Author Topic: Halt and Catch Fire - New AMC Series (Read 2929 times)

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **on:** June 3, 2014, 03:18:51 am »

Anyone else catch this? Premiered Sunday night and I just got around to watching it, but I quite enjoyed it. Set in Texas in the early 80's, it had elements reminiscent of three of recent television's best offerings: Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and The Americans. It's about a couple guys (think Don Draper and Walter White) who work at a middling software company in Dallas and secretly attempt to reverse engineer industry giant IBM's PC.

I read that it didn't do too well in the overnight ratings, but I think it's got quite a bit of potential.

lostandfound · « **Reply #1 on:** June 3, 2014, 07:49:38 am »

I'm gonna catch it tonight hopefully. I've enjoyed recent AMC works so I have big hopes for it.

sideshowme · « **Reply #2 on:** June 5, 2014, 03:44:27 am »

didn't really do anything for me. the subject matter is so unglamorous that the attempt to make it dramatic almost seemed like a basic cable drama spoof at times.

the walter white/don draper comparisons are spot on based on the pilot, but they appear to have been taken off the peg, like someone at AMC thought "by this time next year we'll have lost both our two best written, most successful shows... so let's take their main characters and put them together in another show about... whatever."

it didn't help that it chose to use some dreadful 80s music (unlike the americans, which got it right, musically). and the girl (presumably written with words like 'feisty' in mind) is incredibly annoying.

i'll watch a few more episodes to see if it improves, but it certainly wasn't an auspicious start.

Yiannis · « **Reply #3 on:** June 5, 2014, 10:37:56 am »

I found it interesting enough to go on watching it. Just a pilot though.

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #4 on:** June 6, 2014, 02:09:39 am »

Quote from: sideshowme on June 5, 2014, 03:44:27 am

didn't really do anything for me. the subject matter is so unglamorous that the attempt to make it dramatic almost seemed like a basic cable drama spoof at times.

the walter white/don draper comparisons are spot on based on the pilot, but they appear to have been taken off the peg, like someone at AMC thought "by this time next year we'll have lost both our two best written, most successful shows... so let's take their main characters and put them together in another show about... whatever."

it didn't help that it chose to use some dreadful 80s music (unlike the americans, which got it right, musically). and the girl (presumably written with words like 'feisty' in mind) is incredibly annoying.

i'll watch a few more episodes to see if it improves, but it certainly wasn't an auspicious start.

And you and I are back to form!

Quite liked the female engineer myself. Thought hers was one of the better performances of the episode, but it's obviously to early to make any definitive judgments. Agree on the music, but then again it's unfair to compare anything to The Americans when it comes to music because they're unparalleled in that department.

sideshowme · « **Reply #5 on:** June 6, 2014, 05:27:52 am »

Quote from: Vork+The Knights of Good on June 6, 2014, 02:09:39 am

And you and I are back to form!

Quite liked the female engineer myself. Thought hers was one of the better performances of the episode, but it's obviously to early to make any definitive judgments. Agree on the music, but then again it's unfair to compare anything to The Americans when it comes to music because they're unparalleled in that department.

though i can't recall exactly what the 'form' was. we disagreed on the decline of parks and rec, but other than that, don't we tend to agree? i watched this show purely based on the thread you started here.

the girl was one big cliche, and an annoying one at that. and the show's not even good at capturing the era. mad men makes me wish i was in the 60s. the americans does the same for the 80s. this just makes me glad that i was too young to remember that decade.

but still, it's only a pilot, complete with heavy exposition etc. maybe it'll improve.

also the title is VERY try-hard. mad men explained the title with a title card at the beginning too, but at least a) the title was snappy and cool anyway and b) the explanation was actually funny.

Vork+The Knights of Good · « **Reply #6 on:** June 6, 2014, 05:51:28 pm »

Quote from: sideshowme on June 6, 2014, 05:27:52 am

though i can't recall exactly what the 'form' was. we disagreed on the decline of parks and rec, but other than that, don't we tend to agree? i watched this show purely based on the thread you started here.

Oh we always come down on opposite sides of the fence, you and I. True Detective, Parks and Rec's "decline," minor plot points in The Americans. You're right, though, we tend to appreciate the same fare.

Quote from: sideshowme on June 6, 2014, 05:27:52 am

the girl was one big cliche, and an annoying one at that. and the show's not even good at capturing the era. mad men makes me wish i was in the 60s. the americans does the same for the 80s. this just makes me glad that i was too young to remember that decade.

but still, it's only a pilot, complete with heavy exposition etc. maybe it'll improve.

also the title is VERY try-hard. mad men explained the title with a title card at the beginning too, but at least a) the title was snappy and cool anyway and b) the explanation was actually funny.

That's an interesting point about the time period. Although, I think one could reasonably argue that your appraisal perhaps makes this the most accurate representation of the decade as nobody in his/her right mind should want to live in the 80's.

Yeah, not a huge fan of the title either, but I suppose it makes sense considering their actions in the pilot.

Yiannis · « **Reply #7 on:** October 3, 2017, 09:57:50 am »

Episode 7

Spoiler

Very well shot scene. Goddamn. I knew it was coming but heartbreaking.

[close]

The Gulleysucker · « **Reply #8 on:** October 3, 2017, 03:04:48 pm »

Wifey and I quite like it, we've slowly been working through the episodes over the last 18 months or so when there's nothing else to watch.

It's quite close in a broad paint pastiche way to much that we remember (we are both from that period in the industry) in the 70's and 80's when the technology was evolving incredibly quickly and people were taking risks on what would become dominant tech and make money.

red mongoose · « **Reply #9 on:** October 3, 2017, 06:44:12 pm »

Quote from: Yiannis on October 3, 2017, 09:57:50 am

Episode 7

Spoiler

Very well shot scene. Goddamn. I knew it was coming but heartbreaking.
[close]

Yep.

Spoiler

That was always on the cards, wasn't it? They handled it well, and shot it extremely well. I think they will get the band back together now and see out the re-launch.

[close]

I've always loved this show from the off, flaws and all, and that episode was a high mark.

Yiannis · « **Reply #10 on:** October 4, 2017, 10:40:54 am »

Lee Pace's character development is

Yiannis · « **Reply #11 on:** October 17, 2017, 01:06:39 pm »

We reached the end unfortunately. Lovely finish full of touching moments, painful truths and nostalgia.

RedSince86 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 17, 2017, 04:07:54 pm »

This last season is on my binge list.

Sad to see they will be no more.

Pistolero · « **Reply #13 on:** October 19, 2017, 06:44:06 pm »

the final half of the final season was superb..poignant and full of food for thought about life, love and friendship...had a proper satisfying finale too (something so many other shows have failed to do) beautifully written and gave a genuine sense of closure...probably the right time to call it a day - the arc of the story had reached something of a natural end - but have to say I'll miss the characters...they grew on me more and more as they matured and the seasons progressed ....

excellent, spot-on summary of the show in Wired magazine...includes spoilers so avoid if you're yet to see all episodes

https://www.wired.com/story/halt-and-catch-fire-finale-message/

Yiannis · « **Reply #14 on:** October 20, 2017, 10:17:02 am »

So happy they let them have a final season thus having a proper ending. IIRC it was too close to get the axe.

GinKop · « **Reply #15 on:** October 25, 2017, 01:28:05 pm »

Been watching this a while but only just getting to the end of season 3. Love this show. Every character is interesting and they nostalgic music, tech and culture hits you in the feels.

Not sure if mentioned as I have skipped last few messages on the thread in case of spoilers, but also has the best intro music for ages.

red mongoose · « **Reply #16 on:** October 25, 2017, 06:57:43 pm »

Quote from: GinKop on October 25, 2017, 01:28:05 pm

Been watching this a while but only just getting to the end of season 3. Love this show. Every character is interesting and they nostalgic music, tech and culture hits you in the feels.

Not sure if mentioned as I have skipped last few messages on the thread in case of spoilers, but also has the best intro music for ages.

This and "Stranger Things" are monstrous for killing you with nostalgia. I didn't even like heavy synth back then, but it really gets to me when I watch these.

Rattleduser · « **Reply #17 on:** October 26, 2017, 05:17:46 pm »

Binged on this last week, not sure why as it's a little tiresome at times. Season 4 left to watch and I'm just not that arsed, can understand it's appeal to some. Think I went in with the mindset of just getting it out of the way of backlog TV to watch.

RedSince86 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 30, 2017, 05:26:11 pm »

On episode 5 of season and i cannot believe what Cameron has just done in episode 4,every season she does something selfish that makes me want to jump through the screen......

I really hate Cameron Howe.

Seriously i have to say i've never hated a tv character as much as her,she's selfish,stubborn and and frustrating AF.

Yiannis · « **Reply #19 on:** October 31, 2017, 09:50:03 am »

Clam down lad.

The G in Gerrard · « **Reply #20 on:** September 6, 2020, 10:52:25 am »

Just started season 1. Not bad. The two male lead characters are unlikeable tho.