20 Best TV Episodes Of 2017
19. Mr Robot - Eps3.4_runtime-err0r.r00
After a disappointing second season, the third run of USA's breakout hit Mr Robot restores a degree of faith in the series. It's not a full return to the stunning form of Season 1, but it's a lot closer, and all of the show's tricks are on display in the fifth episode, which is arguably a series best.
Runtime Error puts Elliot on the run, brings us the long-awaited Stage 2, and does so in a way that utilises those stylistic elements that are so intrinsic to the show in a way that's perhaps better than anything before.
The entire, 42-minute episode appears to be one long shot. It's not, with cuts visible if you look close enough, but it nonetheless unfurls much like it is. It's a great achievement of filming and editing, and one that puts the viewer into the story even more-so than usual.
It's important that it's not just a gimmick, but instead serves a function. It allows the events to unfold as if in real-time, and there's an electricity as we race through time with Elliot and then Angela, while even beyond the camera trickery it retains the same sense of social and political commentary the show is known for.