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Halt and Catch Fire

nitewulf

Member
Nov 29, 2017
7,195
Ok, how come I wasn't aware of this show before? Just started watching on Netflix. It started off a bit slow but quickly picked up pace. I can't stress how insanely good the acting is, by all the main characters, and the guest characters. It's something you don't even realize unless you actively concentrate on it.

I mean some of it is overly dramatized for effect and a bit outlandish but it's really good so far (about 5 episodes in).
 
JamesQuall

JamesQuall

Member
Oct 27, 2017
749
You are in for a treat. It only gets better, and the last 2 seasons are up there with television's best. It came and went quietly, but it's very highly acclaimed by critics.

Now that it's on Netflix I am telling everyone I know to give it a go.
 
Nif

Nif

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
1,716
It was fantastic. I especially liked season 1, but a lot of people enjoy the later seasons more.
 
SchrodingerC

SchrodingerC

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,857
Halt and Catch Fire is AMC's Dark Horse imo. The show hits the ground running in season 2 and continues to build the momentum til the very end.
 
Sleve McDichael

Sleve McDichael

Avenger
Oct 28, 2017
1,758
I just added it to my watchlist a few days ago, it's one I've been wanting to watch for a while. I think I'll start it once I'm done with Hi Score Girl.
 
aerie

aerie

wonky
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
8,033
I've had some folks recommend it to me and it's rather high on my list. It'll just be whenever the hell I actually find the time to sit down and watch something.

Nice to see everyone being so positive on it.
 
Rover

Rover

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,417
I loved the entire show and have been trying to shill it everywhere. S1 hooked me with its process of building a thing, but it just gets better and better as it moves through different eras and the characters grow as people.
 
kevin1025

kevin1025

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,773
One of the very best. It's one that builds and builds, and is well worth a rewatch a few years later, too.
 
Night Hunter

Night Hunter

Member
Dec 5, 2017
2,795
OP you are in for an absolute treat. Much like The Americans it was pretty overlooked when it aired, but it's one of the best shows to come out of the last decade.
 
Rover

Rover

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,417
Also, once you get into the show, they made some official Spotify playlist for each character that are really well curated, as is the music in the show itself.
 
Paganmoon

Paganmoon

Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,586
dropped it sometime in season 2. was too much of a soap, too much jumping back and forth between behaviors. Thought it had potential though.
 
Jag

Jag

Member
Oct 26, 2017
11,669
This has been on my list, but wondering if my wife would like it since she wasn't into the tech area like I was back then.
 
Azriell

Azriell

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,109
Watched a few years ago. One of my favorite shows ever. Been thinking about a rewatch at some point when I have more time.
 
JamesQuall

JamesQuall

Member
Oct 27, 2017
749
Rover said:
Also, once you get into the show, they made some official Spotify playlist for each character that are really well curated, as is the music in the show itself.
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I was Shazam-ing most of the show. It was awesome hearing all that 80s Texas punk like Big Boys and the Dicks and it really helped set the scene for that first season.
 

Werd

The Fallen
Oct 28, 2017
470
I felt like the plot and character arcs are a bit all over the place from season to season, but the dialog/characters carry it to still be very good.
 
Tukarrs

Tukarrs

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,815
I think it's a great show that illustrates how people shouldn't worship tech billionaires and ceos. For every tech innovation, there's a dozen other groups working on the same thing. It's just that for a variety of reasons not necessarily due to brilliance that some succeeded while others failed.
 
Zodzilla

Zodzilla

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,233
It's a flat out great show (maybe one of best theme songs/title sequences of all time?), but it really hits its stride from the second season onwards. The first season is kind of trapped in trying to be "tech Mad Men". They get a better hold of character dynamics from the 2nd season on and the central relationship between Mackenzie Davis and Kerry BishƩ is the best part of the show.
 
Masterblaster

Masterblaster

Member
Nov 13, 2017
279
You are in for a great time. One of my favorite shows of the past 5 years. Great cast. Loved the vibe of the whole show. Also has one of the best openings and in general great score.

Altough many say that S1 is not as good as later seasons i personally disagree. For me S1 was equally as strong and captivating as the later ones. Admitadly the shouty drama was a bit forced here and there but thankfully later on that gets toned down.

Also S1 had some of my favorite scenes like this one.

Spoiler for S1E09

 
Rad Bandolar

Rad Bandolar

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,036
SoCal
If you like it now, wait until Season 2.

Also has one of the most satisfying conclusions of any TV show. I grew up during the time that's being dramatized, and I was also into the scene throughout the entire period they cover, but when that last season hits the very early web, I felt the actual pang of nostalgia in a way that I've rarely experienced. That actual homesick feeling.

And combine that with these characters and where they're at and gone through when watching that final season, and it's just *chef's kiss*

I love this show. One of my all time faves.
 
Threadkular

Threadkular

Member
Dec 29, 2017
2,415
I really wish I could watch that show again for the first time and it only gets better after Season 1.
 
Midas

Midas

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,535
Just chiming in, love this show as well. Glad that I found it. The soundtrack also hit the right notes all the time.
 
Nightfall

Nightfall

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,959
Germany
It's one of the best shows ever made and doesn't get nearly the love it deserves.
I still have hope for a full series box set on blu-ray....

I will quote myself from another thread:
It is one of my favorite shows of all time. The first season is probably the worst.
It's really accurate from a technical standpoint but the standouts are the characters. Everyone has an ark, everyone is believable, everyone is likeable and the emotional payoff at the end is so so good.
I wept like a baby when the series came to an end.
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www.resetera.com

LTTP: Halt and Catch Fire - did you see this underrated gem?

It is one of my favorite shows of all time. The first season is probably the worst. It's really accurate from a technical standpoint but the standouts are the characters. Everyone has an ark, everyone is believable, everyone is likeable and the emotional payoff at the end is so so good. I wept...
www.resetera.com www.resetera.com
 

Coolverine

Member
May 7, 2018
1,069
I like that more people are coming around to discovering this. I caught it when it aired. But I find it funny the OP exclaims "why did I not hear about this show?!", when like once or twice a year we get a LTTP or some variant thread of a user discovering it and saying how much they dig it.
 
DirtyLarry

DirtyLarry

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,112
Nif said:
It was fantastic. I especially liked season 1, but a lot of people enjoy the later seasons more.
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Just for the record, I am with you. I thought Season 01 was by far the best. Like I am not even sure how it is a question.
However it was a great show all the way through.
Criminally slept on and glad you discovered it OP.
Funny thing is I recommended it to SO many people and never had a single one come back to me saying they enjoyed it or even watched it.
 
OP
OP

nitewulf

Member
Nov 29, 2017
7,195
I'm also an 80's kid, so the period/era obviously is close to my heart. I am in love with the punk soundtrack (obviously the synth stuff as well), I believe I recognized Richard Hell and the Voidoids. I love the Texas aesthetic which is not something I would say normally. You wouldn't expect a tech show in Dallas, but there it is, and it works.

Zodzilla said:
It's a flat out great show (maybe one of best theme songs/title sequences of all time?), but it really hits its stride from the second season onwards. The first season is kind of trapped in trying to be "tech Mad Men". They get a better hold of character dynamics from the 2nd season on and the central relationship between Mackenzie Davis and Kerry BishƩ is the best part of the show.
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I could easily see that, these are strong, likable characters. Plus I LOVED Mackenzie in San Junipero....she's amazing.
 
Blackie

Blackie

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,643
Wherever
One of my favorite shows recently, but some of the sad stuff really made me sad and disappointed for certain characters, especially towards the end. I am a big softy :(
 
ElfsborgEra

ElfsborgEra

Member
Jan 28, 2020
70
Just you wait! YouĀ“ll be bawling like a baby when itĀ“s over that itĀ“s over and because of the ending. Trust me.
 
ElfsborgEra

ElfsborgEra

Member
Jan 28, 2020
70
Pace is just so charming and charismatic that it always amazes me that heĀ“s not the lead in more shows. He oozes charisma.
 
show me your skeleton

show me your skeleton

#1 Bugsnax Fan
Member
Oct 28, 2017
15,620
skeleton land
when they pivot away from thinking joe is the coolest character ever (season 2 onward) man does that show get Really Good.

season 4 hits me hard due to my own personal nostalgia for the early internet. beautiful show.
 
HaL64

HaL64

Member
Nov 3, 2017
1,821
Probably my favorite TV series.
Wxcept for the antivirus stuff they fairly accurately portrayed this time period. The reverse engineering the bios, time sharing, BBS stuff, Comdex, beginning of ISPs, NES test market, etc. Of course this is awesome for those of us gen-xers who lived through it. But did make me sad I was about 10 years too late to actually be a part of the building of it.
Not to spoil too much, but the show is ultimately about learning through failure. Over and over again.
It's really great. It's fun to watch again as season 1 is better the 2nd time since you know the characters.
I hadn't seen many of the actors before, except Lee Pace... which helped with the immersion. The characters felt like real people.
After it was over I saw Bosworth in another show and I was like "Oh look its Bos!" was sad that it wasn't actually him. šŸ˜Š


Oh wait I did recognize her. Perfectly cast 90s girl!
Anna-Chlumsky-Halt-And-Catch-Fire.jpg
 
steejee

steejee

Member
Oct 28, 2017
8,605
Echoing the sentiment that while S1 is just okay, the rest is fantastic and some parts retroactively improve S1.
 
skeezx

skeezx

Member
Oct 27, 2017
20,131
was under the assumption this was some C tier AMC show then i watched it on a lark on netflix a year or two ago...

hooooly shit.

i'm kind of glad it never particularly "took off" as 4 seasons was perfect for it
 
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