10 Unique TV Episodes That You Must See
3. Mr Robot - eps3.4_runtime-error.r00
An episode in one continuous camera shot.
The exceptional and experimental creator of Mr Robot, Sam Esmail, has churned out many inventive episodes. There's been an episode without dialogue and an episode which seemingly takes place in a parallel universe. Eps3.4_runtime-error.r00 is his tour de force.
In this episode he achieves what Oscar-nominees Birdman and 1917 do on the television screen with a whole episode that plays out as one continuous take, known as a "oner".
We marvel at small sequences in shows like Game of Thrones that are in one shot. Well, the continuous take in this episode lasts for 45 nail-biting, intense minutes. Using a skyscraper office block as the setting, Esmail uses crafty camera shots like an elevator door to make the episode flow seamlessly.
Not only does the episode feature an extremely difficult filming technique, but the story is so gripping that you barely notice it's happening until you're deeply engrossed. A feature of Mr Robot is the lack of a title sequence, just the name appearing in bold, red letters across the scene. This even allows him to include the teaser into the take. Worth persevering for three seasons just to experience this impressive feat of television.