Hate buffering videos? Does your crappy internet force you to constantly smash the reload button? Did this page take too long to load? Well, don’t throw your computer and/or modem out the window just yet, because the new internet is coming… at least in the fictional world of HBO’s Silicon Valley.
The season five premier, “Grow Fast Or Die Slow,” picks up with Richard and the Pied Piper gang settling in (after some trepidation following their previous failures) to their company’s new direction, building a decentralized internet. As the company tries to staff up for their ambitious project, Gavin Belson swoops in and hires all their potential employees, just for the petty reason of seeing Richard’s reaction. So, Pied Piper’s only option is to acquire a failing company’s staff and cut it down to the ones they need.
Unfortunately, through a failed attempted at lowballing said company, Richard and Pied Piper are forced to acquire the employees by acquiring the company that acquired the employees instead of them. Still with us? Good, because it get’s weirder. Richard is able to get the employees by pointing out a gaping hole in the company, known as SliceLine (who’s purpose is as ridiculous as its name) which he exploits in order to get their coders… all of them.
Yes, where Richard started out merely needing 15 employees for Pied Piper’s new internet, he is now in charge of 50 from both companies, a decision that he both has to justify to Laurie Bream and has to deal with as the nervous, anxiety-ridden mess that he is.
Throughout all of this, Gavin Belson is stuck in the past of technology. After being honored for his achievements, amongst VERY old peers, Belson is told by the employees he swiped from Pied Piper that Richard’s new internet will render Hooli obsolete and fears that by pursuing “Hooli Box 2,” he will be left in the dust. However, the estimated sales of the Box 2 change his mind and he doubles down on his old ways, giving Pied Piper the chance to push towards the future… if they don’t screw it up that is.
One might think that the up and down pattern of the pitfalls and triumphs that Richard and Pied Piper face would start to get a little stale, but Silicon Valley does a fantastic job of keeping things fresh. For one thing, the humor alone is enough to keep viewers invested, we want to see what new ridiculous, and very real trend is hitting the area and how it affects the eccentric personalities of our favorite computer nerds. And speaking of eccentric personalities, the main cast still has the fantastic, hilarious chemistry that the show has become known for, not missing a single beat going into the fifth season.
Another thing that keeps the show fresh, something that was ever present in the season premier, is the story. despite the fact that Silicon Valley is a comedy, the actual story of Richard and Pied Piper is fascinating in a way that, no matter how many times they fail, we still want to see them succeed. The show gets us invested in the story as much as the satire, and we find ourselves rooting for Pied Piper, even if some (okay, all) of the people who started it have less-than-stellar personalities.
“Grow Fast Or Die Slow” sets up season five of Silicon Valley perfectly, and we can’t wait to see where things go. Will Pied Piper continue to get in its own way or will a new age of information be ushered in by everyone’s favorite nervous wreck of a CEO?
Find out on season five of Silicon Valley, Sundays @10 on HBO.
Follow Us
