Here's another AMC production. Also a period drama, but not so much as Turn -- this one is set in 1980s California, during the software boom. If I had to classify it, I would say that it's like a television version of The Social Network, with a regrettable lack of Justin Timberlake. Halt and Catch Fire (abbreviated as HCF) is a programming term for a series of computer machine code instructions that will cause a CPU to pretty much explode (not literally). Duh. Anyway, I'm interested in the project partially because I am a fan of the cast. They've got Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies, The Hobbit: DoS) and Scoot McNairy (you might remember him as the pessimistic one from Argo) leading the group, with a number of other solid up-and-comers. If AMC can make the advertising industry gripping, I have complete faith that they'll be able to make an interesting show out of the tremendous technology boom of the 80s. Audiences have proven that they're interested in seeing these kind of near-historical productions, and it should be able to leech off of people who tune into AMC to watch The Walking Dead, Mad Men, and those who desperately check the channel on the off chance that they brought Breaking Bad back.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
