is what happens to he and Elliots tenuous bond.
Robot dissociates right then and there in front of Angela and Tyrell.
Without knowing how or why, he reverts back to the Elliot portion of his personality.
Angela eventually knocks him out but everyone is rattled.
Previously the divide between Mr.
Robot and Elliot had been absolute.
What could have possibly broken it down now?
This is undoubtedly a big moment for the mythology of the show.
The interplay between Elliot and Mr.
Robot is clearly central to everything thatMr.
Robotis trying to communicate and play with in one way or another.
This is where some of the sins of season 2s pacing begin to show.
It was cool in the moment that Christian Slater barely appeared and that Elliot felt lost and confused.
Regardless, Elliots moment presents a problem and an opportunity for Tyrell.
He is forced to accept that Elliot isnt the God he always believed him to be.
Then Irving, ever the competent handler points out something to help the distressed Swede.
Wouldnt that technically make Tyrell the only living God?
You were destined for this, Tyrell, Irving tells him.
This is your moment.
And of course it will be.
Robot is going to get this done.
Whiterose wants it done then and she has yet to not get something she wants.
All in all, thats a pretty huge episode inMr.
By episodes end, however, it doesntfeellike its a big episode.
It feels like…well, both too much and too little.
The climactic moments are climactic to be sure, but they are also tell-y, not showy.
We find out stage 2 is officially a-go from Angela reading a text she received to Mr.
Robot and that seems representative of the episodes issues.
Its like the show knows it has to get moving but its heart isnt truly in it yet.
Instead, the shows heart really lies in the smaller, more intimate character moments.
Intimate character moments and stylisticFight Club-style financial apocalypse show should by all means be at odds.
Robotdeftly combines its bombastic style and carefully constructed scenes of two people talking.
Its a shrewd thing to do, and a decent thing to do.
Its also tearing Darlene apart.
Darlene in Metadata is a person so believably at her wits end.
Its her panic attack in Power Save Mode writ-large.
They talk about their love lives.
Style over substance for this show doesnt mean sacrifice character for style.
Like when Angela and Irving have a nice lunch at Red Wheelbarrow and tease some mind-bindingly science fiction possibilities.
I have to ask.
Did Whiterose ever show you?
Yes, he responds.
And you believe it?
Take a look at technology nowadays.
Think of these ribs.
Who know if its even real meat.
Tasty as they are, maybe they made them in a lab.
My point is: anything is possible.
Does it make sense within the realistic concept of the show?
Will it ever get addressed again?
But the mere fact that its the kind of thing that characters can bring up offhand is what makesMr.
Robota unique, challenging, and good show.
In trying to fix the pace,Mr.
Robothas lost some of that fever-dream aesthetic and mystique.
Surely a grand compromise of pace, plot, and pathos is coming soon.
Until then well just have to enjoy the company.
And the Red Wheelbarrow ribs.
They do look delicious.
Rating:
3 out of 5
