‘Halt and Catch Fire’ season 2, episode 2 review: Second first impressions
What remains fascinating about “Halt and Catch Fire” season 2 is what it is putting together right now when it comes to evolution. Remember that this is a show that really held Joe in a major power position throughout season 1; he was the mover and shaker at Cardiff that brought them into the computer business, and his actions energized Gordon, and in turn he helped to bring Cameron aboard and eventually, the issues at Cardiff led to the arrest of Bosworth.
Now, everything has come around full circle in very bizarre but also entertaining ways. The second episode of this season featured Joe working in a much more humble position for Jacob Wheeler, the father of his new love who is seemingly desperate to prove a point. Joe seems to be accepting his lowly data entry job for now, but we shall wee how long that lasts before he gets that itch to be creative and start pushing again.
Gordon struggled with addictions of his own in the episode, discussing his issues with cocaine to a doctor before eventually realizing that what he needs to fill his void is some sort of work. He is starting to come into the sphere of Mutiny, Donna and Cameron’s startup that has the technical skills, but not the business sense to really leverage them. If Gordon was to sign on, he may help them handle some of the sexist investors and get them to realize the potential here. Then again, so could Joe, provided that he starts to come into contact with some of the other characters sooner rather than later.
Sooner or later, doesn’t the promotional photo above have to come together? Can’t Gordon get the beard back? We can dream. For now, this episode brought us a sense of ambition, but also a sense that Mutiny is still incredibly dysfunctional. Cameron hired both Bosworth and a skilled hacker at times without communicating her choices at all.
Quality-wise, at least you can rest assured that the series remains as sensational as ever. Let’s just hope the upward trajectory continues as we move deeper into the season. Grade: A-.
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