I’ve just re-watched all four seasons of ‘Halt and Catch Fire’. If you are reading this post there is every chance you’ve at least heard of this underrated gem of ‘premium television’. If you aren’t aware of it, it is the story of the early days of personal computing / the internet / gaming / the world wide web told through the soap opera of a small group of friends and colleagues starting in Texas and landing in Silicon Valley.

I’m still amazed it ever got made – particularly with such an amazing cast and production – but it does exist and I doubt there is anything on film that better embodies the early days of that world in the before social media time of hope and excitement! I really recommend it – Mackenzie Davis and Lee Pace in particular are fantastic but the whole cast is brilliant. It is on whatever the Channel 4 streaming service is called at the moment.

Anyway watching it again I was struck by how differently I related to it this time. It isn’t that old and I probably didn’t even watch it in real time the first time so it isn’t like decades have passed but it felt really different.

When I first watched it I very much saw myself in Joe. For those who haven’t watched it Joe is very much the protagonist. Surely inspired by Steve Jobs he is a proto-product person. All ego and salesmanship, lacking empathy in his pursuit of disruption but also inspiring and a visionary – able to see the opportunities and take risks where others are unable and unwilling to. He is a total dick for the best part of three seasons. Nonetheless the first time I watched this show I really did buy into the character.

This time around though I realised I am actually ‘Bos’. The ageing salesman father figure who makes poor decisions for good reasons, is bad with money, is surrounded by younger, smarter people who he mentors, helps create the environment for them to succeed, puts his ego aside for the good of the group, is a storyteller who makes a great chilli. He even sports a greying messy beard in the final season – not unlike your author. 

He is the very definition of the Village Elder.

Is this a sign of growth that I now see myself in the portrayal of a flawed supporting character rather than one of the very flawed leads (everybody in this show has issues!)? Or is it just a sign I am old and tired?

I feel like I need to link to a Buzzfeed quiz now – which Halt and Catch Fire character are you? I bet I know a Cameron or two.

Anyway if you have watched the show let me know 🙂