SummarySet 1983, former IBM sales executive Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace) recruits reluctant Cardiff Electric engineer Gordon Clark (Scoot McNairy) and programmer Cameron Howe (Mackenzie Davis) to reverse engineer IBM's BIOS system.
Created By:Christopher Cantwell, Christopher C. Rogers
❮ Halt and Catch Fire
Season 2
Season Premiere:
May 31, 2015
Metascore
Generally Favorable
73
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.7
My Score
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Season Episodes
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
73
75% Positive
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
25% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
May 29, 2015
91
Those who stayed patient with Halt season 1, or those who come to the show now that the quality has gone up significantly, will be rewarded.
Jun 1, 2015
80
AMC's computer-industry period drama, Halt and Catch Fire, returns for its second season a fresher, better, stronger series.
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.7
96% Positive
82 Ratings
82 Ratings
1% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
2% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Jun 29, 2016
10
Best show out there. You don't need to have seen season one to understand season two. Great insight to the development of tech in the '80s. I keep telling people to watch it, but they don't because it sounds boring. "It's about the beginnings of computers" isn't nearly as intriguing as "He's a school teacher who turns into a meth dealer" or "He's a serial killer who only kills serial killers." Anyhow, it's an amazing show. Be sure to check it out.
Jun 7, 2015
10
I've been really into this series since season 1. I hope they put more of the 80's soundstracks in there. I have yet to hear any this season. The jury is still out for season 2, but keeping fingers crossed here. A+ to all the cast members for season 1. Thank you. Was an owner of Atari and Commodore back then at 12 years old, so it's exciting to watch a return to the past. Time machine!
May 29, 2015
80
It now has a compelling subject, the emergence, through modem clicks and whistles, of the wired Internet era we live in. Like many a good period piece, it’s really our own origin story.
May 26, 2015
75
The performances from Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis, and Ketty Bishe are solid, [but] the characters don't do much, favoring tech jargon over real drama. [29 May/5 Jun 2015, p.100]
May 29, 2015
67
You can see Halt reach for that something. You can't quite shake the sense that Halt doesn't know what that "something" is.
May 29, 2015
50
As with the first season, the actors all do their best, and the loving but challenging relationship between Donna and Gordon remains the show's most appealing, layered element. But Halt and Catch Fire still lacks a point of view that would make this trip back to the '80s feel relevant.
May 29, 2015
50
Four episodes in, the writers have taken steps to reconnect the key characters, but it’s a too-slow update of the software on a concept that came back with a relatively shallow pool of goodwill and critical buzz.
Jun 6, 2015
10
Yep, it's a great show! Great story, cast, cinematography, score etc.... one of the best series on! Hopefully, the network realizes this and green lights more seasons! Anyone giving this a negative rating has an agenda, must be working for a different network or something...
Sep 26, 2015
9
Season 2 was definitely an improvement of story pacing over the first season. However the shockingly low ratings may mean that the series is already over. Let's hope AMC renews for at least one final season now that Mad Men is over.
Jun 1, 2015
9
I'm looking forward to this season. I streamed (binged) the first season and am completely hooked. Great cast, sets, writing... I really enjoy everything about this show.
Oct 22, 2018
8
Season two of Halt and Catch Fire focuses less on technology and more on the characters, with conflicts arising between the entire cast. In some ways this does take away from what sets this show apart from others, as the realistic portrayal of computer companies in the 80s is what attracted me in the first place, but the drama between the characters this season feels real and justified. Each character is developed many times over what they were in the first season, and the ending of season two sets up a whole new story arc for season three. To me, this is still the technology version of Mad Men, but possibly better.
