USA’s Mr. Robot
Season 2, Episode 2: “eps2.0_unm4sk-pt2.tc”
Directed & Written by Sam Esmail

* For a recap & review of the Season 2 premiere, “eps2.0_unm4sk-pt1.tc” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “eps2.1_k3rnel-pan1c.ksd” – click here
CTO Scott Knowles (Brian Stokes Mitchell) is out in public, a big crowd, delivering the ransom money. Soon, a bike messenger shows up with a bag for him. Inside Scott finds one of the fsociety masks. He receives a call, “ten seconds” to do as he’s told or else everything’s finished. He’s informed to take out the money, wearing the mask, and then burn it in a pile as everyone watches on.
fsociety just wants to watch the capitalist system burn, they’re not in for personal profit. A dangerous foe to be up against, which Knowles understands.
Phillip Price (Michael Cristofer) is finding business incredibly difficult, more and more. “The Big Three” are taking it hard, so everyone else is doing worse. Price has the FBI up in his grill constantly. Worse, he’s being asked to resign. He decides to go on an FDR-Great Depression rant, the nature of the American “business model” built on a con.
What about Joanna Wellick (Stephanie Corneliussen)? What’s she up to? Apparently she’s into some BDSM fetish stuff, the serious shit. She and a lover are playing with knives, she’s tied up. Nasty. But, hey, whatever gets her off! Long as it’s consensual. And it is, to a cold point on her part. When she’s done with him, she’s done.
We’re introduced to Dominique DiPierro (Grace Gummer), an FBI agent investigating the hack on E.Corp. She’s a smart, funny, quirky person. She’s sitting down now with Gideon Goddard (Michel Gill). Wonder what’ll come out in that conversation.
At the park, Leon (Joey Bada$$) neraly gets into an altercation as Elliot (Rami Malek) watches on silently. It’s all broken up by a guy named Ray Heyworth (Craig Robinson), a local prison warden. He gets talking with our hacker briefly, even knows his name. He seems to have an interest in the computer stuff he’s heard Elliot is into, though doesn’t get much of a response.
“Maybe truth don‘t even exist”
Angela Moss (Portia Doubleday) is continuing to keep her head above water, just barely. But she is forever stuck with the choices she’s made, the ones she keeps on making. Who knows if she’ll redeem herself, or if she’ll wallow in the mire of unethical businesses while the people she knows, from Elliot to Darlene, exist on the fringes.
Again at the park, Ray chats Elliot up. He says they were talking last night, came to some kind of understanding. Our hacker doesn’t remember. Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) crept back in. Now he’s wreaking more havoc on his son’s brain.
“And this is why I‘m different. Sometimes my mask takes over.”
In a bar, Gideon hears a man rant next to him about the E.Corp hack, the general state of the economy, “Black Tuesday” among so many things. He speaks of societal change, and Gideon’s not keen on hearing any of it, being so intimately involved in the whole mess. The guy’s name is Brock (Chris Kipiniak), he recognises Mr. Goddard from the news, also susses out he’s been left by his husband. Then, Brock shoots him through the neck.
When Elliot goes to an NA meeting, he blinks and finds himself in a house, talking on a red phone. Someone is on the other end; is it Tyrell? “Bon soir, Elliot,” the voice says leaving our hacker shocked. Where is he? And how did he get there?
Great episode to follow-up the Season 2 premiere. Continually mysterious, weird, intense, unsettling. One of the best TV series’ in the past 15 years, hands down.
“eps2.1_k3rnel-pan1c.ksd” is next.