Silicon Valley was easily the best show of 2014. While I’m a little biased when it comes to HBO (I think I’m the only person who doesn’t care for Game of Thrones), the show has regained my faith in premium television since the end of Eastbound & Down.
Silicon Valley follows a small group of coding nerds who live in Silicon Valley, California. Living in a technological world, most people don’t see the faces behind the screen. Lo and behold, they are just as nerdy as you could’ve imagined them to be; and cynical to boot. The main character, Richard, bands his friends together to start Pied Piper; an internet startup of many different functions. In the beginning, the app is used for one thing that leads to another idea to a different use and so on and so forth. Along the way to finding success he loses money, networking opportunities, friends, lawsuits, and at times, his sanity. Behind Pied Piper stands two of Richard’s favorite tech companies who fight the whole season over who will lay claim to Pied Piper’s upcoming fame.
Encompassing the real life struggles of many HTMLers, Java Script geniuses, CSS freaks, and C++ dorks, the show is comically flawless. Finding any lull in dry wit will prove to be impossible as the show’s creator Mike Judge is a master of comedy. With years of Beavis and Butt-head under his belt as well as King of the Hill, Judge proves taking a different route pays off tenfold. Judge takes backburner comics like T.J. Miller, Kumail Nanjiani, and Martin Starr to the center stage (where they so rightfully belong) to whip the audience with their quick wit and well-seasoned stand-up worthy material. While still using the grab bag of lowbrow comedy (e.g. drug use, dick jokes, little kids cursing), Judge ties the show together by following the dynamic relationships of the group. Like everything else good on television, this show is definitely underrated for what it puts out. Also, the second coming of Martin Starr (Bill Haverchuck from Freaks and Geeks) is a prime example of why this show rules. Check out a trailer from the first season below.
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Take that, Big Bang Theory.