TouchTheGarlicProduction

A lot of networks have made gimmicky 360 VR videos related to their hit shows, and originally this was planned as nothing more than that; something that would transport the viewer into a hack for a minute or two, just for the thrill of it. But when Sam Esmail was brought in, he said "if we're going to do this, we may as well do this properly", and what was only supposed to be a tech demo turned into a full-fledged 13 minute episode of the show.

The episode was released in the middle of season 2, but it takes place a little earlier, probably between episodes 6 and 7 of season 1. It focusses on Elliot reliving a painful memory of a date with his girlfriend Shayla. If you have watched the show, this is a heartbreaking story, but even if you haven't you can probably get some enjoyment out of the episode since it does not rely heavily on the lore of the show and it is told in such an interesting way.

As I have mentioned, the episode is a 360 VR video, meaning that it captures the entire spherical view of what is around the camera, and the viewer can look around as though they were actually in the space with the characters. Most demos I have seen with this technology take place in a single shot, and even if there are cuts they come out of necessity and not as a method of stringing together a narrative. This is the first instance I have ever seen of a filmmaker taking the technology and actually using it to make a film that tells a story. I'm sure there have been others, but the point is that this is way ahead of its time, ridiculously impressive, and very cool to watch.

All in all, this is a stunning little mini-episode of Mr. Robot. It's a must-watch for anyone who is a fan of the show or just interested in the technology.

To be clear, this is just a review of part 1. I have not yet watched part 2, and I will be reviewing it separately. It's taking all the willpower I have not to play it right this second, but I have to finish my review of this episode first.

This is probably the most frustrating episode of Mr. Robot since season 2 episode 11... mostly in a good way. Similar to that episode, we get little plot progression, and what we do get is incredibly obtuse. Most of the episode is spent filling in the other side of the final sequence from 411; we see what our Elliot was up to in the time between our arrival in this parallel world (if that is what it is) and the meeting of the two. As such, there is a sense that we aren't getting anywhere; we've basically seen this already. Still, despite the inevitable sensation of treading water, we do get some nostalgic thrills similar to last episode. And once we finally catch up to where we left off last time, in the last 10 minutes or so, the episode becomes amazing and crazy and dark and mindblowing.

Ultimately, my opinion of this episode rests entirely on how the next one goes; Sam has more to answer for than ever, and only a short time in which to do it. I have utter faith in that man, but lord how he vexes me.