Laugh-Out-Loud Comedy Series On Max Exposes The Truth Behind Big Tech
The workplace comedy has been a tried and true method for delivering excellent television shows since the inception of the small screen. Sitcoms such as The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Party Down have utilized inside looks at certain industries as vehicles for hilarious character work, absurd storylines, and sometimes relatable industry secrets. One HBO original series, titled Silicon Valley, offers a similar look into the world of big tech, exposing a wide array of insane truths about the programming and investment industries.
Mike Judge
Silicon Valley was developed for television by Mike Judge, the legendary comedy genius behind such classic series’ as King of the Hill and Beavis and Butt-Head. Judge created Silicon Valley alongside a pair of long-time collaborators named John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky, who both wrote for the previously mentioned animated shows.
The series was initially made to parody the culture of the modern tech industry, loosely inspired by Mike Judge’s own personal experience with Silicon Valley startups.
Taken From Actual Meetings
Apparently, Mike Judge briefly worked for a Silicon Valley computer chip company back in the 80s, before making his big break into television and film writing. Judge quit the industry after only three months of work, and has since lambasted both the company and his former colleagues, explaining that he hated the culture and pervasive smarminess of the entire tech industry.
Some of the dialogue in Silicon Valley‘s pilot episode is ripped directly from real meetings Judge had during his brief foray into the world of big tech.
The Cast
The show centers on a team of app developers under the title Pied Piper, as portrayed by a veritable firing squad of comedy greats. Silicon Valley‘s main ensemble of performers includes Thomas Middleditch, Martin Starr, Kumail Nanjiani, Zach Woods, Josh Brener, and Deadpool‘s T.J. Miller.
Over the course of six seasons, the gang explore a myriad of business ventures in the tech world, from launching basic iPhone apps, to starting massive data compression services, to eventually building a decentralized internet capable of shielding users from the pitfalls of modern computing.
Pied Piper
As a result of the constantly-pivoting business model of Pied Piper, Silicon Valley is able to show numerous examples of big tech’s strange quirks.
At different points in the show, Pied Piper’s founders can be seen striking funding deals with eccentric venture capital firms, vying to bring their product to market against a hostile takeover, and developing mathematic equations for how to sexually pleasure as many individuals as humanly possible. That last example comes from the season 1 finale, and serves as one of the funniest scenes in any television series in modern memory.
Stream It Now
GFR SCORE
Over the course of Silicon Valley‘s run, the writers were also able to satirize modern trends in the tech world, including Mark Zuckerberg’s congressional hearings, as well as Apple and Google’s respective user data and privacy breaches.
If you’re in the market for a workplace comedy that elevates itself far beyond the scope of your average sitcom, Silicon Valley is currently streaming on Max. The series holds a shocking 94 percent certified fresh critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, in a testament to its staggering hilarity.
