AMC's Halt and Catch Fire

[Push The Button]

Although I enjoy this show for the most part, I fear this season may be its last. Seems every other episode's plot is "OMG, what happened to the network? Where's Mutiny? Our poor subscribers can't log on!! Were finished!!"

If anyone remembers A Gifted Man, its premise was about a really great (and butthole) of a neurosurgeon (played by Patrick Wilson) who's dead ex wife would regularly visit him from beyond the grave. The show started out to be interesting. But soon every other episode had an old friend of the doc fall ill when visiting him, and he would save them just in time. The show limped along to the end of the first season and was cancelled.

Maybe some shows would be better off as miniseries if there aren't enough episode ideas to sustain a full season. I dunno, just my opinion.

I think that the producers never expected to get a second season, as the season one ratings were pretty dismal, and they really didn't have a good idea of what season two should be about. Having Joe off in his own storyline for most of the season was a mistake. I do like how Bosworth was able to grow as a character, he is sort of the Mike Ehrmentraut of this series, a relatively minor player that came into his own and became a fan favorite.

Unfortunately, some of the technical inaccuracies took me out of the story a few times. They really needed a 50-ish year old engineer/tech/computer geek to serve as a technical advisor.

Instead of being essentially a multi-line dialup BBS, Mutiny should have been churning out text adventures and arcade games on disk for the C=64, Atari 400/800, and the Apple II, there were plenty of small (and successful) companies in the 80s that were doing that.


I hope we get a third season, but I'm not betting on it.

 

[auntiehill]

I really do love these characters but the plot is definitely meandering. Not having Joe involved with the others as much has been both a blessing and a curse. Yes, he is a megalomaniac bastard, but he also motivates the others, drives them by pushing them forward, or just away from him.

If we can get all four of them together (perhaps at Joe's new start-up?), then things might begin to gel and feel less scattered. This whole season seems like set-up for something; I'm hoping that it eventually pays off--assuming that the show even gets another season to do it.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Just caught the episode, that was one of the best they have done. A high Joe is an awesome Joe. I think I have a little piece of what's going to happen. I imagine they will use Gordon's "virus" on Wheelers company, at least I sure hope so.

 

[Push The Button]

Is anyone else disappointed that Sweet Dreams wasn't actually used for the show's theme song? AMC used in all the pre-first-season premiere teaser commercials.

And I agree, Gordon's virus may play an important role before the end of the season.

 

[sojourner]

Nope, they had no intention to use that for the opening theme.

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/halt-and-catch-fire/

 

[ALF]

What I find I love most about this show's opening theme is the fact that I can see it once or a million times and I still feel the same way about it... hard to explain for sure. It's just a bunch of weird sounds and shapes and it's over in like 12 seconds. Pretty awesome and genius, really. Perfect match for the tone of the show.

 

[sojourner]

I'd like a version of it as a screensaver.

 

[Push The Button]

I think I have a little piece of what's going to happen. I imagine they will use Gordon's "virus" on Wheelers company, at least I sure hope so.

You called it.

 

[sojourner]

Not since Seinfield has the search for a car in a parking garage been so compelling.

 

[ALF]

Last night was awesome but I'm still floored by the magnitude of last week's (S02E08) when all the shit hit the fan. It was terrific TV and I hope this series has at least another year in it. Not prepared to say goodbye to this time and these characters next week.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Finally just got to watch this past Sundays episode, that was without a doubt the single, best episode this show has done. There was so much going on but never crumbled under the weight. Never felt slow or moving to fast. A lot of payoff in this one. Bos has to be simply one of the best adjunct characters. Forget Call Saul, Boz deserves his own show. It saddens me to no end, that we are coming to the end of this show. I know its not official but I just don't see how this is going to get renewed.

 

[ALF]

Forget Call Saul, Boz deserves his own show. It saddens me to no end, that we are coming to the end of this show. I know its not official but I just don't see how this is going to get renewed.

Yeah. These numbers suggest half a mil. It's fucking agonizing when you consider all the other brain-dead shows out there getting renewed... and that's even just on AMC!

If it survives into season 3?

"Lisco believes the show can go much further and quipped that the 80s-era drama could even overtake the present day time period if given a seven-season run, per THR:

We’re grateful to our loyal audience and if they continue to support us, hopefully we’ll get to do many more seasons of the show. By season seven, we have a joke in the writers’ room that it’ll be 2020 and we will do a show that is set in a time period that surpasses a time that we’re currently in. Anything is fair game.

Originally posted: http://seriable.com/halt-and-catch-fire-season-3-beyond-plans-confirmed/#ixzz3hF14OFdl"

 

[Push The Button]

Forget Call Saul, Boz deserves his own show. It saddens me to no end, that we are coming to the end of this show. I know its not official but I just don't see how this is going to get renewed.

Yeah. These numbers suggest half a mil. It's fucking agonizing when you consider all the other brain-dead shows out there getting renewed... and that's even just on AMC!

If it survives into season 3?

"Lisco believes the show can go much further and quipped that the 80s-era drama could even overtake the present day time period if given a seven-season run, per THR:

We’re grateful to our loyal audience and if they continue to support us, hopefully we’ll get to do many more seasons of the show. By season seven, we have a joke in the writers’ room that it’ll be 2020 and we will do a show that is set in a time period that surpasses a time that we’re currently in. Anything is fair game.

Originally posted: http://seriable.com/halt-and-catch-fire-season-3-beyond-plans-confirmed/#ixzz3hF14OFdl"

Most of the characters would be at or around retirement-age in 2020, but I'd still watch.

 

[Push The Button]

Season two finale tonight, which once again may also be the series finale if AMC pulls the plug.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

I'm actually going to watch it live tonight and not just off the DVR at some future point. Considering that AMC has green lit additional seasons to almost every show around Halt, it doesn't bode well for the show.

 

[ALF]

Awesome ending, whether season or series.
My some miracle if this gets renewed, the third season would so fascinating. There is a real mysticism to this show - such an underrepresented period. I was looking forward to the invasion of the 3.5" floppies.

Jesus, Gordon is such a sad character.

 

[sojourner]

Subtle thing with Cameron's hair being tied back in the final scenes as opposed to the rat's nest she's had all season. She's finally getting her act together.

 

[Push The Button]

If it ends here, I can live with that. Except for the Tom/Cameron relationship, we have closure on just about everything else. Mutiny becomes AOL, and Joe founds M(a)cAfee. Windows 3.1 and the Web are just around the corner, and soon everyone will own a computer and connect with each other online. It was an exciting time, and I'm thankful that HCF was able to bring a little of it back, however hamfisted and imperfect that it was at times.

 

[Roshi]

That look on Bosworth's face when he was in the board room!
It's almost as if he wanted to scream:

 

[Galileo7]

Awesome ending, whether season or series.
My some miracle if this gets renewed, the third season would so fascinating. There is a real mysticism to this show - such an underrepresented period. I was looking forward to the invasion of the 3.5" floppies.

Jesus, Gordon is such a sad character.

Agree. Hope there is a season 3!