Mr. Robot (TV Series) eps2.5_h4ndshake.sme (2016) User Reviews

Long awaited answers, lots of new questions.

[TouchTheGarlicProduction · 10/10 · 17 August 2016]

My oh my. This episode had a lot of big twists, including one that changes the nature of everything we've seen this season and everything we think we know. Much like the Mr Robot twist last season, I predicted it within the first couple of episodes but then completely forgot about it as I was engrossed by the story. Like any twist that changes the nature of things we've seen, it raises many questions about things we've seen and things we haven't seen. Some of them will need answering in future episodes, but many more can be more or less solved by just thinking back on the previous episodes through a new lens. The big twist's reveal was cinematically delightful, as always in this show.

Another important reveal in this episode is the fate of Tyrell Wellick. The show has been teasing that angle of the story a lot this season, and yet the reveal was strangely anti- climatic, and doesn't entirely fit the given evidence. I'm pretty sure that there's more to it, but it's good to have something resembling an answer for now.

This episode contains too many other little reveals and payoffs to recount, but it is worth noting that the episode also contains a lot of great character development. Angela takes centre stage here, while Ray and Leon also have important moments.

This season seems to alternate between episodes full of very long scenes and episodes full of very short scenes. This was the latter. Curiously, the pacing feels no different between episode types. But it's obvious which is which, because episodes like this one and episode two (counting both parts of the premiere as one) cram an unbelievable amount of material in, while episodes like last one and episode three hold a lighter load despite having the similar run-times to their counterparts.

In case it wasn't clear enough, I really liked this episode. Mind you, I'm only okay with the twist because I'm at a point with this show where I trust it to clarify certain elements in future episodes. Should it fail to do so, I might find this episode problematic in hindsight. But for now, I'll give Sam Esmail the benefit of the doubt and say that this was great.

Jesus....

[Prad-Pitt · 10/10 · 11 December 2020]

I now have to watch season 2 all over again. Well played Mr. Robot.

Another lie laying on plain sight.

[jiminho-ferreira · 10/10 · 23 August 2016]

From the beginning of this Season 2, it has been a bit odd, that Elliot never leaves that universe of Home, Room, Dinner and Basketball Court, it was strange, but well, we are Rami's character imaginary friends and his mind is not the same type of logical as ours is, so I guess it was just normal. The one thing I found really strange was that one outside agent ( Angela, Darlene or Gideon) talked to Elliot, it was always on the table, one on each top, and with is mother on the room, that was maybe the better indicator of the upcoming plot twist of Elliot being in prison. When he decides to be honest with "us" and tell he's in Jail, it all adds up, it makes sense, it was hidden in plain sight! Great work from the beginning of this season, don't know what to wait from next episode, that's the beauty of it, it's like a freaking roller coaster. Props to the writers and directors!

"Control can sometimes be an illusion, But sometimes you need illusion to gain control" ..

[Aktham_Tashtush · 9/10 · 18 August 2016]

Oh my goodness !!! one of the most shocking surprising episodes of the whole series !! 😲😲

The episode was going as usual this season .. still more to know what's gonna happen with that Swedish couple .. where is the husband at !! the series still have that high peak of intense and mystery and that was only for the first thee minutes then Baam .. moves to Elliot and his fight continues on that freaky website. 🙌

That detective and her pursuit of Angela and the whole electronic crime is still on .. and to be honest she actually gives me the creep .. she's like so sneaky and sticky... but i still feel like Angela is falling so deep on this whole miss of E corp.

Elliot taking down Ray (Craig Robinson) was the highlight of the episode and kinda made me feel for once that Elliot himself is in charge of things, He finally has control ... and Just when you think so they shock you with that "Elliot, Where do you think you are right now !?" >> 😭😭 Goodness me !! i was like Oh no !! this went so south so fast ;)

well finally as every episode goes by I can't wait to see what's the next surprise for us to come ..

Let's Shake on it

[matiasbockerman · 10/10 · 13 January 2019]

Can't get enough of this captivating series. This is third time I watch this show and once again Mr. MALEK Steal the show. He's dialogues and inner thoughs are geniously written and he acting is really joy for eye. Twist in the end is Outstanding, pure perfection!

"Where do you think you are right now?"

[sebastianhernandez-62600 · 10/10 · 20 November 2016]

This episode was fantastic. First off, let's go over the ending. In the final moments of "Handshake", Elliot reveals to us that he was never at his Mom's house, and that instead, he was actually in prison. He then claims that he won't keep anymore secrets from us (which I highly doubt). Elliot most likely did this because we lost his trust last season, during the episode "Whiterose".This twist was great because of how it gives more insight into Elliot's way of thinking and how it leaves us hungry for more answers. Not to mention, we are also told by Mr. Robot that Tyrell was murdered by Elliot. However, I'm not entirely convinced. Even with the numerous plot twists and suspense filled scenes, my favorite scene was most likely Ray's defeat. Elliot challenges Ray to a chess match, and Ray accepts. We then hear Elliot telling Ray that he has informed the FBI of Ray's website. We then see Elliot literally and metaphorically checkmate Ray, leading to Elliot walking away Scott- free. The raw satisfaction of Elliot finally beating Ray was what made the scene for me. Angela continues to be an incredibly interesting character, attempting to manipulate her boss and strategically placing herself in the crisis-control section of E Corp after successfully pulling off hacking the FBI. It's also great to see the contrast in Darlene and Angela.While Angela is about to crap her pants after an offset in the plan, Darlene was completely in control, hardly breaking a sweat. Dom was noticeably absent this episode, after seeing her in every episode since the 2-part premiere, it was a little strange. Overall, a perfect episode that might just be the best episode of the series so far. 10/10

Fantastic

[eslamgamal-91015 · 10/10 · 9 February 2021]

Control is an illusion...but sometimes we need illusion to get control ~ mr robot S2 E7 last scene

With a few reveals and perhaps a victory, it seems things are about to change on Mr. Robot.

[Amari-Sali · 8/10 · 20 August 2016]

Trigger Warning(s): Attempted Rape

Major Characters Elliot | Ray | Angela | Joanna Wellick

Main Plot (with Commentary)

Topic 1: And So It Was Over (Elliot and Joanna Wellick)

Though their stories don't lead to the two meeting, it seems Elliot's, or rather Mr. Robot's decision, did affect both. As we know Joanna has pretty much moved on from Tyrell and is in love with Derrick. To the point where, after an ultimatum, she shows him a summons for a divorce. Yet, what she doesn't know is that Elliot shot Tyrell a long time ago and killed him.

{Commentary}

I mention Joanna for the sole hope that now her character will be allowed to exit from the show. For this story-line kind of seemed like they weren't sure what the actor who played Tyrell was going to do, be around for and etc. So, instead, it was just stretched out and she was just holding on being a constant reminder, with those gifts, that he should be out there somewhere. But with the news that Elliot shot him, probably the gifts were from Mr. Robot to cover his tracks right? Right?

Topic 2: A Warning and a Change (Angela) Dominique doesn't seem to have anything but a hunch when it comes to Angela, but with all footage gone and seemingly no trace left behind, she maybe let off for now. But do expect Dominique to question her after the 4th of July holiday. But that will be at Angela's new desk in Risk Management. A department she cashed in her credit for helping to end one of Mr. Price's biggest lawsuits, the one dealing with her mom, to be part of.

{Commentary}

One can only imagine that Angela, without knowing it, was always part of F-Society. She mentions to Darlene how, as kids, they would watch that weird horror movie every year and how it only recently fully clicked that is where the mask is from. However, with all she knows now about E-Corp being behind her mother's death, and now possibly, in their world, the Flint water crisis, her working in Risk-Management makes sense. Especially how she keeps asking for access to files, a bit too much if you ask me. For it is really just making it obvious that once she does, it is but a matter of time before Darlene gets them to spread to the world as part of the death blow to E- Corp. Especially since that bailout was formally rejected.

Topic 3: Fallout (Elliot & Ray) Ray let's Elliot end his website and then, too much surprise, while Elliot is having a counseling session, it is revealed that he never went to his mother's house and that regimen he has been having wasn't something he volunteered for. All this time Elliot has been in prison.

{Commentary}

Ray ending his tenure on here, fine. Elliot killing Tyrell, should have seen it coming, but fine. However, Elliot actually being in jail since before the season began? It is time to ask questions? The first being, when it comes to all of Elliot's friends and family, are we learning what is going on through his recollection of what he hears or is told, or can we trust those scenes as independent of this recent reveal? On top of that, while it is acknowledging Leon was a prisoner, what about Ray? Was he just some dude selling black market prison goods? On top of that, what is the exact reason Elliot let himself be in jail? You know if Darlene can hack the FBI she can cause a mistrial, so why is Elliot in jail? He seemingly is getting out soon, and likely has only been in there for months, so you know it isn't for murdering Tyrell, so what is the charge?

Highlights

Ray and Tyrell, potentially, are done on the show. Maybe Joanna to boot. Yay!

Angela is playing a long game with taking down E-Corp, and it is beginning to make sense why she is working with the company which she knows killed her mom. She wants to take the beast down from within and between Mr. Price setting up his own employees, to all she can learn in Risk Management, the seeds are being planted for E- Corp's destruction.

Low Points

With Dominique being one of the few who sees through Angela's mask, it sort of sucked she didn't go after her this episode.

On The Fence

I don't know how this Elliot reveal is going to go, but I must admit I'm neither intrigued nor upset. If anything, my feelings on this are too mixed to really place an adjective on and until it is revealed where Elliot's story is going from here, it is hard to have a concrete emotion.

Just drop in

[Lindavius · 9/10 · 12 January 2018]

To thank Sam Esmail for the rather direct citation of my all-time movie favorite Brazil throughout the final sequence of this episode: The camera pans from Malek's focus on the basketball field ( his "perceived reality" /POV) to the two chimneys (used as limiting fix points, standing for a "shared common view" of the narrator and his sometimes willing accomplice, the viewer) and further to the (limitless) blue ("vanilla") sky, while using an "objectivizing" wide/distance shot in the progress. This is great cinematography, and also an hommage to the final "dome scene" of the movie. And, to clarify matters, a little but quite discernible variation of the accords of the movie's theme ( " Brazil, where hearts were entertaining June..." ) is played. - Well worth it (in the opinion of a true fan boy of the movie), as (to my mind) Brazil was also about the first movie that really antecipated, even apart from the obvious "virtual reality/second life/alternative facts" topic, or the permanent "War on Terror", the contemporary information society with e.g. Alexa (just take a glance at Lowry's home ;) ) and data krakens like e.g. Google ( "Ministery of Information" / "Central Services" ) . - So: Thumbs UP! ;)

Well damn

[matdeman · 8/10 · 2 June 2021]

I take breaks from watching this show cuz it makes me uncomfortable. This is an example of that.

Rewatch, 9.1/10

[dcdude-26988 · 9/10 · 8 July 2023]

This was definitely an amazing episode, but I honestly don't think this should be the BEST BEST episode of the second season. Give it top episode 10 to be honest. My favorite characters in this episode were Elliot, Mr Robot, and Ray. My favorite things about this episode were the Protagonist, the Cinematography, and the storyline. My mom said that she was more surprised about season 1 episode 8, but that is honestly understandable. I don't know if she will think that season 2 is better than season 1, but for me on rewatch, it sort of is slightly better in terms of enjoyability. I also wonder if I am going to rate episode 10 a 10/10 in terms of stars on this app or not.

Let's Shake On It

[wandernn1-81-683274 · 7/10 · 11 September 2021]

So much of this ep passes without fanfare.

But when Price announces to Angela that it's his birthday and invites her to 'celebrate' with him, and she says 'no', that was good. But even better was Price saying, 'maybe next year'. +1 Star

Eliot still going to group? Why? At this point. Why?? Haha, his group leader thinks he's talking to Jesus.

Oh I see now! Good reveal at the end. When fantasy does turn back to reality things do start to explain themselves. Good work!!! +1 Star

7/10.

Absolutely Insane Ending [8/10]

[panagiotis1993 · 8/10 · 21 June 2023]

My Reaction / Review for Mr. Robot Season 2 Episode 7: The 6th episode was ok and I gave it a rating of 7.0/10. I hope this one is better. Nice to see Tyrell again even if it is just a flashback. I hope he will appear later in the episode. Tyrell's wife gets what she deserves. So happy that Ray got arrested. ''Would you like to celebrate with me tonight? No'' Damn Angela is cold. Leon killed all these guys? What the hell is going on? Is he a ninja or something? It took him 5 seconds to kill all of them? Or is it just Elliot's mind? Leon knows about White Rose? Wow, that's a twist. Elliot is in jail? What? Wow. Why is he in jail though? What a crazy ending, im speechless. My rating is 8/10.