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Halt and Catch Fire |OT| Starring Lee Pace - Sundays 10/9c - S1 now on Netflix
- Thread starter TheOddOne
- Start date
- Status
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
I can't believe this is lower than Rubicon or Hell on Wheels or Turn or whatever other AMC shows people don't pay attention to. Low Winter Sun I can understand getting better ratings because of AMC trying its hardest to get Breaking Bad fans to watch it.
It's super, super bad. I loved the pilot, but the last two have been horrible. Below Scandal quality.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
It is though.
Hell on Wheels actually pulls in decent ratings - 2+ million per episode (L+SD).
Turn averaged around 1-1.5 million.
Low Winter Sun, around 1.2 million. (especially bad because it had the fucking massive final season of Breaking Bad as its lead in)
Rubicon was at 1.1 million.
Halt and Catch Fire, on the other hand, is currently averaging 980K viewers per episode.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
Goddamn, brutal.
JaseMath
Member
I don't think it's that bad. It's predictable, sure, the characters don't seem super captivating yet, and there needs to be some light-heartedness inserted somewhere (anywhere), but I'll give it at least two more episodes to start to make good on the promise of the pilot. The one thing that does really bother me is Joe, who has gone from supervillain swag to non-factor in two episodes.
I guess the saving grace for me is that, as a child of the 80s, I really, really like the source material.
smokeandmirrors
Banned
This show really needs to stop trying to be this great drama and just be a goddamn show about hacking together a computer.
That title sequence tho.
That title sequence tho.
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Yeah. And this is going to sound like a terrible complaint. I understand that social media is a huge part of promoting shows these days, but liking this show on Facebook ended up being a huge mistake. Like they'll post something about taking The Ultimate Halt & Catch Fire Fan Quiz and I'm thinking "Really...the show only has three episodes, what is there even to quiz about?!" It just feels unearned. Like AMC is trying to make you think its more popular than it is. Yeah a stupid complaint on my end.
They really need to not be so serious 100% of the time. There is almost no comedic relief and the show suffers for it.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
A lot of channels do this with their shows though.
CreeperBlocks
Banned
Ill probably watch the 4th episode on Demand. The thing that super fucking bugs me in this show is Cameron, She's supposed to be smart but all shes been doing is fucking around in her office and Banging Lee Pace's Character.. It feels like they are painting her character like a Female Jessie Pinkman, But it doesn't work.
Discotheque
Banned
i actually enjoyed this episode. the wife is the best character. the rest are either fools or just boring.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
I thought that was an improvement over the last two episodes.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
I'm out. Donna and Gordon are the most interesting characters, but even an episode focused on them falls flat. It felt like manufactured drama, and then it turns out it actually is manufactured drama, blah. More wold schemes by Joe, still nothing interesting about him or Cameron.
RangersFan
Member
I want to bail out but my extreme OCD to finish seasons of shows I starts will make me finish out the season. I finished Turn as well, I hope both get cancelled so I won't feel compelled to continue to watch both shows. Cameron is the worst, I hate every scene with her in it.
It takes a lot for me to quit on a show. Only shows in recent memory that I was able to quit on was Heroes and Revolution.
It takes a lot for me to quit on a show. Only shows in recent memory that I was able to quit on was Heroes and Revolution.
I mostly like the show, but it has one MAJOR problem:
The "sexy but troubled hacker chick" character is fucking awful and pointless, and there's almost nothing they can have her do that's interesting, because how do you show someone alone in a room writing code in a way that doesn't bore your casual audience without going into 90's movie "3D Internet world" mode (and this is too early for that in any case)....
The "sexy but troubled hacker chick" character is fucking awful and pointless, and there's almost nothing they can have her do that's interesting, because how do you show someone alone in a room writing code in a way that doesn't bore your casual audience without going into 90's movie "3D Internet world" mode (and this is too early for that in any case)....
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
That matches most of my issues.
I'm mad because I want to like it, and the potential is huge.
the_firewithin
Member
I'm getting close to done. Cameron spiraling after every little hiccup is getting annoying
Glad to hear I'm not missing anything by skipping this one.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
The potential is there, moments are there, and the style and ambiance is there.
I'm not quitting because it's bad so much as I'm constantly frustrated that it's squandering it's promise, and it's not entertaining enough to watch as "bad TV" like Arrow or Doctor Who or a sitcom.
You aren't.
It's a damn shame. There is so much promise in the show's premise, and the actors are talented, but the showrunners, writers, and directors don't know what the hell they're doing.
Yeah, definitely agree with both of you. Hopefully this is the episode where every character turns around and stops being their stupid selves. It looks like we got some of that at the end.
This was definitely the best episode since the pilot, not saying much, but episodes 2 and 3 were really just out there and not really useful in any way in comparison.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
It's more of the same, so if you're into it, it's a consistent show.
I can't handle the Joe McMillan con ride anymore. It's so unearned and melodramatic. Every single episode he's doing the sort of shit that other shows would have similar characters only pulling once a season when they got finally desperate enough. I guess it's the show's gimmick, and we were all conned into thinking there was more to this.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
The Killing isn't bad though.
metsallica
Member
The Killing had two awful seasons and one great one. Overall it may still trend bad but that remains to be seen.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Not really. The first two seasons weren't horrible, just uneven.
Cornballer
Member
- Molly Lambert for Grantland: Cameron From Halt & Catch Fire, and the Legacy of Female Badasses in the 80s
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
Everything after the 3rd or 4th episode of season 1 was horrible. I didn't see season 2.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Horrible is a very strong word, and one that I wouldn't use to describe The Killing. Even the latter parts of the first season, with the endless red herrings and whatnot, weren't horrible. The acting, atmosphere, and individual character moments were always very well done even if the plot got away from them for a time.
Episode 4 - 844K viewers 0.3 A18-49
Up a bit from last week but still horrible.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
I guess I don't watch enough bad television. Agreed that the acting and atmosphere were excellent. The plot was just so, so, so bad it really left a bad taste. You're right, if it were outright horrible I wouldn't have finished the season.
metsallica
Member
I think maaaybe Ratsky killed Rosie Larsen?
The Interrobanger
Member
Watched the pilot last night. Loved it. Will continue to see where it goes.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
You should halt. I adored the pilot, too.
The Interrobanger
Member
We'll see...
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
I actually enjoyed the latest episode. Strongest one we've seen since the pilot. I'm still willing to stick with this show now.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
I wasn't planning on watching this show until I saw if Season 1 survived or not, but AMC was on at the gym, so I wound up watching most of the most recent episode (I think). It's the one where the BIOS gets fried and Glasses Guy's Sexy Wife comes and fixes it.
Thoughts:
Sexy Wife was the best character on this episode
Hacker Chick (Cameron?) seemed like a stereotype of underground hacker chicks with maladjusted social problems. Boring.
Lee Pace was pretty good as Joe. But why'd he get his ass kicked by cops at the end?
Who the fuck was that dude hanging around in Glasses Guy's house with a shotgun?
Why is Joe such a dick?
It was certainly watchable. I may check the rest of the season out when it wraps up if it survives for a Season 2. But watching this, I felt like it'd be more interesting if it was about Glasses Guy's Sexy Wife. She seemed to be the most compelling character.
Thoughts:
Sexy Wife was the best character on this episode
Hacker Chick (Cameron?) seemed like a stereotype of underground hacker chicks with maladjusted social problems. Boring.
Lee Pace was pretty good as Joe. But why'd he get his ass kicked by cops at the end?
Who the fuck was that dude hanging around in Glasses Guy's house with a shotgun?
Why is Joe such a dick?
It was certainly watchable. I may check the rest of the season out when it wraps up if it survives for a Season 2. But watching this, I felt like it'd be more interesting if it was about Glasses Guy's Sexy Wife. She seemed to be the most compelling character.
Rafa=FedKilla
Banned
Yep. Kerry Bishe's character is the most compelling.
Mercury Fred
Banned
The only way I'm able to watch this show is to tell myself that the showrunner is going full 80s period by making the plot points, twists and characterization as cheesy and hokey as a low budget 80s action movie.
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Yeah I would probably have to say that Donna is my favorite character at the moment. She seems the most sensible.
Yeah I don't know what the deal with the shotgun guy was. I thought they were implying he was waiting there to shoot Gordon or something...but then you'd think Cameron would maybe mention that, even if it meant admitting what she was up to.
Joe is just so ridiculous I don't even know what to say about him. Oddly enough, he has become the closest thing to an actual antagonist in the show. Everything that has gone wrong so far is a direct result of his actions.
Yeah I don't know what the deal with the shotgun guy was. I thought they were implying he was waiting there to shoot Gordon or something...but then you'd think Cameron would maybe mention that, even if it meant admitting what she was up to.
Joe is just so ridiculous I don't even know what to say about him. Oddly enough, he has become the closest thing to an actual antagonist in the show. Everything that has gone wrong so far is a direct result of his actions.
You missed the first 3 episodes? The pilot is good, but next two are MEH, but kinda set up what goes down here.
Basically:
Joe is just a fucking sociopath and basically piggybacked onto Cardiff to get them to build an IBM clone PC. This is what happens in the pilot. This is why when there is that scene at the ranch, it's actually the founder (Cardiff) and the Sales VP talking, and Cardiff is making sure that Joe isn't the one in charge of the project, that John is. So basically the SVP kinda arranged for Joe to get the shit kicked out of him to remind him who's really in charge. Basically.
Glasses Guy actually worked with Gordon on the PC project until he fired him last episode (despite initially keeping him on). It's his neighbour, iirc he was super chipper and a brown-noser to Gordon, who is the lead engineer on the clone PC project.
Also Joe is a dick because ~~mysterious Don Draper like qualities they don't want to reveal to us just yet~~
Except he isn't as good as Draper because right now he's pretty much just straight up a philistine and has no real talent to back up his shit other than what he knows that can fool most people.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Oh. I see. So basically, 1980s Mad Men, just not as good.
This show seems like it would be far more interesting with Sexy Wife as the protagonist.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
He saw Cameron break into their house so he came after her with a shotgun, thinking she was an intruder.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
Amen. Or her and Gordon both.
JaseMath
Member
I thought he was murderous and drunk and mistook Cameron for Gordon. Could be wrong.
Pai Pai Master
Banned
Nah, we saw earlier that he wasn't doing much else but standing outside waiting for Gordon to leave/come home. So he probably saw Cameron enter thinking she was a burglar.
I liked the latest episode, seems we finally have some moving pieces, I felt the show was treading water until now. Cameron is the worst part of the show so I hope she either goes as soon as her job is done or she gets more to do than stand around looking like the clichéd stifled genius.
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