"Halt and Catch Fire" tells about the birth of the corporate world in America between the 80s and the 90s, when big companies started to raise and new business values came up.

Let's start with the strongest element: its characters. Their development is simply amazing, it is always possible to see a gradual and constant evolution of their psychology, their actions and way of thinking change through time, depending on their personal experiences. They are influenced by one another, and their relationships will alter: some bounds will become stronger, friendships will be ruined, there will be many conflicts. Nothing feels rushed or all over the place: there is always a balance with the main storyline. Some characters, that at the beginning of the first season are really likeable, at the end of the series are very much annoying, and vice versa. Donna and Joe are the most obvious examples. The series does this gradually, in a very subtle way, or suddenly after a specific important or traumatic event, that change completely their perspective about life. You really care about them, even when they are not at their best moment.

Donna and Cameron are the perfect example about how Hollywood should build empowered female roles. These two women really work hard to get where they are, and nothing is gifted to them. They will have many difficult moments that they manage to overcome, but with a big personal sacrifice. For them is even harder, as the business world was at the time populated by mostly men, and there were a lot of prejudices about it. This is what I call good writing.

Episodes are really smooth and I never felt bored once. Every season add always new elements to the story and nothing feel redundant. There was an attention to details, how times change progressively, while the technology evolves. How ideas of the time actually contributed to create the world of today. The only flaw that I could find is that sometimes the series predict just too much about the future, almost like characters already know what is going to happen in the 2010s, period when the show was aired. I can understand that this aspect was fictionalized for story purposes, however creators put so much effort into details, but unfortunately they missed this one.

The cast is always on point, I especially appreciated the interpretation of Kerry Bishé, Lee Pace, Scott McNairy and Mackenzie Davis. Demonstration that you don't need famous actors to pull something good. I wish I can see them more often around in movies and series, they are very talented. I was also extremely surprised by Alana Cavanaugh, that nailed it in the fourth season as Hailey Clark.

It is a real pity that not a lot of people know about "Halt and Catch Fire". I wouldn't say that this is a cult series such as Mad Man, aired as well by AMC, but is getting really close and for sure is the perfect example about how screenwriters should compose a believable story. I guess it is because of treated topics: unfortunately there is not a big audience interested in technology and Venture Capitalists. A real pity, because this series a lot to offer beyond this.

This is the first show I have seen, and I've seen plenty, where after binging all four seasons in two weeks, I just started all over again.

One of the best drama series of all times. Can't remember when I last cried watching a TV series, but "Halt and Catch Fire" made me sob. Wonderful characters. Compelling mixture of fact and fiction. Great actors.

I lived through most of the computer history that is being presented in the plot-line, and I have to say: it is SPOT ON. I will remain a fan forever.

Back in the day. I used to think that was the wire, but I gained an audience and a cultural moment. Then I'd say it was the Americans, but while not enough people watched it, you can and will find those that saw it and / or at least people sort of remember the "Felicity is a Russia Spy" show.

This truly is it. The very best show no one really watched. I was one of them and no longer am. Due to life/kids/not being able to DL the episodes on Netflix, it just took me a while to get to it. But boy, when I did..

I've watched all the great peak TV shows. I'm not going to name them all. We all know them. I probably can't say this one was the absolute best.. but it's up there. Its the one I enjoyed the most and am saddest now that I've seen the last one and the journey is over. I will miss these guys.

Well done to those of you who created and acted in it. I will miss watching you in this world very much and now root for you in the other projects you endeavor in.

Man. what a great show. Thanks you,

One of the best written shows to have ever lasted 4 wonderful seasons. Amazing from start to finish. With seasons 1 & 4 being my personal favorites!

Yes, any score of 8 & above on IMDB usually means it's a damn good movie/show, but with this show, an 8 is just simply not good enough. Where were the critics with when this show was on the air? After finishing Better Call Saul on AMC, which we all know is one of the greatest shows on television, it got me thinking about what other great shows there are out there that I may have missed out on during their original run time. That's when a friend suggested this series, which also aired on AMC, way back in 2014, and man am I glad he did. To my surprise, I was stuck watching the whole first season in one sitting because I simply could not wait to see what happened next. In my opinion, that's what makes a really good show. One that you simply can not 'put down' like a good book, you have to keep reading to find out what happens because you are THAT hooked. It's like a drug in a sense. Well, needless to say this show did that to me Pretty instantly. I fell in love with all the characters, especially Joe, the Jason Bateman of the computer world. I love all the characters. I love this show. I can't believe how underrated & under the radar it is. What a special show. It should have gotten way more credit. If you shows like The Americans, BCS, Mad Men etc. this show is for you. It deserves your attention.

This is an incredibly intelligent drama on AMC, which in my opinion is better than Mad Men, and equal to some of the best dramas on this or any other network (including HBO).

The acting is A+. The characters come off as real people, with real feelings, and complicated motivations. Again, these characters really "pop" with the same clarity as any of the other great dramatic TV shows.

The sets (early 80s) are right on the money, and the writing is intelligent and clearly benefits from knowledge of those who lived and breathed the computer industry in the early 80s. But just like any of the great dramas, the show isn't really about computers (any more than Mad Men is about advertising, Friday Night Lights football, and so on). This is an original drama that really delivers, folks.

I am incredibly upset at the lack of ratings. I feel that AMC perhaps didn't promote the show properly, or maybe launching in the summer was a miss. If AMC will give this show real legs with a season 2 renewal, without a doubt this will climb the ranks as one of the next great TV shows and will have a healthy run. Please give it a chance!

*****

UPDATE - much to my surprise and joy, the show shall return next summer for Season 2! Maybe there is a god after all ...

*****

UPDATE #2 - unbelievable; Season 3 has been ordered! THANK YOU AMC! I am a believer in the AMC network; they have the balls and bills to keep an excellent show going, despite viewership that is not exactly strong (but the passion of the viewers that turn in is quite high). Can't wait!

...By a Brit ;) Sure it had some minor flaws and cliches, but it had a very important message about failure and finding inner strength to continue trying to find the next big thing.. and finding solace if not. Those of us who happen to work in startups especially in the tech arena can well relate to the characters and story lines, and for those that don't - it's all very much like that. Whether it's scrounging a lift to a conference to demo something because your company is in dire straits (or because the board doesn't approve) or seeing key people being asked to leave having inadvertently almost destroyed the thing they started to create...Halt tells the stories and is gripping start to end in a job well done. Farewell, great ride whilst it lasted.

I am in awe of the writing and the acting. This show epitomises the idea of character-driven. The emotional truth of the script and the actors is on a different plane to anything you might have seen. Comparisons with Mad Men and other shows are irrelevant. There is no comparison. These people are as real as fictional characters can get. The show is a deeply spiritual experience. Transcendental. Thank you.

After watching the pilot for this AMC series, I am interested in seeing more. The story is alleged to be largely true. It involves an unlikely trio who are bound together in an attempt to create a market-worthy personal computer. The year is 1983 and IBM rules the market.

First, there is Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace), a type A rainmaker from New York whose opinion of himself may only be eclipsed by his ability to sell anything to anybody. He lands a job at Cardiff Electric in Texas and promises to overhaul their sales figures. But does he have deeper, perhaps darker, plans?

Joe aligns himself with one of Cardiff's corporate drones, Gordon Clark (Scoot McNairy), an apathetic near-alcoholic who would seem to have nothing to offer. But Joe sees something in Gordon and challenges him to think beyond the meager circumstances of his conformist life. It's a dangerous gambit for Gordon, whose wife wants nothing more than conformity and reliability.

Joe also crosses paths with a young woman named Cameron Howe (Mackenzie Davis), a self-sufficient young woman who lives outside society's rules, though not very profitably. Though she is extremely experienced at working with computers and code, she spends her time playing video games in an arcade and scoffing at conformity and the rules of society. Physically, she reminds me of Mary Stuart Masterson in "Some Kind of Wonderful".

Each of the three may possess a particular kind of genius. Or they may just be destined losers; it is difficult to tell.

Joe's plan involves reverse engineering an IBM PC and then--well, it is difficult to tell just where his plan may lead them, but it will undoubtedly be a risky enterprise. Can he be the glue that holds this volatile team together? After watching the pilot for "Halt and Catch Fire", I am willing to watch and find out. It's a compelling premise and the actors are very watchable.

After you fire a shot across the bow of IBM, how do you keep them from raiding your enterprise?

Update: Now that I have watched a few episodes, I am happy to report that each of the various primary actors are being fleshed out and they have their own story lines and characteristics. Joe, as anticipated, is a force of nature.

Further update 6/30/14: There is good writing and there is writing so good you wish you had written it. H&CF falls into the latter class. I am upgrading my vote to 10.

From watching just one episode, I'm intrigued enough to watch another. Although I'm hardly a computer specialist, I do admit that I've always been fascinated by the technology. I'm old enough to remember when they were purchased for the workplace and you had to learn commands and operate A & B drives using floppy disks. No internet. Out with the secretaries and IBM selectrics. You had to write your own reports and letters.

One of my favorite books is Tracy Kidder's Soul of a New Machine, which won him all kinds of prizes, about the race to build the dream computer. So far, this show reminds me of that book.

Too early to judge whether this show will work out, but I liked the first episode.

I'm horrified by the idea I might not have seen it. EVER! in the first season Joe(Lee Pace) is the heart of the show. watching him is like watching train wreck. youre horrified/fascinated by his methods and you cant look away. lol. no seriously I started watching bc of Lee Pace and his..... passionate character. I could feel the energy, his willpower through the screen. (the scene at the end of ep 2, best acting I've seen) plus watching Joe create chaos and everyone running around like headless chickens is endlessly entertaining LMAO. at first Gordon was just spineless engineer and Donna was nagging mother and Cameron was wild card and Joe... well, Joe was manipulative ba$t*rd but as the show progressed the characters changed in the most realistic way. they matured! the writers offered real growth and change while maintaining the characters core. Gordon grow a spine but he remained a follower, a builder not a leader. Joe stopped being ba$tard but kept being manipulative. but the true power of the show is feminine power. Cameron and Donna were..... unique. it is unique for a show to focus on women that way. they gave the women the same attention and storylines they gave the men. they weren't just love interests! usually, I don't care to watch this type of shows bc we all know the end, we know the winners. those characters seem like they don't have future bc we already know the future. its bittersweet but it's worth it this time bc the story and the acting... aha the acting is formidable. insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. this show is insane bc no matter how many time you knock these ppl to the ground they try again.

Unlike most reviewers here, apparently I'm not a fan of soap operas. That's what Season 2-4 turned into. Season 1 had a great plot and a lot of energy and momentum even if some of the characters were extremely flawed and unlikable. But season 2 onward focused on unbelievably ridiculous character drama rather than an exciting plot. If you enjoy watching a show with characters which are self-destructive with few redeeming qualities, then seasons 2-4 might be your thing. For me, it was painful to watch such narcissistic, immature "adults" destroying their lives, their families, their friendships, their reputations, and their fortunes for the sake of ambition. Hollywood doesn't seem to be much interested in telling inspiring stories anymore, unless the message is "Hey, at least your life isn't as bad as *these* self-absorbed jerks!"

S1: 9/10 stars S2-4: 5/10 stars

I tried four episodes of this show and the ridiculous amount of blatant audience manipulation was just sickening. The main characters are Suit Guy, Average Programmer Guy and Hot Programmer Girl. Suit Guy waltzes into everything with a stupid amount of confidence even when he hasn't got a damn clue what's going on, and then goes home and cries every night at the realization of his own idiocy, if he isn't consoling his egotism by screwing whatever is available. Hot Programmer Girl is supposed to wow everybody because she's so hot, and bisexual, and duders think that's hot, and she stinks and that's hot, and cuts her hair short, and she's so hot, and she's a programmer who's crazy and stays up for days on speed or something, and she's so hot (even hotness gets as tiresome as hearing about it). Suit Guy screws her within minutes of the first episode, before we know who either one of them are. Average Programmer Guy is the only 'real' character who isn't relegated to the background, and his presence can't save this from the realm of 'most promise and least payoff' of anything I saw on TV that year. Real programmers who were alive during that era have said they see the show as a silly unfunny parody of those times, and that's exactly how it comes off.

Just watched the Pilot - pretty slick stuff. Nothing ground-breaking, but solid fundamentals all there - plot, acting, script, prod design, music, pacing (no pun intended, lol). Speaking of Pace, the guy has presence and this attractive intensity about him that makes for a dynamic character. Also, already showing good character development, good plot devices, and intrigue. I always found the history of the evolution of computers and the internet and cell phones to be fascinating, and this looks to be another engaging foray into that often inaccessible world. They even manage to explain the technical and legal jargon well enough. On an unrelated note, I can't get over the fact that I think Mackenzie Davis is a dead ringer for a young Robin Wright. Looks like she could be the American Lisbeth Salander albeit with just a tad bit less edge. Decent music too, and I love anything 80's anyways. Best TV techie show since the underrated TV movie Pirates of Silicon Valley. So good so far, looks like another winner for AMC.

This show catches the nostalgic momentum that so many of us old school geeks long for.

Why we got into computers to begin with. Why we spend extensive time playing with our electronics. Our type, we're here in abundance, and the need to get the word out that this is a "real" feel good reason why we got hooked to begin with... It often takes multiple seasons before you really catch the eye of a target group, but the production of HACF gets the attention of so many others in addition. Us, the geeks, we've just been waiting for a series that gets into the heart of why and how the society started with electronic niche needs... Just like Hackers and somewhat Silicon Valley HACF gives the feeling of consent and belonging from a time when the concept of using a computer for more than spreads was frowned upon.

The whole concept has so much to build on; the series can come together again. But it doesn't need to. Take any one of those paths at the end of the season, and there's a new story just waiting to be told. Keep it on the air. And if no, just know some other production is going to milk the concept!

Englevakten

A show with one of the best intros I've ever seen; this was a prelude of what was to come. Off the bat, the entire 80s nostalgia hits you hard. Lee, Gordon, and Cameron are the ultimate alter-egos and boy did the producers hit the nail on the digital head. The show has everything from corporate intrigue, personal rivalry, clashing visions, and historic technological developments. Over all I loved how they were able to stay loyal to the historic era from clothes to cars to hairstyles. To conclude this is a highly addictive story and character development is excellent. Very much looking forward to season 2, this is a must watch!!!

It is rare to find a series that one connects with on so many levels. It is rarer to completely fall in love with a series. Let me introduce you to Halt and Catch Fire. The world of the series is exciting: the birth of the tech revolution of the 1980s and 90s. But it is the characters that make this show what it is. The five main characters are all beautiful: flawed and imperfect, frustrating, inspiring and sometimes unlikeable. The dynamics between these people are breathtaking, and we ride the rollercoaster with them as they hit the inevitable peaks and valleys. These people are so accessible and it is impossible not to connect with each one. It is also impossible not to fall hopelessly in love with each of them. Just about every episode brought tears to my eyes, sometimes joyous, sometimes sad. I just finished the series and I am ready to watch it again with my kids. Too soon? Perhaps, but I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters, just yet.

Agree with all the other reviewer's who've lamented the lack of recognition this show has/had. I've come to this show 'late' as well, but sooooo glad I did....absolutely compelling television!

I love this show. Very smartly written and well acted. We've all seen shows with a charming, ruthless character but Joe Macmillan takes it to a new level. That's what the tryst with Lulu's boyfriend was all about in Ep. 3. No, Joe Macmillan is not gay, but he will do anything to win, including seducing the boyfriend to sabotage the deal with Lulu. That scene was misunderstood by most commenters.

Given how many mediocre shows (anything on USA network) and dumb "Real Housewives" reality TV and derivative cop shows are out there, I'm thrilled that "Halt" came along. I just hope that it makes it to a second season. I'm still not over "Rubicon" being canceled.

Working in the tech industry and remembering the days of the TRS-80 and Apple II+ I couldn't wait to see a Mad Men format for the dawn of technology. There's no need to give fact checks; like throwing out tech words that weren't in common use till 20 years later, they are fun to hear and imagine.

The 6.5 I'm giving THACF is a little rough, and can easily be improved as the season develops. The ding in score is the fact that ALL the characters are deeply flawed in anger issues. We do not need to hear the characters continuously fly off the handle in over the top tirades to help dramatize the situation. The mental breakdowns are one after the next in what would easily be career ending displays of severe mental issues. It's as if they are building up to a grand final where one of the characters goes 'Postal'. It would help explain the backstory and red flags. I think everyone has a bit of drama in their lives, but does every character need to go from 0 to a 100mph, red faced and screaming at the top of their lungs? (literally.

One of the things that made Mad Men amazing was the writing surrounding how they solved problems. Please take another page out of that format.

They are not solving any here, just winging it. I can't help but root against the mess they are creating, and that's sad.

Everyone talks about The Sopranos, The Wire, Games of Thrones, Breaking Bad, blah blah blah and don't get me wrong all that stuff is well written and compelling and all the rest but it's JUST SO DAMN VIOLENT and dark and disturbing and depressing.

The alternative seems to be stuff which is just boring or vacuous or shallow or pointless like you watch it for a while and then you realise it's just a total waste of time and you move onto the next thing. Until HCF.

My god I love this show. You care about the characters so much you almost can't watch. It's so real. Beautifully written. Horribly addictive. Funny, sad, moving, exciting, insert adjective here. It is criminally underwatched. Hopefully this review will help address that in a small way.

Beg, borrow or steal a copy of this and then clear your diary for the next week because it will take over your life.

I really enjoyed season 1. I was definitely in it for the tech and season 1, despite the over-dramatization, delivered on that. You get to see a fictionalized portrayal of what it was like working for a tech company developing innovative products in the 80s. It just seemed like the show runners felt that wasn't enough and so the characters keep getting more brooding and moody. Then season 1 ends and what you are left with in season two is zero of the tech charm and 80s throwback and instead are left with these moody and brooding characters as the centerpiece of the show. I couldn't get past season two after 5 or 6 episodes.

This is nothing like Mad Men in quality or characters. I think there is a large group of people who enjoy the drama the characters go through and if that is your thing you will probably enjoy this. If you are interested in 80s startups and tech stick to season 1 because thats where its at. Its a shame because there are more than enough interesting and narcissistic people who worked in the industry that the writers could have drawn from a wealth of true stories to bend into their fictional narrative. Instead you are left with what looks like a caveman's interpretation of the unfolding of events during that time period.