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Sunday, April 20, 2014

It's All Geek To Me


Now I am not exactly what one would consider a technophobe but ask me where the Universal Serial Bus is and I will point you straight to the Port Authority. And as for RAM, was that not one of the lesser known efforts from Paul McCartney and Wings? Binary, shminary, what the Hades do I know? And given I am about as clued in on the subject of technology as Don Rickles is to subtlety, that didn't prevent me from guffawing so hard I nearly fell off my hydraulic chair (when in Rome) when happening upon the first episode of HBO's latest and greatest  brand-spanking newbie a la Mike Judge (yes that Mike Judge of Beavis and Butthead creator fame) - Silicon Valley. And this sublimely subversive sitcom was somewhat inspired by Judge's heretofore occupation as an engineer in the 1980's for a South Bay area company. And you may intuit upon first watch, yes Mister Judge certainly has honed his onions.





And oh what a way-to-go media en res style,the series opener presents us the protagonist with the mostest Richard Hendriks (newishcomer 
Thomas Middleditch) replete with deadest pan of delivery zings 'Jobs was a poser, he didn't even write code! Now I wouldn't exactly be qualified to refute the validity of that claim, and for the sake of  the overly litigious sorts, I will chalk it up to entertainment purposes (please don't shoot the reviewer).



Richard Hendriks (Middleditch) says  - 'Scuse Me While I Kiss The Skype.


Middleditch's Richard Hendriks whilst jobbing at the Monopoly Game version of the Google Company, it's television name - Hooli  -  invents an application - and one that he affectionately titles Pied Piper (what's in a name,eh)? Lo and behold, and unbeknownst to the author - this concept devised is infinitely more than an all-purpose media search bar why it's the Internet's premier algorithm, a level of algorithm so coveted, that Richard is immediately offered ten million smackers for it in what manifests into the bidding battle of the century, okay this month (and good job it wasn't Don Corleone shouting the odds this time). Richard declines the veritable Lotto winning figure, in lieu of accepting the ten million seals the deal with on an investor who wants five percent in. It's a much wiser option in the end, (yeah, what he said).



A Starr is born (From Freaks and Geeks circa 1999)

Martin and his Starr power as the Great Gilfoyle in Silicon Valley


Silicon Valley also stars the aptly surnamed (no relation to a Beatle) Martin Starr as Gilfoyle, and in his early incarnation as Bill Haverchuck in 1999's brilliant but canceled Freaks and Geeks  you didn't have to be Madame Zora to see that kid was built to last, or at least built to have built you a customized tower, although that would  have been after he completed the hard sci-fi novel he has been toiling on during his Roman Debeers catering days in the also brilliant but canceled series Party Down (2009), and down in the valley, he may as per pull out all the misanthropic stops but aww we know he's honestly just a nice nebbish at heart.


Jared Dunn is the ghost in the machine (Zach Woods)


You can take your pick with the other scene robbers, there's enough alpha-male even in beta-mode, why even the character with the self-proclaimed ghost-like features Jared Dunn (Zach Woods) manages to get his fair share of reign supreme time in, and just you try to forget Jared's quirky quip as he recounts a family member referring to him as having the visage 'of a virgin that was starved to death,' to which Richard replies ' I can see that' And oh yes, there is the overbearing but (nearly) lovable Elrich portrayed by T.J. Miller, he's the one royal ass kisser par excellence Jared likens to a Norse God and although this chap has more agendas than you've trips to the loo, is a bit of a life coach for Richard, as he imparts the worldly wisdom to ' be an asshole' and hey you know how they talk about life and art - look around you and see that has been a tried and true mantra for so many.



Never misjudge Mike


Mike Judge may just garner a little deification for breaking the hallowed grounds of the Valley with such unrelentingly brazen home-truths, however done in jest of the now and future voyagers of Silicon, the go-to Shangri-la for today's angry young geek and perhaps a chance for a little exaltation for those willing to step away from their keyboards, touch-pads, and other wotsits if they tune in for this Sunday treat.




From l. to r. - Aly Mawji, TJ Miller, Thomas Middleditch, Zach Woods and Martin  Starr



And there is bound to be more trouble abounding in little Silicon Valley in these episodes to come, mark my word, on your Palm Pilot if you please.