Margaux and I loved this week’s crazy-ass edition of Halt and Catch Fire.
Trevor: So Gordon is losing his goddamn mind. What a weird subplot. Honestly it felt straight out of Mad Men, like something you’d see one of their WTF episodes like “The Crash” or “The Runaways.”
Margaux: Yeah, Gordon’s whole “descent into madness” started out slowly last week and just took on a way strange left turn in “Giant.” Donna talking about the computer problems Gordon has had in the past, isn’t the most reassuring sign in the world. Seems like he’s lost his mind in the past, though we don’t to what extreme yet.
Trevor: Great performance from Scoot McNairy, especially his delivery of the world’s most depressing bedtime story. And the scene where he was rehearsing in the mirror while Donna said her goodbyes was excellently done. Surreal and darkly humorous.
Margaux: I feel like your aptly called “most depressing bedtime story” carried an extra punch of sadness to it too because it was so clearly an allegory for Gordon and Joe’s relationship. He’s the lowly farmer going up against the insurmountable P.T. Barnum. The backdrop of a circus only makes it more creepy. The Clark family is having some issues.
I mean, poor Donna – I would lost my fucking mind if I came home from a weirdly shitty business trip to a house that looks like a crime scene. Oh and your husband? He’s digging a huge hole in your backyard, don’t worry about all the blood!
Trevor: “This is not why the fuck I married a computer programmer! You’re supposed to be boring!”
I was really surprised at how the business trip played out. Donna and Hunt kissing didn’t surprise me, but I was caught off guard by the fact that A, she initiated things, and B, he wasn’t into it.
Margaux: I was more surprised that Hunt didn’t want it and that he was actually super uncomfortable by the whole thing. The scene before Donna plants one on him, when they’re in the elevator, it was so cringe-worthy because everything Hunt said to her felt like a fucking come-on. Donna’s frustrations with Gordon and basically being relegated to invisibile wife, makes sense why Donna took Hunt’s advice of “being bolder” to the extreme she did. They’ve been hinting at it for some time that Donna is pretty unfulfilled in her life and she’s given up a lot in her marriage to Gordon.
Damn Clarks, you’re bumming me out.
Trevor: It was nicely unexpected that Hunt didn’t go for it, but at the same time it felt like a bait-and-switch from AMC. He’s been coming on pretty strong the last couple weeks, and now he’s saying no? There’s always the chance that he doesn’t know what signals he’s sending, but when you’re inches away from a woman’s face, saying “Be bolder,” you should know what that means.
Margaux: Maybe Hunt only saw his relationship with Donna as a “work flirt” and never expected she’d act on it, which also fed into him feeling comfortable enough to be a closer-talker in the elevator.
But anyway, speaking of relationships, you know I love to say I told you so. So, TOLD YA that Cameron and Joe were going to get more serious.
Trevor: Serious about kinky electricity sex, you mean.
But when you’re right, you’re right. Lot of emotional honesty between the two of them last night, which I liked (and I know, “emotional honesty” is an incredibly douchey “critic” thing so say, sorry). I liked when Joe admitted to Simon that he and Cameron are together, and I like that he respected her enough to answer her honestly when she asked if he’d get bored of her, although “I don’t know” probably isn’t very reassuring.
Margaux: Yeah, but what’d Cameron expect? Especially considering all the things she’s personally learned about him (more than most people on the show), homegirl shouldn’t be entirely surprised by this revelation. Like you said, at least he was honest enough to be as truthful as Joe will ever get.
But I gotta say, Joe being bi-curious (because he just likes powerful people) is really interesting to me and backs up my feel that his tryst with that wealthy socialite’s kept-boy was not his first (and not totally a power play). He’s definitely one of the most interesting, mysterious characters on TV right now.
Trevor: First of all, “Back Up My Feel” sounds like an Aaliyah song. I like it. Second, you’re right, I hadn’t made that insight into Joe’s character, probably cause I’m still pissed off over Tyrant. Lee Pace is selling the hell out of it. It’s good to take a conventionally handsome man like him – or Jon Hamm – and give him this dark, ever-changing backstory.
So I’d like to segue from the world’s worst bedtime story to the world’s worst strip club. That designer Ken Burke was such a douche. Why would someone like that even BE in the tech industry? He seemed like such a frat bro, probably pledged at Kappa Kappa Date Rape. But I loved watching Bosworth hit him. I almost cheered out loud.
Margaux: I let out a “fuck yeah” when Bosworth clocked that douchebag in the jaw, so satisfying. And it was also really touching to see Bosworth stick up for Joe like that, only Bosworth is allowed to hate Joe – no one else. But yeah, that designer Ken is like 89% of Silicon Valley. Happy to see his dumb sideburns get knocked to that semen-covered floor. Ass.
Trevor: And I like how Bosworth covered for himself with Nathan – “He insulted Ginny!” He doesn’t want Nathan to know that he slugged the guy over Joe MacMillan.
Speaking of Nathan, why did he even start an electronics company? The guy seems patently uninterested in everything about it.
Margaux: In my notes I wrote, “ugh, God talk…fuckin’ Texas.” Nathan, as I interpret him, is supposed to represent the type of thinking that happens at say, Donna’s work. He’s not so much patently uninterested in electronics as much he doesn’t like change and would rather default to God than assume any sort of leadership position. He doesn’t mind being the “money guy,” but minds spending the money on shit he doesn’t understand. Which…seems to be a lot.
I think the real question is: will Bosworth end up mortgaging his house, doesn’t seem like he’s got a lot to lose anymore. And it’s honestly, downright delightful to see him so fired up over something he himself was reluctant to embrace at the start of the episode.
Trevor: Bosworth has made my favorite character transformation out of anyone. Gordon has become a madman, Cameron is wearing weird 80s couture, but Bosworth is jumping in with both feet.
What do you think as far as star count goes? I’m leaning towards four and a half.
Margaux: Jesus, Cameron’s 80s blazer at the art gallery was distracting. But barring her questionable fashion choices, I thought “Giant” was a well-acted and well-scripted episode of a very interesting show. Can’t believe there are only 3 episodes left.
Oh yeah, stars: four and a half works for me.
Trevor: Good. I couldn’t think of a “giant” or a “contrail” joke, sorry. I’m usually better at this.
Margaux: So much contrail talk last night in a place where dust is a main export.
Tip your waitress.
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