***SPOILERS: Spoilers for Mr. Robot through Season 2, Episode 3, follow. Spoilers***
Yesterday, I caught a Twitter alert about an upcoming Mr. Robot virtual reality “experience,” so I downloaded the Within app to my iPhone and watched the countdown begin.
This afternoon, at precisely 1:45 EST, the 12-minute show began. It was a small scene, starting with Elliot (Rami Malek) sitting on the couch in his apartment, smoking (getting high). It took me a few seconds to realize I could move around the room while he was talking, but I was afraid of missing something important with Elliot, so I mostly stayed with his POV. Elliot’s usual droning voiceover conveys his wish not to remember something, but, as usual with Elliot, if he doesn’t want it, it happens anyway …
There’s a knock on the door; something — someone — he tries to fight off. Doesn’t matter; *knock knock*
Let her in.
It’s Shayla (Frankie Shaw), who died tragically last season and, against Elliot’s continued protests, her memory persists.
Shayla knows he’s high and tells Elliot he’ll have to make it up to her later; for now, she’s got their date all planned. They leave together, and …
… end up at Coney Island because of a picture Shayla saw at Elliot’s place, which makes Elliot upset, thinking she’s spying on him.
They ride the Ferris wheel together, get stuck for a short bit, and Elliot hurts Shayla’s feelings by saying she’s only his drug dealer.
Shayla hums a song that’s been stuck in Elliot’s head all day; it’s something she made up herself.
They go for a nice little stroll on the boardwalk and kinda, sorta make up; Elliot is happy and dances?
Returning to Elliot’s place, where they get high together, Shayla tells Elliot she doesn’t want him to forget her; she’d be sad if he didn’t remember her.
They have a moment …
… and then she disappears.
Elliot goes back to … something.
There was also another piece added to the Season 2 soundtrack: Chromatics’ “Cherry”.
