eps3.5_kill-process.inc

The episode was written by executive producer Kyle Bradstreet and directed by series creator Sam Esmail. This was Bradstreet's fifth writing credit, and Esmail's 21st directing credit.[1]

In its original American broadcast, "eps3.5_kill-process.inc" was seen by an estimated 0.598 million household viewers with a 0.3 in the 18-49 demographics. This means that 0.3 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode.[2] This was a 14% increase in viewership from the previous episode, which was watched by an estimated 0.521 million household viewers with a 0.2 in the 18-49 demographics.[3]

"eps3.5_kill-process.inc" received critical acclaim. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 100% approval rating for the episode, based on 12 reviews. The site's consensus states: "'Eps3.5_kill-process.inc' is another adrenaline rush, draped in Mr. Robot's unique visual stylings."[4]

Alex McLevy of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A–" grade and wrote, "'Kill-pr0cess.par2' is the thrilling adrenaline rush of an episode that last week's unbroken-take gimmick came close to achieving. It's the flip side of the same coin: Instead of a faux single take, here Sam Esmail keeps cutting... and cutting... and cutting. Lancing back and forth between Elliot, Angela, Darlene, Dom, Tyrell, and more, the tension builds, every smash cut to another location mirroring the smash cuts in Elliot's own mind. The episode strips away the bells and whistles that have so often been the laziest possible shorthand to explain Mr. Robot's brilliance, and the result is a classically structured example of superlative television."[5]

Alan Sepinwall of Uproxx wrote, "That we spent one-fifth of the season on Elliot, Dom, Angela, and others going all out to stop or help a plot that ultimately didn't matter should feel frustrating, but the style of both episodes, what the fake-out says about just how far ahead of the game Whiterose is, and what we learned about Elliot's relationships with Mr. Robot, with Darlene, and with Angela more than justified these hours' existence. Well done. Eager to see what's next."[6] Kyle Fowle of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "Last week's episode may have been the season's creative high point, a daring and immersive experience that put us inside the anxiety coursing through Elliot and Angela, but this week's episode, 'Eps3.5_kill-process.inc,' doesn't let up. In fact, it uses the uncomfortably intimate nature of 'Eps3.4_runtime-error.r00' to further enhance the paranoia sitting at the heart of this season. And then it all pays off in explosive fashion."[7]

Jeremy Egner of The New York Times wrote, "We all beat ourselves up from time to time. But Elliot took that phenomenon to a brutal new level this week on Mr. Robot, throwing himself down stairs and into walls as he worked through the stages of grappling with your alter ego."[8] Vikram Murthi of Vulture gave the episode a perfect 5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Throughout 'eps3.5_kill-pr0cess.inc,' Mr. Robot creates tension around a perceived threat that could seemingly take place at any time. The potential destruction of the New York storage facility informs every action and belief. Some think they’re doing the right thing; others know they aren't."[9]

Alec Bojalad of Den of Geek gave the episode a 4.5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "There is real, sustained and thrilling tension here. Mr. Robot may have taken quite a long time in laying down the stakes but now “Runtime Error” and “Kill Process” are collecting on them it’s legitimately riveting television."[10] Caralynn Lippo of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 4.75 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Whereas 'Runtime Error' narrowed the focus for an uncomfortably tense and intimate hour following only Elliot and Angela (in turn), 'Kill Process' went in the complete opposite direction."[11]