You’re probably perusing this review on a PC or phone screen now, idylly passing the time, overlooking what a technological marvel you have in front of you, something that only a decade or so ago was out of the reach of many. Back in the 80s the silicon revolution took hold with companies like IBM, HP, Intel, and others vying for dominance and in some cases resorting to underhand tactics to do so. Halt and Catch Fire is AMC’s effort to show you how cut-throat and fascinating this era was.
The show chronicles the tech company Cardiff Electric in the 1980s and their efforts to get into the personal computing business, a move prompted by the efforts of a former IBM sales executive Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace), who while working for the Texas-based company pushes the reluctant engineer Gordon Clark (Scoot McNairy) to reverse engineer IBM’s BIOS system. To avoid legal ramifications they setup a development division to develop their own system and hire the talented but young Cameron Howe (Mackenzie Davis) to work on it.
Like AMC’s most cherished offering Mad Men, Halt and Catch Fire tells of a fictional company positioned at the epicenter of a industry during one of its more interesting eras; instead of advertising, here it’s the tech sector at the advent of the personal computer. “Halt and Catch Fire” (HCF) refers to computer machine code instructions that cause a computer’s CPU to cease meaningful operation. The chip doesn’t literally “catch fire,” but for all intents and purposes it self destructs. This is a running theme within the show as the efforts of the central cast to create something take the company to the verge of financial ruin as well as cause havoc within their personal lives.
Pace’s character McMillan is something of a Don Draper type, a savvy salesman who knows people more than the tech. He’s more akin to a used car salesman at times, but like Don, something of a tortured past is dragging him down. Clark is a often overlooked tech whizz whose work was ahead of its time, dismissed, and ultimately led to him ending up in a mundane, downtrodden tech position. Cameron Howe is a punk toying with an anarchist crowd, and despite wanting to “stick it to the man,” is relishing the challenge of the work, and the paycheck.
There is a focus on the three, a small core cast, that allows a lot of depth to be built up and provides a surprisingly large amount of conflict to drive the storylines along. It’s interesting to see the emotional side of these nerdy techs being explored as well as the more savvy operators in the business. What is to be applauded about Halt and Catch Fire is that in depicting an industry still dominated by men, it attempts to redress this imbalance by showing how independent a woman can be, as well as how a supportive wife can be a crucial driving force and as smart as her husband. While Cameron is the more visible strong female character, special mention must be made for Clark’s wife (played by Kerry Bishé) who as the season progresses becomes one of the more recognized players in the schemes of Cardiff Electric and rightly gets credit for her input, a smart engineer herself.
While fictional characters, the story is woven into the reality of the tech business at the time very successfully; nerdier viewers will recognize names, companies, and technology scattered throughout the show while those on the less “techy” side can simply immerse themselves in the human element explored. The production values are great, attention to detail impressive, and backed up by some great use of music to craft a 80s vibe throughout. The show does take a little time to get going, but as the season progresses the advances, threats, and relationships deepen. There is certainly potential for the show to kick-on to great heights. As it stands, it is a focused affair that some may find hard to get into or find relatable, but it’s worth the time and effort.
THE PACKAGEThe show is true to its 1980s setting and represented well in this transfer. Warm earthy tones dominate amidst the grey of the office setting and the detail and color balance come across well with not visible issues.
The set contains all 10 episodes of the first season, a UV digital copy of the show, and a number of extras all contained on a third disc. This includes a 5–6 minute episode-by-episode summary and discussion. Also included are three short featurettes: Re-Making the 80s, looking at the production side of the show including sets, wardrobe, props, etc.; Rise of the Digital Cowboys, looking at the Texas setting and influence upon the show; and finally Setting the Fire: Research and Technology, looking at the real history and progress of the tech industry in Texas and how it was folded into the show.
THE BOTTOM LINEDespite what to some could be considered a unengaging plot to drive a show, it wisely focuses on on the human element. It meshes together many of the characters who drove the silicon revolution: the sales people, the engineers, and the visionaries. Halt and Catch Fire is smartly written with great acting and fantastic production design and warrants the time needed to appreciate the end product. A great presentation of a smart show and well worth checking out before the second season begins.
Halt and Catch Fire is available on Blu-ray from May 5th.