by Jon Partridge
The fist season of Silicon Valley was great and caught the attention of discerning viewers. But what truly ingrained the show into popular culture was a lengthy and elevated dick joke. This one scene truly encapsulates the smarts and the smutty nature of Mike Judge’s show, inspired by his work in the tech industry in the late ’80s.
New on Blu-ray, its second season follows the continued efforts of a tech startup, with its five naive developers trying to develop their software while also dealing with increasingly complicated business affairs and legal proceedings from a competitor. While the show sinks its teeth deeper into the satirical evisceration of Silicon Valley operations it remains insightful, clever, and hilarious, everything you’d expect from Judge.
SILICON VALLEY S2
After taking the tech world by storm last season at TechCrunch Disrupt, Richard and rest of the Pied Piper team — Erlich, Jared, Dinesh and Gilfoyle — look ahead to a bright and profitable future. But their success may be in jeopardy, thanks to big changes at Raviga, the company created by Peter Gregory, and Nucleus, the competing compression platform launched by Hooli CEO Gavin Belson.
In its first season, Silicon Valley skewered tech nerds and unscrupulous business types alike. The Pied Piper team formed their own startup, casting a light on the big technology company they leave behind as well as the the ins and outs of starting a new venture. As the first season developed this and showed the characters involved, the second season took a step forward in looking at the realities of the business world, exploring the highs and lows where one day you can be the next big thing, and the next you’re old news with little value or viability.
Sadly, during the filming of the first season, Christopher Evan Welch, who portrayed Pied Piper’s benefactor Peter Gregory, died. His performance cannot be overstated, and he is sorely missed, but the show tackles his loss head on. The reading of eulogies from fellow tech professionals provides a poignant reminder of how funny the actor was, but also turns it into a scene that offers one of the most hilarious and cutting critiques of the industry. His death is not without impact, providing the upheaval that drives the second season. Without his backing, the Pied Piper crew must seek alternate investment, finding a questionable relationship formed with an erratic billionaire (Chris Diamantopoulos, taking douchery to another level with his Russ Hanneman) to help fend off a lawsuit from their old company.
The cast is rife with talented comics. Thomas Middleditch makes an affable lead, thrust into learning what it takes to be a CEO in this cutthroat world. T.J. Miller was born to play Erlich, an abrasive, overly confident asshole stoner who is often the source of the more crass (and hilarious) moments. Supporting members of the Pied Piper team — Martin Starr, Kumail Nanjiani, and Zach Woods — each get their chance to shine and frequently provide the more memorable moments of the show through their trash-talking banter.
The cast is fairly male dominated though. Suzanne Cryer has the thankless task of replacing the Peter Gregory role as Laurie Bream, but plays it a little too similarly and suffers by comparison. Amanda Crew does fine but fleeting work as Monica, and Alice Wetterlund offers hope early in the season with a new cast addition as Carla, a new programmer at Pied Piper, although she soon slips into the background. Hopefully the third season expands the cast a little and brings a female into the tight knit fold, which would be a welcome move and open up a number of new dynamics within the cast.
The cast help with the comedy no doubt, but they are aided by very smart and incisive writing. Some jokes are niche “in-jokes” (think Zune and Apple Maps zingers), but many others are painted with broader strokes (dick jokes are a favorite). Subtle, smart humor mixes with the low brow; a standout example is Erlich’s prolonged showcase of “negging” (lowering someone else’s value to increase your own), albeit within a business context. It all amounts to a rather brilliant piece of satire, shining a spotlight on the ridiculousness of the tech industry and capitalism in general.
THE PACKAGE
As you’d expect, Silicon Valley looks great. A new show, shot on digital, unsurprisingly transfers well. Good contrast, details and colors with no artifacts present. California looks as vibrant as on screen as it does in real life.
The most notable special features are the six episode commentaries with either Mike Judge or writer/director Alec Berg hosting a number of cast members as they break down the episodes. Good camaraderie is evident and they are as you’d expect, full of funny exchanges and insights such as approaches to scenes, improvisation, and inspiration for plot lines or characters.
Several deleted scenes are included, but with short runtimes and little context provided their presence is more of a novelty than anything else. Finally, Reality Bytes: The Art & Science Behind Silicon Valley is a very short but nonetheless interesting look at the concept for the show and Pied Piper itself, the compression algorithm. Perhaps the most tech heavy content, it highlights an aspect of the show that deserves more credit. There is also a UV code for a digital copy of the season.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Considering how Season 2 of Silicon Valley had to incorporate the sad loss of a cast member, it’s surprising how deftly it was both dealt with and incorporated into the show’s narrative. As a result, we delve deeper into the characters, the tech business, and see the fallout from corporate wrangling all used to hilarious effect. The show continues to show its blend of smart, incisive satire with a nerdy, infantile streak. A solid release showcasing a brilliant piece of work from Mike Judge and HBO.
Silicon Valley Season 2 is available on Blu-ray and DVD on April 19th, 2016