‘Mr. Robot’ season 2, episode 11 review: When is weird too weird?

“Mr. Robot” is a show that commands a tremendous amount of its audience. At this particular point in its run, this much is clear. In many ways, it’s a good thing to have a show challenging conventions, giving you sitcoms-within-episodes, and establishing a whole alternate universe to help Elliot cope with his shame at being locked away in prison.

Now that we have said all of this, we turn to the subject at hand: Questions as to when it is too much. Given how we are suspicious of how much of Wednesday’s episode was truly real, we’re teetering towards that point, specifically when it comes to questions as to whether or not we really saw Tyrell in the cab. If we did, tremendous! He’s a wonderful character, and it seems odd that we waited this long to reintroduce him in what may be the “real” world of the show.

We know that Tyrell has a plan (Stage 2), and he seems awfully okay with Elliot given their history. The idea of him popping up in the way he did and at this time is what raises some questions as to trying to uncover the motive of it all.

As for elsewhere, we do at least feel like Angela’s shooting it to us straight, even if her definition of that is bearing witness to an odd interrogation before meeting with Whiterose (B.D. Wong is tremendous) and eventually being convinced to give up the lawsuit. Angela’s story has been a series of different lines this season, never connecting but presently existing. It’s certainly fascinating, but eventually it would be nice to get to the next gear of seeing where it all falls into place for her.

Perhaps the biggest note of frustration to tonight is what we didn’t see: An on-camera appearance from either Cisco or Darlene, leaving their fate up in the air. While Dom mentioned several bodies, we’re left hanging on that.

Ultimately, “Mr. Robot” is a great show. We just wonder through season 2 if it perhaps is too slow for its own good. It took more than half the season to get to the prison reveal, and from there it took until episode 11 to see Tyrell. How are you tying any of this together with making the finale three hours long? Grade: B.