This Is The AMC Show You Need On Your DVR

As a network AMC has churned out some of the greatest television in the past few decades. Shows like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and The Walking Dead have all made AMC what it is today, a beacon of quality television like we have never seen before.

Every season AMC rolls out new shows; some become wildly popular, some catch on with a niche audience, and some get cancelled. Chances are you have heard of all of the wildly popular shows, but what about the shows in the niche middle?

Even without the social media hype of a show like The Walking Dead or Mad Men, AMC’s middle tier shows are just as good, but do not always appeal to a mass audience.

Halt and Catch Fire is AMC’s latest middle-of-the-road hit that you need to binge watch and catch up on. If you have never heard of Halt and Catch Fire, here are four reasons why you need to watch:

1. The Story (No Spoilers)

Halt and Catch Fire takes place in the 1980s during the great PC race. IBM has created the first successful PC, and the story is centered around a company (Cardiff Electric) trying to compete. At first glance it sounds boring, but the way Cardiff Electric gets thrust into the PC race is nothing less than Walter White-esque.

The three main characters in Halt and Catch Fire are about as far apart as you can imagine; a dark and shady CEO/Salesman, a nerdy pie-in-the-sky lead hardware engineer, and an 80s hipster programmer. The breakdown of the characters doesn’t do them justice, when you see how they play off and hate each other all at the same time.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KeQC_JQfhE%5D

2. Dark

There are a few comedic elements in the show, but at the core Halt and Catch Fire is a high-powered tech drama that we have never seen before. One of the main reasons that makes Halt and Catch Fire so good, is because there is a certain darkness in EVERY character. From the beginning you get introduced to an overtly dark main character right off the bat, but as the series progresses, you start to learn that each character has a similar darkness. Much like a Dexter, or even a Walter White, in spite of their darkness you still enjoy watching them and even root for them.

3. The 80s

If you have been waiting for a show based in the 1980s that isn’t all comedy and lollipops (like the Goldbergs) this is your show. It seems like it has been forever since a serious modern drama has been set in the 80s. Amidst the chaos of the great the PC race there are some of the finest 1980s moments, styles, cars, and even memorable toys that pop up throughout the show.

4. The Technology

If you are an old-school tech nerd that grew up with computers before your friends did, you will love this show. Halt and Catch Fire is technologically accurate in every sense of the word. Everything from old-school processors to floppy drives, and even the familiar (but old) sound of the original keyboards, Halt and Catch Fireencapsulates what it was like to experience the computer technology of the 1980s.

Halt and Catch Fire is not a popular hit because it does not appeal to everyone, but that does not mean you shouldn’t watch it. Give the first few episodes of Halt and Catch Fire a shot, and you won’t be disappointed!