Cameron and Donna continue to develop Mutiny, while Joe and Gordon collect their shares.

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“TOMORROW IS TOMORROW.”

Note: The following review goes into detail about the episode. SPOILER ALERT!

Halt and Catch Fire is back, and with it is a new tone and new goals for our four central characters. After Joe witnessed the Macintosh at ComDex last season, it was apparent that Cardiff’s Giant had no soul. While a financial success, it wasn’t the machine the team set out to make. In “SETI” we are treated to a 20-month time jump, with some characters progressing and some still stuck. This was essential in skipping the potential filler of the collapse, or rather selling of Cardiff Electric, getting us right into the new places these characters are in.

One of my most frequent complaints about last season was Gordon’s character. Last season, the needle on his excitement meter jerked a little, but remained quite static. I had hoped with the time jump that we’d see a more inspired Gordon, but we were treated to the same sulky character—who’s doing cocaine (which you’d think put liven him up a bit)? Donna is still the most exciting Clark to watch, and the fact that she’s coupled with Cameron makes this show that much more enjoyable.

Mutiny is up and (barely) running, and leadership is something the new startup is in desperate need of—portrayed in a hectic one-shot, if I may add. The best scenes came from Cameron and Donna. Cameron is as rebellious as she has been, but Donna joining in on the proceedings was a treat. I love that the duo partook in a shady drug-like deal for computer equipment, with the consequence of receiving some “skank” XTs. What a fun scene that was to see Cameron and Donna not only break into the shady guy’s car, but completely ignore their money for some “dank” IBMs. The guy did recognize Donna, but I’m not sure if that was  just a one-off comment or an actual seed being planted. Things weren’t all buddy-buddy with the two ladies, as their philosophies on company structure clashed. Cameron believes in an equal playing field, while Donna believes a leader is necessary. From the looks of it, Cameron took on Donna’s suggestion, seeing how the episode ended with Cameron picking up her former boss, John Bosworth, from prison.

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Joe returned from his mountain a changed man. Some hints were dropped last season about Silicon Valley, so it’s nice to see some progression here. Joe is going to start his own company in the Valley, but given that his share from Cardiff was heartbreakingly ripped to pieces may delay this and cause for Joe’s spearheaded soul to emerge. With him now being engaged to his girlfriend, played by Aleksa Palladino, he now has even more incentive.

THE BREAKDOWN

“SETI” hit the ground running with Cameron and Donna, and simultaneously hit the ground wandering with Joe and Gordon. The former, though, made this premiere worth watching, while the latter ended the episode with more hope than doubt. Jon Bosworth is out and looks to be the leader that Mutiny needs, and if that’s the case, the Mutiny storyline has the potential to be the arc to watch in this season of Halt and Catch Fire. Joe remained reserved, but I feel the bull is about to show its horns in the coming episodes. Gordon remains the human equivalent of a damp towel, but hey, he’s sitting on Walter White money now and Donna is his wife. And by that logic, his story should be elevated to some degree. I do have a feeling that all of our players are going to end up in the same place, though, with room for a Joe/Cameron romance to be rekindled.

80/100 – Great

Should ‘Halt and Catch Fire’ just follow Cameron and Donna? Tweet me @NerdDotMe. And be sure to follow us @YouNerded!

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