AMC's "Halt and Catch Fire"

NoStateofMind

Diamond Member
Oct 14, 2005
9,711
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This show is about the reverse engineering of IBM's BIOS which gave rise to Compaq. Watch the first episode online. 4 out of 5 stars if you ask me. Worth a watch.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
184
106
Mad Men's over this weekend, The Killing is gone, Turn's ending in a few weeks... Ya, I got time.
 

Markbnj

Elite Member <br>Moderator Emeritus
Moderator
Sep 16, 2005
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www.markbetz.net
Just watched it myself. It's chock full of stereotypes: the slick sales guy, the nerdy insecure engineer, the hot rebel hacker chick... wait, I remember the first two from the early 80's but I don't recall any hot rebel hacker chicks. Anyway, thought it was very well done and will definitely try to catch future episodes.
 

tHa ShIzNiT

Platinum Member
Feb 15, 2000
2,321
8
81
Just watched it myself. It's chock full of stereotypes: the slick sales guy, the nerdy insecure engineer, the hot rebel hacker chick... wait, I remember the first two from the early 80's but I don't recall any hot rebel hacker chicks. Anyway, thought it was very well done and will definitely try to catch future episodes.

So many cliches in this show. I still enjoyed it but some stuff was just stupid...stolen from "Hackers" and whatnot. The hot rebel hacker chick is angelina jolie obviously. Watching her play video games with her "hacked" quarter on a string...indicating how much of a rebel she is. The part where she gets kicked out of the arcade and yells out "Fascists!" That was too much. It was full of stupidity but I still will keep watching.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
184
106
Th Killing is getting another season very soon on netflix

It's like a half season, and last I heard it was Amazon Prime.


Show is okay. The '80s (?) are too damn depressing. Cast is okay. Main guy is going too much for Don Draper but he's just not him.

And we all know it's an edgy show because they banged within the first 10 minutes...
 

Childs

Lifer
Jul 9, 2000
11,313
7
81
Strange to think that this would be an entertaining TV show. For a variety of reasons I would think a story about the guys at Xerox PARC would be more interesting. Even though you guys saw the first episode is alright, the subject matter just seems so...dry.
 

dank69

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
37,358
32,990
136
2 episodes in and jury is still out for me. Cameron is grating on me, but other than that it seems pretty good.

Next time on Halt and Catch Fire:
Surprise, surprise, Cameron doesn't keep backups of her work and loses it all.
That's almost enough to make me not want to bother watching anymore.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
184
106
I stopped watching. Wanted to free up my TV schedule -- it's empty now with it being summer, but still.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
184
106
If anything, the '80s ruined it for me. Some fine fine shit came out of the '80s, but damn...
 

nickbits

Diamond Member
Mar 10, 2008
4,122
1
81
This might be my new favorite "me" show.. and I think it's better than Silicon Valley.
 

Hugh Jass

Golden Member
Nov 17, 2011
1,537
23
81
Not sure you can truly compare this to Silicon Valley.

One is a comedy and the other a serious drama.

And I enjoy both.
 

Leyawiin

Diamond Member
Nov 11, 2008
3,204
52
91
If anything, the '80s ruined it for me. Some fine fine shit came out of the '80s, but damn...

I loved the '80s. Then again, I was in my late teens through late 20s during them so what's not to love? Great music, college, cars, sex - everything was new and in copious amounts. :D
 

WaTaGuMp

Lifer
May 10, 2001
21,207
2,506
126
I really didn't need to see the scene with the 2 dudes making out, I don't care what the reason behind it was.
 

GoodRevrnd

Diamond Member
Dec 27, 2001
6,801
581
126
There is some really really hackneyed dialogue and forced drama in this show that makes it incredibly unwatchable at times. The premise and setting are good enough so I keep trying to give it a chance, but I dunno. They need to tone it down a bit. It's like they over pump it with "emotion" to distract joe popcorn from realizing he's watching a bunch of computer geeks.

Also, I keep wanting the lead to say "I'm an 80s guy!" like the Bonitis guy in Futurama lol
 

dank69

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
37,358
32,990
136
There is some really really hackneyed dialogue and forced drama in this show that makes it incredibly unwatchable at times. The premise and setting are good enough so I keep trying to give it a chance, but I dunno. They need to tone it down a bit. It's like they over pump it with "emotion" to distract joe popcorn from realizing he's watching a bunch of computer geeks.

...
Yup, that pretty much sums up my take on it. One of the reasons I try to avoid TV dramas. :p
 

GoodRevrnd

Diamond Member
Dec 27, 2001
6,801
581
126
I was really hoping for a show that maybe explored conflict between fast and loose 80s business culture and computer/engineering culture. Instead, we got roid raging homoerotic Steve Jobs.