Frame Rated: HALT AND CATCH FIRE - Season Two

A few days ago at Frame Rated: I reviewed season 2 of AMC's HALT AND CATCH FIRE, the cable network's much-improved 1980s drama set in the world of home computing...

With every update of iOS or release of a new Playstation, consumers demand improvements informed by constructive criticism. The same is true of all television shows; perhaps more so for dramas like AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire, which clearly didn’t arrive in the best of shape. It didn’t help that most presumed this was the network’s Mad Men replacement—mainly because both are period pieces with handsome, charismatic salesman in leading roles. That misconception probably wasn’t why mainstream audiences kept a wide berth, however—which they continued to do throughout season 2. In the U.S, less than half a million viewers were watching each episode. I guess the idea of a relationship drama set during the 1980s home computing boom (when laptops were the size of suitcases and large CRT monitors mostly came in shades of beige) just doesn’t appeal to non-geeks. Continue reading...

I'm watching: EXTANT • HALT & CATCH FIRE • HANNIBAL • HUMANS • JS&MN • MR ROBOT • THE STRAIN • TRUE DETECTIVE • WAYWARD PINES

Familiar preamble by now: I'm still watching lots of television every week, but have less time and inclination to blog about it all. Therefore, occasionally I like to offer brief thoughts on some of the shows I've made a weekly appointment to watch. Maybe you'll enjoy reading? Onwards!

Extant – Season 2 (CBS/Amazon Prime)
Look, I wasn't a huge fan of season 1, but sometimes you watch silly things in the summer. It's a symptom of heat stress. Extant looks gorgeous in 1080p on Amazon and is frankly of the few reasons I can justify paying for their Prime service. But I'm probably going to give up soon, because this is clearly yet another U.S series that doesn't warrant going beyond a single season. This year has Molly (Halle Berry) becoming more crazy-eyed cop than problem-solving astronaut (who's suddenly a gifted marksman!), and I'm less interested in her reshaping because it's so clichéd. Ditching sensible Goran Visnjic for swaggering Jeffrey Dean Morgan was a good move, though. David Morrissey doing his American Accent© in a clichéd military tough-guy role, and the ridiculousness of scientists designing the government a robot warrior who resembles, um, a beautiful catwalk model... less so.
★☆☆☆☆

AMC aren't letting HALT AND CATCH FIRE halt or catch fire

AMC are sticking by niche drama HALT & CATCH FIRE, about 1980s computer programming, having now renewed the show for a second season. I wasn't a huge fan of the first year, which had some problems, but I like the female characters and the final handful of episodes were an improvement. AMC seem to have faith in it, despite the fact it debuted with 900,000 less viewers than their Revolutionary War drama Turn, and only averaged 1.2 million viewers over its 10 episodes.

Are you plugged into HALT AND CATCH FIRE, or have you hit Escape?

You've probably hit the Esc button, if AMC's ratings are any indication (having dropped from 1.19m to around 0.7m by mid-season). I can't see this new drama being renewed, as its quality reflects the disappointing ratings. Created by Christopher Cantwell and Christopher C Rogers (who have no real experience running a TV show, hence why Southland's Jonathan Lisco's in charge), HALT AND CATCH FIRE charts the creation of a personal computer by Cardiff Electric, a software company located in the Silicon Prairie of Texas during 1983.