Blu-ray Review: 'Silicon Valley - The Complete Second Season'

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Silicon Valley - The Complete Second Season' on Blogcritics.

HBO’s Silicon Valley is releasing The Complete Second Season next week, just before the third run begins. Although not a novel approach to home video, it is certainly appreciated, as Silicon Valley is a hilarious comedy ripe for binge-watching, and had I not already seen all of the episodes on this release, I would likely be plowing through them. As it is, I am tempted to watch again anyway because the show is particularly good.

If you’re not familiar with Silicon Valley, it takes place in the tech mecca mentioned in the title, and follows a small group of programmers and their start-up company. Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch) is the brains, developing a compression algorithm better than anyone else ever has before. Along with his pals, Gilfoyle (Martin Starr) and Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani), landlord and loudmouth Erlich (T.J. Miller), organized support man Jared (Zach Woods), and the advice of Monica (Amanda Crew), who works for their first investor, Richard founded a company called Pied Piper to sell his creation.

Season two begins with the Pied Piper team shopping around for new investors, wanting to scale up their product. At first, they’re riding high from a big win at the close of the freshman year. But then Gavin Belson (Matt Ross), the villain of the piece, CEO of huge corporation Hooli (think Google), shows back up and sues Pied Piper, claiming it was developed on his computers. Belson also has Richard’s friend Big Head (Josh Brener) in his employ, a useful pawn in the competition.

The rest of the second year becomes a back-and-forth struggle as Richard and company try to keep control of their invention, while those with a lot more money than they have try to wrest it from their grasp. It’s a classic David-versus-Goliath battle in the world of geeks, and only one of them can win. Will it be our heroes? Or will Silicon Valley show them struggle through defeat and have to come up with something else to rise from the ashes? Honestly, it’s quite uncertain through most of the ten episodes.

Complicating matters are two new faces for the sophomore season. Suzanne Cryer’s (Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place) Laurie takes over Peter Gregory’s company. Gregory’s portrayer, Christopher Evan Welch, sadly passed away last year, and his character is similarly written out. Cryer does a good job, but definitely brings a different energy than Welch had. Chris Diamantopoulos (About a Boy, The Office) enters as eccentric rich man Russ Hanneman, who soon involves himself in Pied Piper’s affairs, both as a help and a hindrance. 

Silicon Valley is a geeky look at a niche subculture that everyone knows about, but few venture into. The actual Silicon Valley is a world unto itself, and it’s great to get a sneak peek inside, especially with this very talented cast of humorous performers, who make dark situations look fun; there are laughs to be found in their misery. I cannot recommend the show enough.

As far as extras go, there are six audio commentaries that are very welcome, featuring creator Mike Judge (Office Space), the hilarious T.J. Miller, and others. There are also the obligatory deleted scenes, and a brief featurette about “The Art & Science Behind Silicon Valley.” In all, not a lot, and I couldn’t help but wish for more. But at least what is present is solid.

I can’t say there are strong, specific reasons for choosing Blu-ray over DVD. There aren’t a lot of special effects, outside of the very cool theme song, and the soundtrack is pretty basic, as it usually is for most sitcoms. But things just look so much better in HD, why would you want an inferior quality if given a choice?

Silicon Valley: The Complete Second Season will be available next Tuesday, April 19, at retailers everywhere.

SILICON VALLEY "Shuffle" in Wake of Death

Article first written for Seat42F.

A hanging question this past year about HBO’s SILICON VALLEY is, how will the show deal with the death of Christopher Evan Welch, who played Peter Gregory? That question is answered in the season two premiere, “Sand Hill Shuffle,” which takes place shortly after season one ends. Pied Piper considers which investor offer to accept, not confident that Gregory’s company is the smart move without its managing partner. During this, many mourn the death of Gregory, whose passing hangs heavy over the story.

SILICON VALLEY is a comedy, and as sad as everyone is over Welch’s passing, to not make his character’s death at least a little bit funny would go against the tone of the show. Some sitcoms have taken the more serious tact when losing a cast member, but it doesn’t make sense for SILICON VALLEY to do so, and so it doesn’t. From Monica (Amanda Crew) very slowly telling the story of Peter’s final moments, to eulogies being hijacked to defend products, “Sand Hill Shuffle” manages to elicit laughs, while still paying fitting tribute to the man. It’s a hard balance to strike, and this show nails it.

A strong personality is needed to replace the eccentric Gregory, who is a great presence in season one. SILICON VALLEY finds this in Suzanne Cryer, who plays the antisocial new managing partner in the firm. She is different enough from Gregory to not seem like an imitation, but still brings some of the same off-putting characteristics that provide screwball comedy in a unique-ish way. While we are only a single episode into season two, I think Cryer seems like the perfect presence to fill the hole.

As Monica adjusts to new leadership, she is caught in a very difficult position. Obviously, she values her career, but she also has feelings for Richard (Thomas Middleditch). When her new boss makes a business decision that will likely hurt Richard, Monica sticks her neck out to protect him, warning him away from the deal.

I can’t help but feel that these two have to find a way to be together. Sure, this is TV, so there has to be drama between them preventing the romance. But that can’t last forever, right? There is no point in stretching this out for six seasons of will-they, won’t-they. Season two is the time to make the relationship happen, even if it’s not until the end.

Richard proves once more that he is the brains of the operation in “Sand Hill Shuffle.” While Gilfoyle (Martin Starr) and Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) bicker over who is CTO, and while Erlich (T.J. Miller) beats the funding firms at their own game by being exceedingly rude, Richard actually considers the situation carefully, paying attention to everything that goes down. It’s Monica that recommends Richard not take the bigger deal, but it’s Richard that decides to make that happen while staying with the firm he wants to, even though they offer the most money, as Monica isn’t part of Pied Piper. Obviously, Monica provides the smarts here and deserves most of the credit for saving them, but as far as the tech company is concerned, Richard is the one who makes the right choice, just as he is the one who saves the day in season one.

It’s interesting that Richard is the savior. Everyone in the cast has their role, and his has been genius programmer. To also give him business sense defies convention a little bit, in my opinion. Normally, I’d appreciate seeing another main character, perhaps Jared (Zach Woods), save the day, but SILICON VALLEY always lets Richard do it. It’s an intriguing choice, and one that works for this particular program.

Basically, I don’t have any complaints about “Sand Hill Shuffle,” which is thoroughly enjoyable. It’s as funny as anything in season one, keeps the stakes alive with the cliffhanger that Gavin (Matt Ross) is suing Pied Piper, and advances the story and growth of Richard. It’s clear that the show has lost nothing during its hiatus, and despite the regrettable departure of Welch, SILICON VALLEY will live on, as good as ever.

SILICON VALLEY airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.

SILICON VALLEY An "Optimal" Comedy

Article first published as TV Review: 'Silicon Valley' - "Optimal Tip-to-Tip Efficiency" on Blogcritics.

HBO’s new comedy, Silicon Valley, wrapped up its freshman run last night in “Optimal Tip-to-Tip Efficiency.” The team is still at the Disrupt conference, their project having been fast-tracked to the finals to avoid legal action after a crazy judge ruins their first presentation. When Gavin Belson (Matt Ross) unveils a better version of Pied Piper, all looks lost. But some risque jokes among the dejected group give Richard (Thomas Middleditch) new inspiration, and the ending of the episode, while not surprising, is inspiring.

In retrospect, it always has to be Richard that steps up for his product, not Erlich (T.J. Miller). I love Erlich’s character, and he has plenty to do in this episode, but the technology and the brains belong solidly to Richard, and if he isn’t the face that wins the day, he’ll never be the real power in the company. Silicon Valley is the story of a meteoric rise of a hero, and in order to achieve greatness, a hero must overcome. Richard’s stammering delivery on stage may not be the stuff of legends, but what he’s come up with is, and “Optimal Tip-to-Tip Efficiency” lets Richard triumph while maintaining his loser character, including a puking scene afterwards to prove he still has a long way to go.

Richard does almost get the girl, Monica (Amanda Crew), icing on the cake, but his win actually costs him any chance at a relationship, as they can’t date while working together. I will admit, her attraction to him does seem a tad dubious, given how bumbling he is around her, and pushing off their almost-certain relationship is even more forced, Silicon Valley follows the example of most TV shows in that it keeps its lead single no matter what. I wish the writers would go there or forever close the door, rather than leave this thread flapping in the wind, and maybe next season they will. There is enough tension without this.

Silicon Valley is terrific because of its mix of dirty jokes and interesting personalities. There is a lot of conflict among the characters; Gilfoyle (Martin Starr) and Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) even think about abandoning the company mid-episode, and that drives the story. It’s not a group of guys that inherently like each other at the start, but they are united by shared purpose and dreams of fortunes. As they go through these trials together, they will probably grow into fast friends, but that’s likely to happen without any of them realizing it, a welcome departure from people who really want to be together.

The show makes sure to serve each of the characters well. Erlich trying to start rumors about Belson to the press, dancing around anything that could seriously get him into trouble, is hilarious and a totally perfect moment for him. Gilfoyle and Dinesh wrestling with their consciences is terrific, convincing themselves they aren’t dickheads as they are being dickheads. Even Jared (Zach Woods) tosses in a great contribution to the jerk-off equation when he brings up girth, finally feeling like part of the group. Each is a distinct individual, and each has their own piece of the plot, getting development and growth for their characters.

It’s fantastic that Richard’s inspiration comes from the team calculating how Erlich can jerk off 800 dicks most efficiently. It’s a throwaway line at first that the guys, tired and slap-happy, can’t help but double and triple down on, until it grows into a beast of his own. This gives Richard his eureka moment, but it also beautifully illustrates the dynamic of the group and tone of the series, taking something ridiculous completely serious and geeking out over it. It’s a perfect sequence, saving a last-minute save from being too cheesy or stylistically abrupt.

A glaring hole in “Optimal Tip-to-Tip Efficiency” is the missing Peter Gregory (Christopher Evan Welch), weirdest of the weird and Pied Piper’s benefactor. The reason the part is absent is because the actor passed away from cancer prior to completion of the season. Rather than write him out immediately, Silicon Valley treads water, keeping him alive by mentioning where he is, but fans will likely miss his fantastic performance. What the show will do from here is still up in the air, and he is not easily replaced.

Even without Gregory, though, Silicon Valley delivers a nearly flawless season finale, with plot and characters well served, twists feeling fresh even when they shouldn’t, and a good, new starting place for next year to pick up from. I’ve been impressed with the entire first year of the show, and sticking a landing like this should solidify it as a must-watch by the time it returns.

A second season has been ordered, and Silicon Valley will likely be back on HBO in early 2015.

SILICON VALLEY a Place of Geeky Good Fun

Article first written for Seat42F.

The title of HBO’s SILICON VALLEY pilot is “Minimum Viable Product,” but the series is more than minimally viable. Tackling the world of computer programming in a high brow manner, the show (from Beavis & Butt-head creator / Office Space director Mike Judge, among others) follows a group of intelligent, nerdy guys who find themselves both in and other of their element while pursuing their careers and dreams. It’s funny and authentic.

The main character, at least in the first episode, is Richard Hendrix (Thomas Middleditch, CollegeHumor.com, The Wolf of Wall Street). Richard creates a website he’s passionate about where people can check their music to see if it infringes on any copyrights. This may sound like a narrow pet project that would be hard to garner interest in, and it is. But while some bullying co-workers are checking it out to find fodder to pick on Richard for, they discover his search algorithm is revolutionary and could change the entire internet landscape.

Richard is such an interesting character, and surely one familiar to most people. He is very focused on his passion, not even realizing the true implications of his creation. Even when he does, he’s mild-mannered enough to waffle on making any decisions. But he’s also got enough spine to distance himself from the competing voices and consider what he really wants, and that’s what he goes with. It makes him complex and different from most people on TV.

Even though it’s hard to see Richard get knocked down by his peers, it does feel realistic that the valley would have a high school-esque hierarchy. True, even the “cool” kids in this environment were probably geeks growing up, but with a lack of maturity, meaningful female partners, and discipline, the employers being lax to encourage creativity, it makes sense that base human nature would flourish.

This continues even in Richard’s home. His best friend, Big Head (Josh Brener, Glory Daze), is a true pal, but leader of the house, Erlich (T.J. Miller, The Goodwin Games), is more interested in using Richard to get his piece of the pie, demanding a 10% cut of whatever is created while living in his “incubator.” Another roommate, Gilfoyle (Martin Starr, NTSF:SD:SUV, Veronica Mars), also seems disinterested until Richard offers to let him work on the site, and then he comes around.

The house itself generates most of my favorite scenes in the first episode. It’s like a clubhouse, boys living like they would without parents, a free-wheeling place for guys to just hang out with guys. It may get more serious soon, as Richard’s baby is nurtured into a full-scale business, but hopefully the dynamic of the residents, meaning the four listed in the preceding paragraph plus Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani, Franklin & Bash, Portlandia), the token Indian, will stay intact because it is fantastic.

Even outside the dwelling, the world is fully fleshed out and interesting. From buses owned by, and playing ads for, the business the employees riding it work for, to the boss’s observation that all the dorks move in basic sets of five, to the guy arguing that no one should go to college at a TED talk, this is a vision whose every detail has been considered and executed well. It’s a place that makes fun of itself.

The TED talk guy, Peter Gregory (Christopher Evan Welch, Rubicon), is Richard’s first investor, allowing Richard to keep ownership while growing the brand. He has a pretty assistant, Monica (Amanda Crew, Whistler), whom, of course, Richard is smitten with, providing the romantic pairing of the show. And there’s Richard’s boss, Galvin Belson (Matt Ross, Big Love), and his assistant, Jared (Zach Woods, The Office), who represent the corporate types, looking to buy out Richard and reap the rewards of his work. So the outside influences are firmly established, too.

HBO’s half hour series tend not to last long and have very niche viewership. Yet, I can’t help but think that SILICON VALLEY, perhaps because of the age in which it airs, provides enough connections to the world to bring in the viewers. Considering it follows Game of Thrones, which will have the nerds already on the right channel, it’s got a plumb viewing spot, too. I have high hopes for this to succeed.

SILICON VALLEY airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.

REVOLUTION Still Same Old, Same Old

Article first published as REVOLUTION Still Same Old, Same Old on TheTVKing.

NBC's Revolution begins its second season tonight with "Born in the U.S.A." It's been six months since the bombs decimated Atlanta and Philadelphia, and the survivors of the Tower have spread out. Some are settled in a small town, others have taken off to find missing relations, and still others are out on their own, heading down a self-destructive path.

First things first: the power is back off. Turns out, it only stayed on for a few minutes. Why? Well, no one knows, or at least no one viewers are familiar with knows. There are hints that this is still an ongoing thread, though, and I look forward both to further exploration of the topic, and movement on the getting-it-back-on front. This central storyline often takes a backseat to personal issues, but it's really what drives some of the most exciting episodes, and should be paid more attention to.

The most likely to be involved in this arc is Aaron (Zak Orth). Though he has moved into a house with a woman (Jessica Collins, Rubicon) and teaches elementary school, he still worries about what is going on in the world at large, and is curious about strange behavior by fireflies and other insects. He's got to be the one to figure things out, or at least spur the others to go somewhere they can find more information.

I have to admit, "Born in the U.S.A." really upset me by killing off Aaron. He ranks at the top of the list of favorite characters, and it would be a shame to lose him so early in what could be a long run. I was furious at the show and ready to rail against it had there not been that final scene of him opening his eyes again. Without it, this review would likely be colored by strong emotion and be much less positive.

Aaron dies when the small town where he, Miles (Billy Burke), and  Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) are living are attacked by raiders. This is an interesting turn and definitely one that people in their situation would have to deal with, but I can't help comparing Revolution to The Walking Dead here. The town is surrounded by a wall, like Woodbury, though it keeps out living humans, not zombies. And the leader of the raiders (Matt Ross, Big Love) does have shades of The Governor in the way he runs his camp and the falsely pleasant demeanor he tries to exude.

Unfortunately, while we know fans of good TV like this sort of development based on The Walking Dead's ratings, Revolution is much more poorly written than that show, meaning it suffers when it invites comparison. I'd rather they try to differentiate themselves more. It may be that this similarity was not purposefully conceived, but now that it's obviously happened, it's best to abandon it quickly and move on.

Miles is still playing the hero in "Born in the U.S.A." He tries to leave the town, but comes back when he rightly fears they will be attacked, leading to he and the sheriff getting captured. I guess this means the sheriff is probably expendable and will die soon. Miles could end up getting his job, and then he'd have a real reason to stay, even though that would be out of character for him. Though it wouldn't be the first time Revolution let someone veer out of character, and Miles always walks a thin line between believability and stereotype.

The gripping drama of this setting goes to Rachel who is deeply damaged by the events at the Tower. She is haunted and feels guilty, looking like a hollow shell of a person. Mitchell handles this beautifully, really making us understand her pain. Sure, she'll have to come out of it sooner rather than later, but I'm in no hurry to see that happen if only because I like that Mitchell has meaty material to mine, as the scripts aren't always worthy of her.

Rachel is staying with her father (Stephen Collins, 7th Heaven) during her time of healing. It's nice that she gets to go home to a caring parent who can take care of her, as that seems like just what she needs in her sorry state, even if he doesn't seem to be really helping much. Of course, I like Collins and I like this part, especially because it expands what we know of Rachel, so he joining the cast as a new main character is a welcome development.

Rachel's dad talks about how she has always gone for the wrong guys until she met her now-deceased husband, Ben (Tim Guinee). I can definitely see some truth in that, coming through in the way Mitchell plays Rachel. However, her dad is totally wrong that Miles is one of those "wrong" guys. Miles certainly has been selfish and careless from time to time, but bringing Rachel home at a critical junction should have earned him points, and defending the town ought to, too. And Rachel isn't exactly a perfect girl, either, making her share of mistakes. Really, Miles is a great combination of the bad boy and the noble man, at least in the episodes that serve him well, so perhaps he's the right mix for Rachel to end up with, even if he is her brother-in-law, since that seems to be where Revolution is heading.

In season one, Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) is initially painted as the main character. This is unfortunate, because while she works OK as a member an ensemble, her role isn't strong enough to hold the show. Considering this, I was hoping she'd stay with the group for awhile and not get played up. No such luck.

In "Born in the U.S.A.," Charlie strikes out on her own in search of Monroe (David Lyons). We don't know why she does this because the episode doesn't tell us explicitly, so we must assume it's holdover anger from last year. Maybe she still wants revenge for her brother's death? And her father's? She certainly doesn't want to be Monroe's friend, aiming an arrow at him. But it's hard to find anything compelling about her story. Plus, she was settled for a couple of months in the town with the others before she went hunting, so it would be nice if Revolution explained why she decided to depart when she did, what is so urgent about her quest.

In fact, we only get a couple of small glimpses at the intervening six months. This is fine, letting the story reset itself, and there's always the possibility of seeing more down the road.

Before Charlie has the chance to kill Monroe, he is nabbed by some bad guys. I'm much more interested in his story than Charlie's. His nation fallen, Monroe is hiding in New Las Vegas, getting into fights for money, gambling away his earnings, and generally acting like he doesn't care about his life. This makes sense, given the circumstances, and while we don't know why he is kidnapped specifically, there are plenty who'd like to get their hands on Monroe after everything he's done. Yes, we'll have to deal with Charlie intruding in the arc, but this still should be pretty interesting over the next few weeks.

One group that may want Monroe is the United States government. Sailing in from Cuba, rebuilding the White House, the unseen President wants to be back in charge. I assume this is the same President from when the power went out, so his term is long expired and he failed to hold the country together, which doesn't give me a lot of confidence that people will fall in line for him. But he could either publicly hang Monroe as a traitor to score some points, or use him to make Monroe's former subjects fall in line. Either way, the government seems the most likely organization with the ability to catch Monroe.

That being said, though the government is the most obvious choice, it could also be someone with a personal vendetta, like Charlie. There's got to be plenty of those out there. What I'm saying is, take my theory with a grain of salt, though it seems reasonable to me.

The reason we know the government is on the move, besides a brief, unexplained glimpse of activity at the White House, is that a representative sails to shore near Tom (Giancarlo Esposito) and Jason (JD Pardo), who are looking in Atlanta refugee camps for the missing Julia (Kim Raver). The pair haven't decided whether to approach the boat yet, but they likely will be involved in whatever is going on here.

Now, this could pull them away from their current mission. They can't exactly keep asking about Julia if the government is rounding folks up and moving them or assigning them some task. However, in this post-apocalyptic world, it makes sense few would have time to indulge in such hopeless pursuits as looking for someone who quite likely will not be found.

It must be said that the balance between Tom and Jason has definitely shifted, and that is to be appreciated. Both have been through a lot, and it has shaped them in different ways. Though they're not at odds as much as they once were, there is still thick tension between them. I wonder how long they can remain a pair alone.

I like the approach Revolution has of tying their characters into the larger arcs, approaching the big issues from the small scale. There's many things the show does wrong, including being cheesy and under developing its stories and players, but this is not one of them. It is far more interesting to have Tom and Jason, two familiar, main characters, get caught up in something and experience it from their viewpoint than to introduce a bunch of new people or take the situation broadly in an army vs. army scenario.

"Born in the U.S.A." has some good beginnings and a few really nice scenes for the a couple of the most excellent actors in the cast to show some range. It does still suffer some of the flaws of season one, being predictable and inconsistent, but for now I think it's worth keeping tabs on, as it still could eventually reach its potential, evident by several elements already present, and that would make for an amazing show.

Revolution airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.