I/O

The pilot of "Halt And Catch Fire" brings together the characters, who we will be seeing throughout the show. We first meet Joe MacMillan, someone who really wants to make a cheaper Computer and challenge IBM with it. Therefor he has to assemble a team. Joe first goes to a man named Gordon. Then he goes to Cameron. She is a very talented with computers and codes. In this episode we see them come together and we get to see how they are as a person.

The directing of the pilot was good. So was the filming of it. Nothing to special, my inly really complain with this was that there were some times things a bit shaky (when the camera started to shake). And I don't really like when that happens in a movie or series, but for the rest everything was fine. The thing that I liked was the filter they chose. It made everything look more old. Something else that I liked was the realistic portraying of the computers and electronics overall. I am no technicus but it sounded very accurate. Something like in "Mr Robot" (a terrific show). The clothing choices were well as well. They also looked like they were from the eighties.

The acting was the thing that stood out the most. Just like the script. But first the acting. Lee Pace plays Joe MacMillian. He is a hard-driving former IBM sales executive. And a Douchbag. This is already established in the first scene. When he hits an armadillo and looks like he doesn't even care. Also further on in this episode he does something to Cameron, which I am not going to spoil. He acted very well, I haven't seen a lot of Lee Paces movies so I can't really compare, but he was good. The next actor I am going to talk about is Scoot McNairy he was Gordon. They also made showed us his character well. He is a man who isn't happy with the job he has right now so he really wants to help Lee Paces character. I very much like his performance. And now my favorite character, for now at least, is Cameron. She was played by Mackenzie Davis. The first shot that I saw her come in to the classroom I liked her already. She is more someone who can't find a place to fit in but still doesn't want to change herself to fit in. Cameron is very smart to, and it was really convincing. I have previously seen Davis act in "The Martian" where she had a role you could compare with this one, but the characters were completely different. And that really shows her acting talents.

As I have said the writing of this episode was very good. I liked everything they said. It was never boring. Some lines were very interesting to here. It was cool to listen to them talking about computers. There were also some funny moments added in, they weren't hilarious or something, but funny enough to work. These jokes didn't take away the serious tone, though.

I very much liked this pilot episode, and I will certainly enjoy watching the rest of the season.

A zealous guy named MacMillan is driven to create a new computer in the 80's by getting inside the IBM. He is a renegade from that company, now working for a company called Cardiff which is beginning to fade in this tenuous industry. He is possibly a sociopath but his being is quite infectious as he drives a creative genius who has lost his way to assist him in his efforts. He is a Judas to his own company and certainly to IBM. There is also a young woman, a loose cannon, who is also a brilliant programmer. They have to use her to save the company. This opening episode has some fine interactions. Battle lines have been drawn and the principles are in way over their heads...or are they.

With Lee Pace. I love all the characters, they seem so real. Joe is so intriguing, did his father give him all those, you know what's? Do we ever find out?

Lee is so tall and handsome, I cannot stop watching him.

Halt and Catch Fire's premise does not light my mind with excitement. I mean, does anyone really care about The Computer Age in the 1980's? It sounded like I would be bored to death with technical mumbo jumbo from the onset. Considering the rave reviews the series received from people I trust, I decided to give it a shot. After all, AMC did produce Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Yeah, after giving the series premiere, "I/O" a watch, I'm hooked. Yes, there is technical babble throughout, but the characterization and the performances are dynamite. The show is all about the mysterious Joe MacMillan, played spectacularly by Lee Pace. What is his endgame? What are his ultimate motives? Why does he want to work at Cardiff Electric of all places, especially with IBM on his resume? Many questions that hopefully will be answered as the season progresses. The character is a hothead, a driven man who does not really care about anyone. The opening scene, where he hits an armadillo with his Porsche, drives that notion home. The characterization of our main characters; Joe, Gordon Clark played by Scoot McNairy, and Cameron Howe with a strong performance by Mackenzie Davis is fantastic and I want to see more!

Joe McMillian, a former IBM sales executive, is hired by Cardiff Electric, a mid-level computer company. Unknowingly to anyone, he has a secret plan. He wants to take IBM down and compete against them by building his own computer. In order to do so, he needs a team. First, he finds Gordon Clark. Gordon is a lowly engineer at Cardiff hidden by job security. Back in the day, he had the drive and the ambition to lead his own company. Nowadays, he is just a family man along with his wife, Donna (Kerry Bishe) who reminds him of that. Joe wants to reignite that drive by having Gordon reverse engineer an IBM computer. Finally, there is Cameron. She is a brilliant student with her own quirky personality...and also gets in trouble a lot. An outsider is what she is. This is a risky endeavor considering they can lose their jobs and Gordon can lose his wife if they are caught. Cardiff Electric's boss, the fiery John Bosworth (Toby Huss) will find out, as a worthy adversary, what they are up to.

On a show about computers, I do not get how I was hooked so easily. Properly-written and developed characters will do that, I guess. Not only that, but the show has its own unique look and I loved the 80's soundtrack. Much in the veins of The Americans. The show is fast-paced and the technical side of things may bore some. Gordon's wife, Donna appears to be a thankless character, but that is only my first impression and impressions do change. This episode is all about Joe MacMillan, who came back in the picture after spending time MIA. Who is this "perfect" guy? This episode is a solid start!