9 ms·

No comments!? I really enjoyed this show, I don't think there has really been anything like it-- but then again I never saw "Betas". Mike Judge brings some inte

by phusion 13y ago

No comments!? I really enjoyed this show, I don't think there has really been anything like it-- but then again I never saw "Betas". Mike Judge brings some interesting things to the table, I had no idea he was a math major and had geeky leanings. This show has lots of promise, and not just for IT industry folks. It's a great ribbing of the mentality of the giant tech companies who promise to make the world a better place-- "Hooli is making the world a better place through minimal messaging transport layers." -- laughed my ass off. What did HN think of this show? Did you watch it? Will you keep watching every week?

1qaz2wsx3edc 13y ago
I love Mike Judge. And as entertaining as Silicon Valley is. I find Betas to be more genuine and well rounded as a show, give it a try! Both are good.
joshbert 13y ago
I saw SV's first episode and found it overly boring. I got the jokes and even got a couple of chuckles here and there, but the show as a whole is not worth the hype it currently has behind it. I'll keep watching, however, hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
jacoblyles 13y ago
I thought it was "meh" until the doctor started pitching the main character on his startup during an appointment - then I lost it
- ojbyrne 13y ago
  I find a lot of HBO (and other cable) shows start slow and improve once they find a rhythm. Perhaps because they don't need to immediately grab an audience. The show did seem a little slow, but looks promising.
  - randomdata 13y ago
    I agree. Many of the shows that turned out to be my most favourite began with me not enjoying the first episode or two. That said, I did like this one.
  - dragonwriter 13y ago
    > I find a lot of HBO (and other cable) shows start slow and improve once they find a rhythm. Perhaps because they don't need to immediately grab an audience. I find that's true of most shows, including those on traditional networks. I don't think its really a cable (or premium cable) vs. traditional network issue.
    - ojbyrne 12y ago
      It is, but basic cable shows are more prone to pull the plug early. HBO, especially, seems to have much more patience. The canonical example would be "The Wire."
  - poolunion 13y ago
    The doctor was played by Andy Daly. You may like his new Comedy Central show review.
quanpod 13y ago
I liked it, I'll keep watching - it's funny to see the tech memes played back and interpreted and I love the way they exaggerate the silly things about our industry (like the comment you mentioned). Betas just... got weird at certain points and some of the jokes were a bit out of bounds.
booruguru 13y ago
It's funny. Much funnier than most of the crap that passes for comedy on TV these days. I think the show is in danger of being a bit too cartoonish, thenagain silicon valley itself is danger of becoming too cartoonish. I understand that a lot of stereotypes about geeks and silicon valley are true. But someday I'd like to see a show or movie about reasonably attractive, successful, well-adjusted people who happen to work with computers. I see these kind of people all the time in my social circle and it saddens me we/they aren't reflected in pop culture.
- cjf4 13y ago
  Well adjusted people? Sounds boring.
  - booruguru 13y ago
    Well perhaps I have said "reasonably well-adjusted," but screwed up just enough to be entertaining. :-)
Dirlewanger 13y ago
Absolutely hilarious. From the Hooli founder or whatever contemptuously observing programmers traveling "in packs of 5" to the self-righteous incubator runner still high off his selling his start-up who-knows-how-long ago...just great stereotypes to poke fun at. And it wasn't too technical either, so as to alienate the general public. I think the most technical thing was "compression algorithm".
monksy 13y ago
I found it to be the IT Crowd taken to an absurd level. One question, does the main character work at the social networking company? If so why does the found want to buy him out?
- pswilson14 13y ago
  The company he works at is supposed to be a satire of Google, I believe.
rjd 13y ago
I loved it, but I'm bias as I love all of Mike Judges work. I don't really find most his his work boisterous comedy, more a charming satire that I can watch over and over and still enjoy. I do find however when I try to retell scenes from his work I often choke up with laughter more in the retelling than the watching. I can't retell a scene from office space ending up gasping for air LOL I think thats the genius of his work, and I definitely got that feeling watching it. His other strength is always the depth of his characters, their nuances, and subtly... so they get funnier the more you understand them. The characters from King of the Hill are some of the best thought out characters I've seen on television, the mannerism, reactions, interactions, just brilliant. From what I saw of the characters there definitely was a lot of that to come, so hopefully as it develops it'll become something truly amazing. I can't wait to see more of this show for that reason, everything looked promising, and everything looked balanced for great satire.

by phusion 13y ago

1qaz2wsx3edc 13y ago

I love Mike Judge. And as entertaining as Silicon Valley is. I find Betas to be more genuine and well rounded as a show, give it a try! Both are good.

joshbert 13y ago

I saw SV's first episode and found it overly boring. I got the jokes and even got a couple of chuckles here and there, but the show as a whole is not worth the hype it currently has behind it. I'll keep watching, however, hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

jacoblyles 13y ago

I thought it was "meh" until the doctor started pitching the main character on his startup during an appointment - then I lost it

ojbyrne 13y ago
I find a lot of HBO (and other cable) shows start slow and improve once they find a rhythm. Perhaps because they don't need to immediately grab an audience. The show did seem a little slow, but looks promising.
- randomdata 13y ago
  I agree. Many of the shows that turned out to be my most favourite began with me not enjoying the first episode or two. That said, I did like this one.
- dragonwriter 13y ago
  > I find a lot of HBO (and other cable) shows start slow and improve once they find a rhythm. Perhaps because they don't need to immediately grab an audience. I find that's true of most shows, including those on traditional networks. I don't think its really a cable (or premium cable) vs. traditional network issue.
  - ojbyrne 12y ago
    It is, but basic cable shows are more prone to pull the plug early. HBO, especially, seems to have much more patience. The canonical example would be "The Wire."
- poolunion 13y ago
  The doctor was played by Andy Daly. You may like his new Comedy Central show review.

quanpod 13y ago

I liked it, I'll keep watching - it's funny to see the tech memes played back and interpreted and I love the way they exaggerate the silly things about our industry (like the comment you mentioned). Betas just... got weird at certain points and some of the jokes were a bit out of bounds.

booruguru 13y ago

It's funny. Much funnier than most of the crap that passes for comedy on TV these days. I think the show is in danger of being a bit too cartoonish, thenagain silicon valley itself is danger of becoming too cartoonish. I understand that a lot of stereotypes about geeks and silicon valley are true. But someday I'd like to see a show or movie about reasonably attractive, successful, well-adjusted people who happen to work with computers. I see these kind of people all the time in my social circle and it saddens me we/they aren't reflected in pop culture.

cjf4 13y ago
Well adjusted people? Sounds boring.
- booruguru 13y ago
  Well perhaps I have said "reasonably well-adjusted," but screwed up just enough to be entertaining. :-)

Dirlewanger 13y ago

Absolutely hilarious. From the Hooli founder or whatever contemptuously observing programmers traveling "in packs of 5" to the self-righteous incubator runner still high off his selling his start-up who-knows-how-long ago...just great stereotypes to poke fun at. And it wasn't too technical either, so as to alienate the general public. I think the most technical thing was "compression algorithm".

monksy 13y ago

I found it to be the IT Crowd taken to an absurd level. One question, does the main character work at the social networking company? If so why does the found want to buy him out?

pswilson14 13y ago
The company he works at is supposed to be a satire of Google, I believe.

rjd 13y ago

I loved it, but I'm bias as I love all of Mike Judges work. I don't really find most his his work boisterous comedy, more a charming satire that I can watch over and over and still enjoy. I do find however when I try to retell scenes from his work I often choke up with laughter more in the retelling than the watching. I can't retell a scene from office space ending up gasping for air LOL I think thats the genius of his work, and I definitely got that feeling watching it. His other strength is always the depth of his characters, their nuances, and subtly... so they get funnier the more you understand them. The characters from King of the Hill are some of the best thought out characters I've seen on television, the mannerism, reactions, interactions, just brilliant. From what I saw of the characters there definitely was a lot of that to come, so hopefully as it develops it'll become something truly amazing. I can't wait to see more of this show for that reason, everything looked promising, and everything looked balanced for great satire.