Halt and Catch Fire

:

Season 1
  • Network: AMC
  • Series Premiere Date: Jun 1, 2014
Season #: 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 219 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 193 out of 219
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 219
  3. Negative: 8 out of 219
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User Reviews

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  1. Judogirl2009
    Jul 8, 2014
    5
    This show is a great idea, but it falls flat in execution. The plot takes the backseat in every scene with computers and computer parts looming in the background, while the focus is on the characters and their interactions. The office dynamics are vaguely like AMC's Mad Men. Unfortunately, Halt and Catch Fire fails to flesh out characters or believable scenarios.
    Joe MacMillan is    This show is a great idea, but it falls flat in execution. The plot takes the backseat in every scene with computers and computer parts looming in the background, while the focus is on the characters and their interactions. The office dynamics are vaguely like AMC's Mad Men. Unfortunately, Halt and Catch Fire fails to flesh out characters or believable scenarios.
    Joe MacMillan is intended to be charming and mysterious, a Don Draper style protagonist, with a checkered past, but he's more like a psych patient in a suit with a nice car. It's unimpressive how he somehow outsmarts all the executives of a small Texan tech company, who prove guileless and unworthy adversaries, who answer his antics with brute force, a southern cliche stolen from Roger Rabbit. He yells, breaks things, burns hard-earned albeit illegal data, hits women, sleeps with employees, and plays in the rain to amuse children. His actions get attention, but where's the leadership we'd expect from a visionary? Why do they need him?
    The female protagonist, Cameron Howe has a "Girl with a Dragon Tattoo"/Hackers vibe, but she doesn't make sense. How does a homeless punk rocker know how to write code in a world where the home PC doesn't exist? Either way, her lack of depth is disappointing, considering she's supposed to be a prized prodigy that masterminds innovative software. Instead of being interesting, deep and broken, she's whiny and indecisive. Daddy issues and middle school antics, like calling her boyfriend and hanging up, don't add to her tough girl mystique. Not going with IBM or calling out Joe's father are the exciting derisive maneuvers you'd expect from a person of strong principle or loyalty, and neither make sense considering her relationship with Joe, so her actions come across as unstable and boring rather than purposeful and defining. She's an embarrassing sci-fi fantasy, who is thankfully pretty enough to be terrible.
    The same is true for Donna Clark, the hot nagging wife, who is also a genius computer whiz.. She's Cameron's foil, in that she's the mother if Cameron's the child. Donna judges her for her lack of self-respect, while offering everything Cameron appears to long for, to be domesticated by a nerdy alcoholic that never does the dishes. Does it make sense that someone so wrapped in the lives or her children would hand them over after being so harshly critical of Cameron's lack of good judgment? There is no more depth to Donna than Cameron, and their juxtaposition is a Betty Friedan nightmare, where women can either be homeless or home.    … Expand
  2. hamagami
    Aug 7, 2014
    4
    With this show, AMC had a carefully crafted plan to make something original, edgy and smart, to replace the departed Mad Men, and thus maintaining it's shaky orbit among the purveyors of quality TV.
    This plan failed miserably.
    Sadly, I wanted it to succeed! It seemed a bold and interesting premise, I love Lee Pace and the 80s... Bring it on I thought, what could go wrong. Bad writing    With this show, AMC had a carefully crafted plan to make something original, edgy and smart, to replace the departed Mad Men, and thus maintaining it's shaky orbit among the purveyors of quality TV.
    This plan failed miserably.
    Sadly, I wanted it to succeed! It seemed a bold and interesting premise, I love Lee Pace and the 80s... Bring it on I thought, what could go wrong.
    Bad writing that's what! Lazy plotlines and terrible one-dimensional characters rendered by possibly not very good actors.. Not you Lee you're fine.
    Each character is a gear in an mechanic that goes nowhere, very slowly. Leaving you to contemplate the painful clicks leading to the predictable conclusion.
    Oh and Mackenzie Davis, I don't even know what to say, maybe stop acting? There are other trades, she's still young! To her defense her character is awful.
    The diamond in the mud here is Kerry Bishe, she's a damn fine actress and her character is the less predictable, thus making each of her scene a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stale atmosphere.
    Lee Pace is doing what he can, but he's overdoing it a lot at times, and all that flamboyance seems incongruous amidst the general mediocrity of the plot. Like a bang in an otherwise boring party that makes everybody uncomfortable and eager to go home. Clearly he deserves a better show than this to be the vehicle of his gorgeous bushy eyebrows.
    But no, there will not be a great show about 80s computer manufacturers, it was not meant to exist.
    This is the worst possible timeline, no doubt in my mind now.    … Expand
  3. AxeT
    Aug 9, 2015
    6
    The subject and period recreation are simply irresistible to me. The cast and main characters are abhorrent ruining the chance for what could have been a much better show. First season was a 4, second season is better at maybe a 7.
  4. Broyax
    Jan 24, 2017
    6
    1983, la préhistoire de la micro-informatique... c'était un véritable petit chaudron un peu (peut-être) comme peut l'être l'avènement de la réalité gerbuelle incessamment sous peu bientôt... ou pas. Un jour... La difficulté de créer et de lancer une nouvelle machine est admirablement rendue et restituée dans cette série, ce saut dans l'inconnu et ses ambitions démesurées, les défis et les1983, la préhistoire de la micro-informatique... c'était un véritable petit chaudron un peu (peut-être) comme peut l'être l'avènement de la réalité gerbuelle incessamment sous peu bientôt... ou pas. Un jour... La difficulté de créer et de lancer une nouvelle machine est admirablement rendue et restituée dans cette série, ce saut dans l'inconnu et ses ambitions démesurées, les défis et les sacrifices que cela comporte.

    Ici, ça se passe à Dallas et justement, on se croirait dans "Dallas", ouais Dallas avec JR, Bobby et tutti quanti. Je me doute bien que les coups de putes, les entourloupes et les tours de passe-passe sont sûrement légion dans les entreprises américaines au taquet mais tout de même, les personnages de cette série sont tous dignes de jouer dans Dallas et non, ce n'est pas un compliment.

    Cela signifie qu'on sombre dans une caricature permanente du premier au dernier épisode (de la première saison en tout cas !) et qu'à cet égard Joe et Cameron remportent la palme ! Voir tous ces personnages se faire de telles saloperies puis se raccommoder et se taper dans le dos, coucher et découcher, sabrer le champagne et que sais-je encore, laisse pantois et fortement dubitatif. Notez que les acteurs ne sont pas en cause et se révèlent tous excellents : le souci est à voir du côté de l'écriture outrée...

    Peut-être est-ce spécifique au Texas me direz-vous : au Texas, on est comme ça : on profère des menaces de mort dès qu'on hausse le ton et quand on aime pas ces sales voitures japonaises, on fait une fête entre nous et on file des coups de masse sur une Datsun. Chacun son tour. On aime bien rigoler, ouais ouais.

    Néanmoins, tous ces aspects excessifs participent au rythme sans faille de l'aventure d'autant que la mise en scène est assurément soignée mais on aurait aimé une approche plus sereine tout en restant un minimum réaliste. Là, on retient surtout que les gens de ce milieu sont tous des tarés et que les heures supp' (non payées) les rendent fous.

    Ce n'est pas le réalisme mais la crédibilité qui prend un coup sévère sur la tête. On a trop souvent l'impression d'assister à une thérapie de groupe de névropathes dans Halt and catch fire. Espérons qu'ils soient vraiment guéris dans la prochaine saison.    … Expand
  5. borderlinefilms
    Aug 4, 2014
    6
    Halt and Catch Fire fails to measure up to Mad Men. It lacks the substance and longing. No one has much nostalgic affection for 5 1/4" disks, dot matrix printers and Lotus 123. Mad Men was inherently atmospheric and enigmatic, set in a trans-formative decade. H&CF attempts to trick us into believing the same. At best, the show is a crafty experiment, perhaps an executive wager: let's takeHalt and Catch Fire fails to measure up to Mad Men. It lacks the substance and longing. No one has much nostalgic affection for 5 1/4" disks, dot matrix printers and Lotus 123. Mad Men was inherently atmospheric and enigmatic, set in a trans-formative decade. H&CF attempts to trick us into believing the same. At best, the show is a crafty experiment, perhaps an executive wager: let's take a weak premise and infuse it with high production values and an ever-so-trendy gloomy narrative drag. At it's core Mad Men was driven by a melancholy angst-ridden emptiness. Halt is simply a barren riff on Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Courtney Love assembling a Compaq Portable.… Expand
  6. EPMD
    Sep 6, 2016
    5
    I watched the first three episodes and came away feeling very little. Is there a compelling plot tucked away? Maybe...but the third episode alone killed any momentum the show had built to that point. I don't buy the young female programmer. Her homeless backstory makes no sense. The lead character is supposed to be some sort of visionary leader, but he just comes across as a smarmy guy whoI watched the first three episodes and came away feeling very little. Is there a compelling plot tucked away? Maybe...but the third episode alone killed any momentum the show had built to that point. I don't buy the young female programmer. Her homeless backstory makes no sense. The lead character is supposed to be some sort of visionary leader, but he just comes across as a smarmy guy who I can't imagine wanting to follow. The punk-heavy music of the third episode is also meant to startle, and all it really does is irritate. I think the writers forgot to make the show fun to watch when they wrote this thing. So yes, there could be a decent plot lurking in here, but the path to get there needs to be more fun than what I've seen.… Expand
  7. mellonhead
    Oct 30, 2020
    6
    Season 1 is very watchable but doesn't demand your attention. None of the characters are all that interesting and important characters (*cough* Joe) seem to make decisions on a whim, without any rhyme or reason. There were many great elements of the season, but it was unfocused and suffered by not settling on a direction. Mad Men fans will find some similarities in terms of the workplaceSeason 1 is very watchable but doesn't demand your attention. None of the characters are all that interesting and important characters (*cough* Joe) seem to make decisions on a whim, without any rhyme or reason. There were many great elements of the season, but it was unfocused and suffered by not settling on a direction. Mad Men fans will find some similarities in terms of the workplace atmosphere, Joe MacMillan, and "Shut the Door. Have a Seat," but it would be a shame to watch Halt and Catch Fire for the Mad Men similarities. Halt is at its best when it learns to distance itself from Mad Men and gives its characters room to breathe; in other words, Halt is at its worst when it tries to be Mad Men. It would have always been a knockoff Mad Men, even if only for coming second, but even at its worst, it was still entertaining, if mostly unnecessary and generic. Season 1 is a good dish-washing show; Season 2 is a good season, period, and the second half of the show is excellent.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Best TV Season of 2014
38
#38 Most Discussed TV Season of 2014
23
#23 Most Shared TV Season of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. Los Angeles Daily News
    Reviewed by: Rob Lowman
    Aug 22, 2016
    80
    During the first two years, Halt and Catch Fire has smoldered, sometimes frustratingly so, but has always been engaging, often thanks to the performances of Bishé and Davis. Judging by five episodes of season three, it looks like the show is finally catching fire.
    Read full review
  2. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Chris Cabin
    Jun 23, 2014
    63
    With little exception, MacMillan is the sole character given scenes that seek to bring out his antic inner life, the most memorable of which being his meltdown in an electronics store, where he tries to find a hold of his ambition in a torrent of comingled rhythms emanating from various speakers.
    Read full review
  3. The Lincoln Journal Star
    Reviewed by: Jeff Korbelik
    Jun 2, 2014
    83
    The thrill comes not from the actual computer building, but the people doing the building. These characters are complex and well-developed, especially Pace’s fiery exec, who is a mesmerizing manipulator.
    Read full review
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