mcnabb

I really liked the show and really wish there was a season 2, but it was just one of those shows that I would recommend to friends, and not many ended up watching.

I don't know if it was the subject, as it came off as a 'tech geek' show, or it didn't have that hook that shows like Game of Thrones have, but it was missing something to appeal to a broader base?

Geofferson

Hard to believe this got lower ratings than LWS and Turn. I knew it wasn't doing particularly well, but didn't realize the ratings were that dire. Yikes.

MikahC

I believe The Big Bang Theory comes off as tech geek show. Doesn't stop it.

I think I'm part of the target demo for Halt and Catch fire and I still didn't watch it. I have them all on my DVR, but there's been nothing compelling me to watch them (I'll get to it when I get to it). The subject matter doesn't bother me. I loved WarGames back in the day. There's just nothing from a marketing perspective that popped.

Let me put it this way. I've never read The Andromeda Strain and I don't remember the movie, but the advertisements for The Strain were eye catching. Regardless of the eventual quality of the show, the advertisements made me want to check it out. Halt and catch fire is too nebulous a show title with too abstract a marketing campaign. I mean, most people didn't know what Mad Men referred to, but the advertising made it quite obvious what you'd be getting. And it had buzz.

I'll save H&CF on my DVR for a rainy day as I'll probably at least enjoy it, but I'm one of those prospective target viewers who (if they count DVR views) didn't help the show at all because I didn't watch it. And I know a lot of geeks, and none of them watched it either. Maybe on DVD.

Jay G.

You do know that the TV show The Strain is not in any way, shape, or form related to The Andromeda Strain, right? It's based on a book trilogy by Guillermo del Toro, the first having the title The Strain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Strain

The Andromeda Strain was made as a TV mini-series a few years back:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_An...n_(miniseries)

Rex Fenestrarum

Personally, I don't think the show was geeky enough. Had it been more historically accurate and focused on the actual PC stuff, I think it could have gotten a nerd fanbase. That might not have gotten it more viewers, but might have gotten some online buzz that seems to keep shows on the air these days. As it stands though, the show aimed somewhere in the middle: not geeky enough to keep actual geeks interested, but not so geeky to turn off "regular" viewers. Turns out, the show impressed neither group. I mean, I like the show, but there wasn't nearly enough PC-nerd stuff to get me really excited about it every week. At the same time, I can't think of any non-nerd friends or family members who would've sat through the PC stuff to get to the drama.

cleaver

Song from Joe burning the Giants which may or may not have happened based on the rest of the ep

MikahC

No, but that only supports my point.

None of which was important in making me want to watch the show, which is my point. The teaser itself did that. I haven't seen anything like that for H&CF to get me interested.

Well, I don't want to show age, but I was actually thinking of The Andromeda Strain (1971) which was based on a Novel by Michael Crichton, not the 2008 miniseries. I did, in fact, think "The Strain" was some new retelling of the same story (using vampires, etc.) -- think BSG 2003 vs the original Battlestar Galactica.

Anyway, now that we've thoroughly explored my original point that I didn't have any real background on The Strain but was still interested in watching it due to the marketing, I'll close by reiterating I may think H&CF is an excellent show when I finally sit down to watch it, but nothing in the marketing has made doing so any type of priority whatsoever.

mcnabb

I actually think they should have made EVERYTHING fictional, and made it more about the characters then a show about building computers. Alot of great shows have a basic premise, but its the drama of the characters lives that makes it interesting. What made The Sopranos great is that is just wasn't about the Mob, it was about his personal life, his personal demons, his family, his friends, etc. The mob world was the backdrop to the character arc of Tony Soprano. Whenever a show relies on the plot as its arc then it has a short life. There is only so much you can go from point A to point B, whereas you can take a character anywhere you want.

I didn't like that they brought in the Macintosh near end the second to last episode, because then it then you are crossing fictional plotlines with real/historical timelines. I am not a tech geek, so the first few episodes were so-so for me, its when they really got into the personal drama of the characters midway through the season is when I started to enjoy the show.

Jimmy James

I think there's something to what you say, but I'd say it would have been better to lead with the personal relationships and then bring in the hard core tech. You say the Sopranos wasn't about the mob...that's not really true. It was a blended show.

dex14

Surprisingly... renewed: http://deadline.com/2014/08/halt-and...on-amc-822134/

Gizmo

Wtf?

dex14

Yea... weird. But I guess when you don't have much else... I almost feel like they know it's not a good idea to renew... but they've cancelled a bunch of other shows after 1 season, and now they're pretty much left with no new shows. All they have is Mad Men (ending) and TWD. I'm surprised Hell on Wheels has lasted this long to be honest. They really need to hire some new development people.

Geofferson

Along w/nearly everyone else, am surprised this was renewed. Glad it was though - I thought the season showed steady improvements and look forward to see where things head next year (particularly the outcome of Joe's walkabout )

mcnabb

Very Very Suprised (like everyone else) especially when someone posted here that the ratings have actually dropped as the season went on. But who cares as I enjoy the show, as its a good summer drama when there isn't much else on.

PerryD

A renewal is great news, but it really looked like the writer/director of the final episode didn't think it would happened and threw a grenade into the script, and pretty much blew everything up. Not sure how they are going to get everyone back together, or perhaps they are going to try to weave 3 separate storylines between the various companies and people involved?

slop101

I'm stoked on this news. There's a lot of good shows ending, and hardly any good ones coming to take their place, so it's nice to have a show I enjoy stick around.

Jimmy James

I think actually there is a chance the second season will be very strong and if AMC is savvy they got pitched on how it will look before making the decision. A lot of the stuff that didn't work this year doesn't really have to be repeated next time around. They can take what worked and build something pretty good.

JTH182

Sweet!

JackBurton

Just finished catching up. Very glad to hear this was renewed.

mphtrilogy

Just caught up, pretty decent.

But was really puzzled by the joe character.

Liked the idea of splitting Cameron into her own company, I'm more interested in seeing what happens there.

Only reason I caught up is that I knew it was renewed, hopefully this show builds.

TheKing

I came in expecting a funeral, and got a surprise party instead!

Dan

bump!

So I just binge-watched the entire season in less than 24 hours. I think the show is fantastic overall, although it had a few missteps along the way (the cabbage patch episode was probably the worst...). I think the four main characters (Joe, Gordon, Cameron, and Donna) are all excellently cast, and the majority of the supporting actors were pretty great, too.

I'm definitely in for season two.