MovieChat Forums > Halt and Catch Fire (2014) Discussion > No likeable characters left

No likeable characters left

posted 8 years ago by escadamausgaby
6 replies | jump to latest

HACF is one of those shows where I have to strain myself to continue watching...between episodes, but also during episodes. I have given this show so many chances because it could be good with very little effort, but the writers don't seem to be able to turn it around.

There are simply no likeable characters in this show. With the exception of Cameron of course, all main characters had a phase during the three seasons where you rooted for them. Season 1 was the most exciting because you were rooting for them as team. But the writers (who I believe to be actual hacks who got lucky) didn't want to continue the storyline of "watch these people take on the big players of the 80s IT world", but made the show about the internal bickering without really doing anything plotwise. There are simply no stakes for any of them in Seasons 2 and 3, just whining, bickering, and childish egomania. Not very interesting.

Whatever happens, this show needs a "bad guy" (e.g. a huge corporation) which the main characters take on. They could still incorporate the internal conflicts, but not as this show's main theme.

I guess if Season 1 didn't exist, I'd have given up this show long ago. It's a pity that the writers do not seem to know where to take this.

[–] nunnehickc 8 years ago

Wow, this post is so wrong on so many levels. I guess you didn't watch Breaking Bad, because there were pretty much no likable characters on that show either.

There was a plot and stakes in both season 2 and season 3, but this show is really about the relationships. Conflict is the key to making the show work. Considering there are so many shows on TV right now that meander around, never getting anywhere, this show is a breath of fresh air to see real goals and real conflict. A lot of TV is very bad today, while being perceived as good. You're perceiving a good show as bad, because it doesn't meet with what you want to see. It just seems like it's not for you, and there's nothing wrong with that.

I agree with you that the show is at its best when they're working together, and that's essentially what they set up for season 4. That will be the first time when every major character believes in the idea they're selling. Every single season they are up against a "bad guy", that bad guy's name is "Early". They always lose because they're ahead of the curve, and that's the main conflict they're fighting, which will be front and center in season 4.

This show has more conflict than the average "Housewives" show, and the realism of the conflicts is a big appeal for a lot of the tiny audience that watches the show.

My web series:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLece-1eaMHaC3K1xH64WtED1tMTRYWLL7

[–] escadamausgaby 8 years ago

Breaking Bad happens to be my favorite show ever - there were plenty of likeable characters in it - Walther, Jesse, Saul Goodman, Hank, Flynn, Mike Ehrmantraut....

So you got me wrong, and your guesses are wrong.

And you agree that Season 2 and 3 were pointless, you're betting on Season 4 like I do. Thank you!

Just admit to yourself that Seasons 2 and 3 were meandering, not having a real direction, and the internal conflict of the main characters was not enough to make for a compelling TV show. I mean it's cool to show the internal conflicts, but as I said it the show needs a plot on top of which those internal conflicts play out.

And sorry, you grasping at straws with the idea of "they're too early, that's the bad guy in this show" just proves that you have nothing of substance to defend Seasons 2 and 3. Theoretical concepts like "being early" make for very lame "bad guys". Add to that the fact that the "early" theme was only introduced in the very last episode when they suddenly got the idea to create the "WWW" and "the browser", but never before.

[–] nunnehickc 8 years ago

I got news for you. Breaking Bad has the largest universe of unlikable and disgusting characters probably ever on TV. You may like them, but almost all of those people were terrible bad guys, even Mike (and definitely scummy Hank). It sounds to me like you just don't like normal people. And I was being sarcastic about you liking Breaking Bad, because I knew you would.

And no I don't agree with you about season 2 and 3. I thought both of those seasons were among the best shows on TV. I thought season 1 was an inconsistent mess that went between great and terrible by the week, and sometimes within an episode. All that was removed for season 2, and this has been one of the most consistently excellent watches on television since that season. I do have high hopes for season 4, because the best team is back together, but I certainly don't look at season 2 and 3 as being bad in any way, they were both extremely excellent television.

I absolutely do not believe there has to be a "bad guy" in any TV show (fyi, the "bad guy" in real life is generally conflict, and this show is full of realistic conflict), and you haven't been paying attention if you think they haven't been early for every single technology they've come up with. The Giant was far too expensive to mass produce, and the technology made the computer super hot. Video games hadn't evolved enough to give Cameron's company the amount of server space to handle a high amount of traffic. This season, they came up with a great idea within their framework, but again, it was too expensive and too early to do anything about it. They bought another company, but that didn't really help with a lot of the problem of getting on board with the idea.

My web series:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLece-1eaMHaC3K1xH64WtED1tMTRYWLL7

[–] rubirub 8 years ago

This show started being good and it's amazing now. I love every season.

And I love the characters too! They are full of flaws but that's what makes the show so interesting and rich!

Best show on TV!

[–] starfamstar39776 8 years ago

You can't tell me you don't like Gordon or john. They're just so lovable. But you do have a point though. Sometimes I just grab my hair and think what are the writers doing:)

[–] Ithilfaen 8 years ago

There are simply no likeable characters in this show

Why were you even watching in the first place?

If you are looking for heroes and villains, I suggest you stick to network tv. ABC or CBS might be more your speed.

Whatever happens, this show needs a "bad guy" (e.g. a huge corporation) which the main characters take on. They could still incorporate the internal conflicts, but not as this show's main theme.

Zzzzzzz oh sorry, that was your actual idea? A villain for the heroes to fight together? And you think you're better than the writers, sorry the hacks who got lucky? lol don't quit your day job

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco