Spoilers - Halt and Catch Fire S&S #4: "It says, 'You put your hand into the light, but cannot grasp it.' And there’s no way out." (Watch AMC Sun @ 10PM EST)

northboundtrain · 06-26-2015, 12:33 PM

Halt and Catch Fire SEASON 2
Spoilers & Speculation #4

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SERIES INFO

What: Season two of Halt and Catch Fire will take place at the beginning of 1985, focusing on the development and growth of Mutiny, the new start-up created by Cameron (Mackenzie Davis) and Donna (Kerry Bishé) based on the revolutionary idea of that time: Internet.
Who: Lee Pace (Joe), Scoot McNairy (Gordon), Mackenzie Davis (Cameron), Kerry Bishé (Donna), Toby Huss (Bosworth), Aleksa Palladino (Sara Wheeler), and James Cromwell (Jacob Wheeler)
Where: AMC
When: Sunday, 10:00 pm EST/9:00 pm CST

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RESOURCES

https://www.facebook.com/haltcatchfiretv
Halt and Catch Fire – AMC
HQ Still and Episode Info at Airungarky.com
HACF S&S Thread #2
http://www.fanforum.com/f15/halt-cat...-amc-63149064/

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NEXT EPISODE: 209 "Kali" (airs July 26, 2015)

EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

* written by: Jason Cahill (previous episodes: 103, 109, 203)
* directed by: not available yet
* title speculation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali_(disambiguation)
* AMC summary: Reeling after a rival's launch, Mutiny takes measures to ensure survival; Gordon pays a price to quell his paranoia.
* TV Guide summary: Left reeling by the launch of a rival, Mutiny takes measures to ensure its survival. Meanwhile, Gordon pays a price in an attempt to quell his paranoia.

...featuring appearances by...
Mutiny: Lev, Tom, Arki, Carl, Bodie
Funtime Games: Roberto Campinello, Allen Wilcox, Amy
Gordon's Story: Dr. Semel, Maintenance Man

CASTING CALLS (from Project Casting)
* "business types all ages . . . retired stock holder types 60’s to 80’s"
* "board member female in her 50’s"
* "a female event planner type 30’s to 50’s"

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210 "Heaven is a Place" (airs August 2, 2015)

* written by: Christopher Cantwell and Christopher C. Rogers (previous episodes: 101, 102, 110, 201, 207)
* directed by: Phil Abraham (previous episode: 202)
* title speculation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven_..._Heads_song%29
* AMC summary: When the Clark family descends into crisis, Gordon helps Joe; Cameron envisions a new future for Mutiny.
* TV Guide summary: In the Season 2 finale, Gordon aids Joe as the Clark family descends into crisis. Meanwhile, Cameron envisions a new future for Mutiny that may not include everyone.

...featuring appearances by...
Mutiny: Yo-Yo, Tom, Arki, Carl, Bodie, Dave, Flight Attendant
Joe's Revenge: Timothy Bondham
Unknown: Diane, Paul

CASTING CALLS (from Project Casting)
* "good looking high end young business types – late 20’s to mid 40’s only"
* "flight attendant types — female – 20’s to 30’s will be dressed in 1985 flight attendant attire"
* "hispanic and caucasian men and women 30’s to 50’s for some specific roles"

northboundtrain · 06-26-2015, 12:34 PM

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OFFICIAL SEASON 2 SYNOPSIS

It’s March 1985. More than a year has passed since Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace) set fire to a truck full of Cardiff Giant PCs, the last in a long string of destructive acts that burned the people that made the machine possible: Gordon Clark (Scoot McNairy), Donna Clark (Kerry Bishé), Cameron Howe (Mackenzie Davis) and John Bosworth (Toby Huss). The Giant is about to go the way of the dinosaur, like any number of personal computers to enter the market in the wake of IBM. The lesson is harsh but clear: in history, only the truly disruptive ideas are destined to matter.

The next wave of disruption in tech is coming, and it may well land at Mutiny, Cameron and Donna’s start-up company. Cameron’s vision for the company – a subscription service for people to play games on a hosted network – has become a reality. But the company is hanging on by a financial thread, and the limitations of its computing power and lack of new games could spell doom. If Mutiny is to survive, it will have to organize and it will have to innovate. As more subscribers use Mutiny to chat online, Donna champions the social aspects of the service, while Cameron pushes the gaming side. The competition creates real tension between the two women and inside the company, as Cameron’s ideal of a leaderless organization becomes increasingly untenable.

The hunger to innovate, the exhilaration of doing something that matters: these are driving forces not only for Cameron and Donna, but for Joe, Gordon and Bosworth as well. Joe has returned from his self-imposed exile a changed man, with a new love, Sara Wheeler (Aleksa Palladino), and a new commitment to honesty, sincerity and decency. But his passion for tech remains, as does his genius for the breakthrough idea and the charisma to put it across to his new employer, Jacob Wheeler (James Cromwell), the CEO of a Texas oil conglomerate and Sara’s father. After an uninspiring final year at Cardiff, Gordon is willing to put aside his suspicions about Joe to explore the next frontier of tech. Their discoveries become critical to the fortunes of Mutiny, a development that places even more stress on the startup. The wounds of the past still fester for Cameron and perhaps even more for Bosworth, who paid the highest price for Joe’s recklessness at Cardiff and is now pursuing his own reinvention at Mutiny.

The Information Age is dawning, and with it an entirely new way for people to connect with one another as human beings. For the men and women of “Halt and Catch Fire” who are caught up in this pivotal moment in history, pursuing their dreams may carry a high cost. Because in the real world, human connections – between husbands and wives, lovers and friends – can be surprisingly fragile. (released and posted here)

MISC. INFORMATION

* "[T]the producers want to deepen the excellently developed ensemble" in S2. (TV Guide)

* "Season 2 starts in March 1985, covers less time jumps" (Danielle Turchiano, Twitter)

* EP Jonathan Lisco: "#HaltAndCatchFire won't cover as much elapsed time in season 2 as did season 1" (Jim Colucci, Twitter)

* "First Macintosh blows their mind on second season" (Roger Catlin, Twitter)

* "Internal stress of characters is key on #HaltandCatchFire. Will they be left in the trash bin of history?" (Danielle Turchiano, Twitter)

* EP Jonathan Lisco: "Thin line separating genius & delusion theme continues in S2. Also, the fragility of human connectivity - are we really alone?" (Diane Gordon, Twitter)

* "We’ve definitely looked to improve the pacing [compared to] the first seaon. It’s going to feel messy, it’s going to feel brash, it’s going to feel more dynamic. But this is also not a show that has meth dealers, and explosions, and shooting. So, by definition, it’s going to be, at least for some people, a slower burn. We’ve got to find that balance—we want people to be drawn in, but we also want to reward the loyal viewer. We’re not going to step back from creating rich complex characters and putting them in new and surprising situations because I think that’s what our passionate core audience is expecting from us." (EP Jonathan Lisco, EW.com)

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INFO ON JOE'S STORYLINE
(Joe/Cameron stuff has its own section further down.)

Joe's Role/Mindset in S2
* "Don't worry: Joe won't be wandering in the wilderness forever. In fact, even though the producers want to deepen the excellently developed ensemble, Joe will remain first among equals. 'Joe for us has always been the reason that we're here,' co-executive producer Christopher Cantwell says. 'He is the catalyst that enters everybody's life. [Whether] he's a constructive or destructive force, he's the one that everyone is attached to. We want to explore how this guy continues to affect the ebb and flow of these other characters' lives.'" (TV Guide)

* "[L]ook for Joe's mysterious backstory to hit the back burner. 'We needed to start from the place [of mystery] to get him to the place he ended up,' co-executive producer Christopher C. Rogers says." (TV Guide)

* EP Jonathan Lisco says "Joe suffers from genius founder's malaise. They're crestfallen by their own creation" (Diane Gordon, Twitter)

* "Joe's machine was only B+. His problem now is 'I can do better & the future deserves better from people like me.'" (Danielle Turchiano, Twitter)

* "Joe is a rather changed man. He was a bit Machiavellian in season 1 and that didn’t work for him. So now he’s going to come back, sloughing off that persona. We can ask during the course of the season whether or not he’s wearing a mask, whether or not he knows that he’s actually deluding himself, whether or not he is deluding himself. But he’s definitely going to be a new Joe." (EP Jonathan Lisco, EW.com)

Joe and Sara
* AMC has confirmed that Joe will have a new love interest in the form of Sara Wheeler (played by Aleksa Palladino), a "well-traveled and highly educated freelance journalist . . . who comes from a wealthy background, but is self-reliant and responsible. Due to past experiences, Sara is skeptical of relationships, but after reconnecting with Joe (Lee Pace), whom she first met back in college, the couple shares a real, deep connection." (Variety)

* "When Joe tracked Sara down at Fisk Observatory, she was in deep retreat from the world, smarting from the discovery that her now ex-husband was a schemer after her father’s money. Sara and Joe fell deeply in love as they helped each other heal, and have begun building a life together. Sara believes in Joe and his potential to do great things, but remains alert to the possibility that he could slip back into his manipulative old ways. And as much as she loves him, Sara won’t put herself in a position to be hurt again." (AMC.com)

Joe's New Job at Westgroup Energy
* "After sidelining himself for a year, Joe is eager to return to work, but his reputation remains a major hurdle. With few options, he accepts a job offer from Sara’s father, Jacob Wheeler, the formidable chief of a Dallas oil company called Westgroup Energy. It’s a drone job, but Joe’s passion for tech and his knack for the breakthrough idea means he won’t be at the bottom for long." (AMC.com)

* Deadline confirms that James Cromwell will be playing Wheeler, a "self made Texas millionaire and energy company CEO . . . looking to expand his corporate reach. That expansion brings him both close alliance and in conflict with the ever ambitious Joe MacMillan" (Deadline)

* Joe's new boss, Jacob, is the "son of a midwestern carpet store owner" who "pulled himself up by his proverbial bootstraps to conquer the business world." He now "enjoys the rarefied opportunities afforded by his position, from daredevil athletic adventures and exotic travel to collecting pricey rarities like antique airplanes." (airungarky.com)

* "While Jacob’s occasionally overbearing ways can set Sara on edge, father and daughter have a close and loving relationship. In the wake of Sara’s first disastrous marriage, Jacob is extremely protective of Sara and his job offer to Joe is as much a test as an act of generosity." (airungarky.com)

* Showfax scripts indicate that as of at least episode 204 Joe is trying to figure out a way to lease Westgroup's mainframe/network space to third party businesses who need/want more network space and are willing to pay Westgroup for it. DISCLAIMER: Some of these details could change in production if there are re-writes.

Joe and Gordon
* "Gordon and Joe’s storylines this season will find them making sympathetically odd bedfellows, whose storylines then cross-pollinate with the Mutiny storyline." (EP Jonathan Lisco, EW.com)

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INFO ON CAMERON'S STORYLINE
(Joe/Cameron stuff has its own section further down.)

Cameron @ Mutiny
* EP Jonathan Lisco "wants to see Cameron hit walls of her ideals" (Danielle Turchiano, Twitter)

* Cameron "and her band of misfits, including Cardiff veterans Lev and YoYo, have built an environment where she feels safe, understood and at peace. Despite its early success, Mutiny is in a precarious position, forever playing catch-up in the race to provide sufficient computing power to its online game players." (AMC.com)

* Cameron "pushes the gaming side" of Mutiny, which brings her into conflict with Donna, who pushes the social/chat aspect (i.e., subscribers forming relationships with users of similar interests through chat rooms). (Showfax sides and AMC.com)

* "You’re going to see both a little bit of season 1 in her haircut but also she’s definitely heading in a looser direction, if I might put it that way. But it all comes from character! She was under the thumb of Joe. Now, she’s the CEO if you will—albeit the reluctant CEO—of her new venture, Mutiny. She gets to just be herself for perhaps the first time ever." (EP Jonathan Lisco, EW.com)

Cameron and Tom
* AMC has confirmed a new recurring character, Tom Rendon (played by Mark O’Brien), "an IT department head at a law firm who is an early adapter of Cameron’s (Mackenzie Davis) computer startup company, Mutiny, and shares her same brilliance and passion for gaming. His character is described as having a conservative exterior but a strong hacker ethos that may rival Cameron’s." (Variety)

* Tom Rendon "is an aspiring game designer and hacker who plays some underhanded tricks on Mutiny in a bratty, but successful attempt to get the company’s attention." (airungarky.com)

* Per information from a Vimeo audition for the role of Tom, it looks like Cameron will meet him when she tracks him down at his house after she learns that he stole, modified, and released one of Mutiny's games. Cameron initially wants to sue him, but she is later impressed enough with his knowledge that she offers him a job.

* "Cameron finds an unexpected source of emotional support, and maybe more, in Mutiny’s new coder, Tom Rendon." (AMC.com)

* Cameron is both "infuriated by Tom's blase self-confidence" and "impressed by his talent" -- eventually, "the tension between Tom and Cameron fades and he shows himself to be someone she can trust, respect and possibly love." (airungarky.com)

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INFO ON JOE/CAMERON'S RELATIONSHIP

* Showfax scripts for episode 205 include a scene in which Cameron and Bosworth discuss her relationship with Joe; Bosworth says Joe wants Cameron's forgiveness; Cameron worries about being caught in another of Joe's schemes, and Bosworth urges her to meet with Joe so she can look him in the eye and figure out if he's lying. DISCLAIMER: Some of these details could change in production if there are re-writes.

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INFO ON DONNA'S STORYLINE

Donna @ Mutiny
* "Donna is energized by her work at Mutiny, where she finally has the opportunity to use her talents to their fullest. However, she also recognizes that Mutiny needs organization if it’s going to survive. She’s alarmed by the way the day to day business is being run – or ignored – and tries to convince Cameron of the gravity of the situation, without much success." (AMC.com)

* "When Donna notices that the online chat rooms are increasingly attracting users, she suspects she’s found the key to Mutiny’s future. Cameron is skeptical, but Donna lobbies for a block of time and network space to develop the idea further." (AMC.com)

* "The business relationship between Cameron and Donna is a very different kind of relationship. It’s a prickly one, for sure. But what I love about it from the very beginning is that it’s two people that really deeply respect each other and are trying to work it out. It’s no less contentious, [but] it is more collaborative. Not to be too grandiose about it, but I think the stories they’re interested in telling are underdog stories. And being a woman in tech in the mid-’80s was an underdog position. Having Donna and Cameron both at the center of that does some very interesting things for the questions they want to ask with the show.” (Kerry Bishé, EW.com)

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INFO ON GORDON'S STORYLINE

Gordon's New Project
* In 201, it is established that Gordon has been president of Cardiff Electric for the past 14 months, which means he is out of a job when Nathan Cardiff decides to sell the company in 201. (AMC.com)

* "Scoot’s character put everything on the line, thinking that he would wind up with something great. At the end of the day, I think it’s safe to say [it was] a rather hollow victory. It didn’t give him the success he wanted. That is going to set him on a new path, to find the next big idea." (EP Jonathan Lisco, EW.com)

* Gordon "builds a computer workshop in the garage, but finds that inspiration eludes him. Thanks to a Mutiny game, Gordon finally gets his tech mojo back; however, in his eagerness to help Mutiny, he may end up creating more problems than he solves." (AMC.com)

* Gordon embarks on a new project with his ex-Cardiff buddies, but Gordon's mental issues (see below) seem to be threatening the venture in some way. (Showfax scripts)

* In one of the Showfax scripts for 206, Gordon appears to be visiting his brother, Henry, and Henry's wife and two children. Thanks to parisredbeatrice's detective work, it looks like actor Kevin Rankin (of Breaking Bad and Gracepoint, among others) is playing the role of Henry -- however, this has not yet been formally announced, and the picture of KR on set was later deleted from Facebook. DISCLAIMER: Some of these details could change in production if there are re-writes.

Gordon's Medical Issues (?)
* There are repeated references in Showfax scripts for 202 and 203 to Gordon having a coke problem -- in 202, he claims to his doctor that he stopped using, but coke is seen on his worktable in the script for 203. It is not yet clear from scripts if Donna knows. DISCLAIMER: Some of these details could change in production if there are re-writes.

* In one of the Showfax scripts for 205, Gordon appears to be having mental issues while out at a club. Later, in 206, Gordon tells another character that he has recently been diagnosed with CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a progressive degenerative disease. DISCLAIMER: Some of these details could change in production if there are re-writes.

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INFO ON DONNA AND GORDON'S RELATIONSHIP

* "Last season, Gordon & Donna was about Donna holding the string of Gordon's kite. This year, there will be two kites" (Danielle Turchiano, Twitter)

* “In season 1, it was always Gordon who got to pursue his dreams. It’s Donna’s turn to spread her wings and see where that takes her, and he’s going to play the supporting role for her career now. So this season explores what happens when that dynamic is at play in their relationship. [That causes stress], but maybe not the kind that you would imagine.” (Kerry Bishé, EW.com)

* "Consumed by the concept of virtual human connection, Donna grows increasingly disconnected from her life at home." (AMC.com)

* Gordon "feels good about taking on the daily responsibilities of the household and parenting" now that Donna is working at Mutiny full time. (AMC.com)

* In one of the Showfax scripts for 206, Donna tells Cameron that she's been keeping a secret of some kind from Gordon. It is not clear from the script excerpt what the secret is. DISCLAIMER: Some of these details could change in production if there are re-writes.

* In one of the Showfax scripts for 206, Gordon appears to cheat on Donna with Rae, an old friend of his and his brother's from their younger days. DISCLAIMER: Some of these details could change in production if there are re-writes.

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INFO ON BOSWORTH'S STORYLINE

* When Bosworth is released from prison, he "isn’t sure what he’s coming back to. Cardiff is gone, his divorce has been finalized, and his relationship with his son is uncertain." (AMC.com)

* Bosworth and Cameron have been communicating during Bosworth's prison stint. (AMC.com)

* Cameron gives Bosworth a job at Mutiny in 202, though "he wrestles with self-doubt and struggles to find his footing among co-workers who are 30 years younger. But Boz has never been a quitter, and he isn’t about to start now." (Showfax and AMC.com)

* After Bosworth starts at Mutiny in 202, he seems to quit but then returns in a marketing/sales capacity when Mutiny is in financial trouble in 204; Bosworth appears to be working at Mutiny for most of the season. DISCLAIMER: Some of these details could change in production if there are re-writes.

* Showfax scripts indicate that we will meet Bosworth's estranged (ex?) wife Ginny and their son James in episode 203; James is getting married, and while Bosworth does not attend the rehearsal dinner due to family tension, he has some touching scenes with James and even gives James his prized Mustang as a wedding present. DISCLAIMER: Some of these details could change in production if there are re-writes.

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MEET THE BOYS OF MUTINY

Founding Members
* Yo-Yo (Cooper Andrews) - butts heads with other coders over the quality of Mutiny's games; quits in 204 after an argument with Cameron.
* Lev (August Emerson) - appears to be Donna's right-hand at Mutiny (judging from the 201 sneak peek). Lev is the victim of a brutal attack in 207, but he survives.

Hired Pre-S2
* Arki (Gabriel Manak) - in the 201 sneak peek, the one asking who put the Stormtrooper in the microwave.
* Wonderboy (J. Elijah Cho) - in the 201 sneak peek, the one who says chess is hard and notes that Parallax just crashed again.
* Frosty (Cory Chapman) - in the 201 sneak peek, the one tightening the screws while working on the cabinets.
* Carl (Nick Pupo) - in the 201 sneak peek, asks Wonderboy to deactivate the menu while Parallax is down.
* Bodie (Joshua Hoover) - in the 201 sneak peek, the one who jokes "I'm hard" and "I'm blowing the system."

Hired During S2
* Tom Rendon (Mark O'Brien) - hired by Cameron in after she catches him stealing and modifying Mutiny's games; also Cameron's love interest.

northboundtrain · 06-26-2015, 12:36 PM

Old information goes here after airing...

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NEXT EPISODE: 201 "SETI" (airs May 31, 2015)

EPISODE PROMO & SNEAK PEEK

* written by: Christopher Cantwell and Christopher C. Rogers (previous episodes: 101, 102, 110)
* directed by: Juan José Campanella (previous episodes: 101, 102, 110)
* title speculation: Search for extraterrestrial intelligence
* AMC summary: Cameron and Donna's gaming company, Mutiny, reaches a critical stage; Joe and Gordon are reunited.
* TV Guide summary: In the Season 2 opener, Cameron and Donna's fledgling gaming company, Mutiny, finds itself at a crossroads. Meanwhile, Joe and Gordon are reunited in the wake of Cardiff's sale.

...featuring appearances by...
Mutiny: Yo-Yo & Lev, Arki, Bodie, Carl, Frosty, Wonderboy, Chet Jenson (subscriber), Rick (fence), Stock Clerk
Death of Cardiff Electric: Ed, Larry, Stan, Lawyer, Bartender, Chip (tv reporter)
Miscellaneous: Alicia and Erica (dinner guests), Jordan (unknown)

SCENES FROM THE EPISODE

CASTING CALLS (from Project Casting)
* "punky/edgy patrons & bartender – Think mid 80’s punk types"
* "TV film crew members" and "Production types," including a make-up artist
* "Business types — big Texas money folks — upscale types"
* "prisoner guard types — must be clean cut — ideally some with military style hair cuts"

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202 "New Coke" (airs June 7, 2015; previously titled "Run Time")

* written by: Jonathan Lisco (previous episode: 104)
* directed by: Phil Abraham (new director for HACF)
* title speculation: New Coke - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and Cocaine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
* AMC summary: not available yet
* TV Guide summary: After meeting Sara’s father, Joe begins a new job. Gordon grapples with his new freedom as Donna is blindsided by Cameron’s surprising hire at Mutiny.

...featuring appearances by...
Mutiny: Yo-Yo & Lev, Tom, Arki, Carl, Frosty, Wonderboy, Timothy Bondham (bank employee Donna/Cam interact with)
Gordon's Storyline: Stan, Dr. Semel (Gordon's doctor)
Joe @ Westgroup:: Executives, Bowdich, Caroline (Wheeler's secretary)

SCENES FROM THE EPISODE
* Coming soon.

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NEXT EPISODE: 203 "The Way In" (airs May 31, 2015)

EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

* written by: Jason Cahill (previous episodes: 103 and 109)
* directed by: Danny Leiner (new director for HACF)
* AMC summary: John tries to reconnect with his former life; Gordon and Donna receive a surprising invitation.
* TV Guide summary: As Bosworth tries to reconnect with his former life, the Clarks receive a surprising invitation. A problem from within Mutiny threatens its survival.

...featuring appearances by...
Mutiny: Yo-Yo, Lev, Tom, Arki, Carl, Frosty, Bodie, Rose (Clark babysitter who gets in a fight with Cameron on the phone)
Bosworth's Story Ginny (Boz's ex-wife), James (Boz's son), Lisa (James's fiancee), Barry Shields (former Cardiff lawyer)

SCENES FROM THE EPISODE

(This is just a brief breakdown. For a more detailed breakdown and dialogue, please see parisredbeatrice's post.)

SCENE 1-6: unknown
SCENE 7: (beginning of scene missing) Cam has tension with Tom, then passes out Ch. 22 of Parallax to the unenthusiastic Mutineers
SCENE 8-9: Bosworth drives Mustang to a Dallas motel, where he meets Ginny for a tryst
SCENE 10-12: Sara at her and Joe's apartment, trying to write; Joe calls from Westgroup and complains about the work (rest of scene missing)
SCENE 13: (beginning of scene missing) Cam/Donna monitor the number of Mutiny users and note that it's gone up
SCENE 14: Boz/Ginny post-coital talk in the motel; Ginny asks him not to visit her at the house and not to go to their son's wedding
SCENE 15: Joe visits Jacob's office as Jacob conducts business over the phone (rest of scene missing)
SCENE 16-21: unknown
SCENE 22: (beginning of scene missing) Ginny is furious when she sees Boz in the parking lot of the rehearsal dinner
SCENE 23: Cameron finishes Ch. 22 of Parallax but struggles to continue; Yo-Yo interrupts in a panic
SCENE 24: A virus is eating Mutiny's games and infecting their users; Cameron calls Donna's but gets Rose, the babysitter
SCENE 25: Sara tells a mushy story at the dinner party and Donna gets snarky with Joe (rest of scene missing)
SCENE 26-30: unknown
SCENE 31: (beginning of scene missing) Donna/Gordon fight (?) and she makes a crack about cooking creatively with two kids and a mortgage
SCENE 32-33: Boz meets James outside of the rehearsal dinner and reads James the speech he wrote; they share a warm moment
SCENE 34: Cameron/Tom deal with the Sonaris virus that hit Mutiny's network and all its users
SCENE 35: Donna/Gordon arrive at Mutiny after the dinner party -- most of the scene is missing, but it ends with Donna getting mad at Gordon
SCENE 36: The valet at the rehearsal dinner brings Bosworth's mustang to James, who knows it's a gift from his dad
SCENE 37: Boz contentedly rides a Greyhound bus back to Dallas
SCENE 38: Gordon destroys the computers in the garage, but is interrupted by Rose
SCENE 39-40: At Joe/Sara's apartment, Sara works on her writing and encourages Joe to take Jacob's offer of a promotion (rest of scene missing)
SCENE 41-?: unknown

CASTING CALLS (from Project Casting)
* "bridesmaids — Caucasian or Hispanic in their 20’s"
* "Family members — Caucasian and Hispanic – parent types in their 50’s — Grandparent types in their 70’s to 80’s and a brother 18 – mid 20’s"
* "older bingo player types"
* "some men — 30’s to 50’s to portray business men at a conference"

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NEXT EPISODE: 204 "Play With Friends" (airs June 21, 2015)

EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

* written by: Dahvi Waller (previous episodes: 105 and 108)
* directed by: Kimberly Peirce (new director for HACF)
* AMC summary: Joe and Gordon reunite to bring about Joe's vision; tensions run high between Cameron and Donna.
* TV Guide summary: Joe and Gordon reunite to make Joe’s vision a reality. At Mutiny, tensions between Cameron and Donna run high in the aftermath of Sonaris.

...featuring appearances by...
Mutiny: Yo-Yo, Lev, Tom, Arki, Carl, Frosty, Bodie, Wonderboy, Marc (teenage Mutiny gamer visited by Boz), Mrs. Kuempel (Marc's mother), unnamed Coder (quits Mutiny and leaves with Yo-Yo)
Joe @ Westgroup: Powerline Tech (interacts with Joe at Westgroup), Ellis (Westgroup executive)

SCENES FROM THE EPISODE

(This is just a brief breakdown. For a more detailed breakdown and dialogue, please see parisredbeatrice's post.)

SCENE 1-5: unknown
SCENE 6: Yo-Yo and another coder quit Mutiny after Cameron asks them to invest in shares
SCENE 7: Joe tries and fails to get Ellis, a Westgroup executive, to agree to lease Westgroup's mainframe space to outside groups
SCENE 8: Bosworth stops by Mutiny and offers to help Cameron figure out how to cut costs

[Photos HQ] Halt and Catch Fire 2×04 ‘Play With Friends’ Promotional Pictures and Synopsis | Airun Garky
https://twitter.com/scootmcnairy/sta...53235777323009

SCENE 9: unknown
SCENE 10: Bosworth convinces Cameron and Donna to let him go out to recapture lost Mutiny subscribers
SCENE 11: Joe pays a power technician to let him mess with Westgroup's network wiring
SCENE 12: Cameron holds a pitch meeting at Mutiny, but Tom doesn't show up (rest of scene missing)
SCENE 13: unknown
SCENE 14: Joe tries and fails to convince Gordon to help him with his Westgroup mainframe idea
SCENE 15: Bosworth pays a visit to the Kuempel house to convince Marc's mother to let him re-subscribe to Mutiny
SCENE 16: Donna stops by Cameron's room to talk to her (rest of the scene missing)
SCENE 17-?: unknown

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NEXT EPISODE: 205 "Extract and Defend" (airs June 28, 2015; previously titled "Infiltrator")

EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

* written by: Zack Whedon (previous episodes: 106 and 108)
* directed by: Michael Morris (new director for HACF)
* AMC summary: Cameron and Joe cross paths, sending Cameron into a tailspin; Gordon absorbs difficult news.
* TV Guide summary: Cameron and Joe cross paths again, putting Cameron in a tailspin. Meanwhile, Gordon searches for connection as he processes difficult news.

...featuring appearances by...
Mutiny: Lev, Tom, Arki, Carl, Bodie, Chet
Gordon's Story: Dr. Semel, Susan (Donna's mother), Girl (girl Gordon watches dance at a club), Club Goer, Henry (Gordon's brother)
Bosworth's Story Linda (Boz's date), Brad (restaurant manager)

SCENES FROM THE EPISODE

(This is just a brief breakdown. For a more detailed breakdown and dialogue, please see parisredbeatrice's post.)

SCENE 1-8: unknown
SCENE 9: Cameron and Tom brainstorm a new game but are interrupted by Chet; Boz wants Mutiny's coffee station to be more efficient
SCENE 10-20: unknown
SCENE 21: Bosworth tells Cameron to hear Joe out, but Cameron is wary that this is another scheme
SCENE 22-23: Gordon goes to a club and tells a dancing girl there that he has brain damage and thinks he's dying
SCENE 24-36: unknown
SCENE 37: Gordon goes to pick the girls up at Donna's parents' house, but the girls don't want to go with him
SCENE 38: Boz out on a date with Linda; his credit card is declined, so he dials a number on a pay-phone
SCENE 39: Cameron returns to Mutiny after a meeting (with Joe?); the Mutineers are buzzing about the community forums
SCENE 40-?: unknown

CASTING CALLS (from Project Casting)
* "Female business types – late 20’s to 50’s"
* "Young artsy – bar patrons — mid 80’s New Order Fan Types or similar . . . cool and not afraid to dance"
* "a man or women to be walking their dog in a scene"
* "Nurses, doctors, techs, and other folks with real medical experience"
* "clean cut restaurant patron types . . . but Italian look men and women encouraged to apply"
* "Kids generally 6 – 10 years old"
* "A male exec type late 30’s to 60"

Quote:

NEXT EPISODE: 206 "10Broad36" (airs July 5, 2015)

EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

* written by: Jamie Pachino (previous episode: 107)
* directed by: Larysa Kondracki (previous episode: 106)
* title speculation: 10BROAD36 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
* AMC summary: Gordon returns to California, in hopes of reconnecting with his brother; Joe uses his leverage.
* TV Guide summary: Gordon returns to California to reconnect with his brother, Henry, as Joe uses his newfound leverage to change Wheeler's thinking about computing.

...featuring appearances by...
Mutiny: Lev, Tom, Arki, Carl, Bodie, Wonderboy
Gordon's Story: Henry (Gordon's brother), Wendy (Gordon's sister-in-law), Jody and Michael (Gordon's niece and nephew), Jules Duffy (an old friend of Gordon's)

SCENES FROM THE EPISODE

(This is just a brief breakdown. For a more detailed breakdown and dialogue, please see parisredbeatrice's post.)

SCENE 1-4: unknown
SCENE 5: Joe/Jacob meeting; Jacob gives Joe advice on negotiating tactics, then asks if Joe/Sara have set a date yet
SCENE 6: Gordon, Joanie and Haley arrive at his older brother Henry's house in California
SCENE 7-24: unknown
SCENE 25: Gordon visits Rae/Jules Duffy, an old friend who bar-tends; Gordon and Rae/Jules flirt a little before Gordon leaves
SCENE 26-38: unknown
SCENE 39: (beginning of scene missing) Donna needs to tell Cameron something
SCENE 40: Gordon and Rae/Jules post-sex; Gordon tells her he has CTE and that Donna doesn't know; Rae/Jules gets upset and leaves
SCENE 41: Cameron/Donna driving around after Donna has told Cameron her big secret (rest of scene missing)
SCENE 42-?: unknown

Quote:

NEXT EPISODE: 207 "Working for the Clampdown" (airs July 12, 2015)

EPISODE SNEAK PEEK

* written by: Christopher Cantwell and Christopher C. Rogers (previous episodes: 101, 102, 110, 201)
* directed by: Karyn Kusama (previous episodes: 103)
* title speculation: Clampdown - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
* AMC summary: Gordon and Donna keep secrets from each other; Gordon launches a new venture; Cameron's principles are tested.
* TV Guide summary: Gordon and Donna harbor secrets from one another as Gordon launches a new venture. Meanwhile, at Mutiny, an acquisition puts Cameron's principles to the test.

...featuring appearances by...
Mutiny: Yo-Yo, Lev, Tom, Arki, Carl, Bodie, Karen Rendom (Tom's mother), State Trooper (present in the hospital after Lev is beat up)
Gordon's Story: Ed, Larry
Joe @ Westgroup: Sommelier (at a restaurant where Joe/Sara/Jacob are dining)

CASTING CALLS (from Project Casting)
* "upscale restaurant patrons"
* "business men 30’s to 50’s . . . one featured business man with a mustache"
* "a big burly country boy type and some ‘redneck’ type men and women 30’s to 40’s"
* "hospital patients — 50’s and older"

Quote:

208 "Limbo" (airs July 19, 2015)

* written by: Zack Whedon (previous episodes: 106, 108, 205)
* directed by: Daisy von Scherler Mayer (previous episodes: 108)
* AMC summary: Cameron and Tom try to come to terms at Mutiny's user picnic; Gordon searches for answers; Joe and Sara leave Dallas.
* TV Guide summary: Cameron and Tom try to come to terms at Mutiny's user picnic. Meanwhile, Gordon searches for answers as Joe and Sara say goodbye to Dallas.

...featuring appearances by...
Mutiny: Yo-Yo, Lev, Tom, Arki, Carl, Bodie, Veteran, Mutiny Guest ("The Housewife"), James (Boz's son), Gretchen
Gordon's Story: Ed, Larry, Stan
Joe @ Westgroup: Patricia Johnson (shareholder)
Joe and Sara Partying: Club Woman, Club Goer, Club Man, 80's Club Goer, Starck Club Dancer

CASTING CALLS (from Project Casting)
* "additional club goers . . . 80’s crazy club scene"
* "some beautiful people 20’s to 40 or so that can party for some specific roles"
* "people with mohawks – very spikey hair"
* "sophisticated ladies and gentlemen late 40’s to 60’s(guys with their own tux)"
* "guy around a 42 chest in great shape! Wiling to be shirtless and panted"
* "super hot guy and girl possibly willing to kiss both a guy and a girl on screen"
* "computer expert and gamer types"
* "new wave fan types — all with some hair!"

Quote:

SPECIFIC BUT UNKNOWN EPISODE INFO/QUOTATIONS/PICS
(The pictures and character quotations have all been taken from the show's promos/trailers.)

* Photo of Scoot McNairy (Gordon) and Lee Pace (Joe) filming in either late Feb. or early March:

northboundtrain · 06-26-2015, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by princessofpower (View Post)

Here are the official ratings so far. Look like this show is dead, as it seems this thread is as well. Ratings keep going lower. . and there is zero buzz going into this Sunday's big episode with Joe & Cameron meeting. Down 35% in demo from premiere. Yikes.

For comparisons: The first season of Halt and Catch Fire averaged a 0.25 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 760,000 viewers. This season averages .16 rating in that demo. (And remember last year, HACF was AMC's lowest rated show ever.)

Halt and Catch Fire: Season Two Ratings - canceled + renewed TV shows | TV Series Finale

Yeah, the ratings are in a complete tailspin at this point...I just checked the Live+3 ratings and HACF isn't even listed, which I think is the first time that's happened.

Quote:

Originally Posted by i never learn (View Post)

seems like the writers knew this season was shtty though, hence the finale ending.

See, I think if they planned to cancel it, there'd be a different ending...sending them all out to California with all of the relationships broken (Joe/Cam, Joe/Sara, Cam/Tom, Joe/Gordon) or looking shaky (Gordon telling his therapy group that he's not sure Donna loves him anymore) ...that sounds like they were gearing up for a new story in S3.

But we'll likely never know the answer to that now.

In the end, I think it comes down to a miscalculation...they thought that in shifting the focus to Mutiny and the gaming and internet, they'd win over critics and get new viewers. But while they were successful in winning over critics, people still aren't tuning into the show...in fact, they've lost a lot of the core audience that hung in there through S1.

It's just depressing.

parisredbeatrice · 06-26-2015, 01:14 PM

Thanks for the new thread and the ratings info. I don't know what to say, if the show ends like that, it would have an even worse ending than last season.

I watched the last episode and I liked it, but I prefer season 1 to season 2 as well. Maybe it wasn't such a smart decision from the writers to go in this direction with the main characters not interacting that much. I guess they really thought the Mutiny storyline would balance that out, but frankly most of the people watch for the characters and their interaction.

At this point, I'm frankly a bit thrown by the Cameron hate. This is just too much. On imdb there is even a "Cameron sucks" thread with more than 30 pages. There is a woman who is even calling her a rapist, she was abusive to Joe. I feel like everything that Cameron says and does will be misinterpreted in the worst possible way by some people.

So, about the last episode. Cameron was a dismissive to Donna's idea, but it reminded me actually of Joe, how he didn't saw the value of Cameron's OS in Landfall and then discovered it with the flashlights of the Clarke girls.
Cameron saw the value of Donna's community after she made that mistake and sending that horrible line to everyone at Mutiny. Yes, it was horrible, but it was only intended for Tom to read and I reminded me as well on last season when Gordon and Donna called her "white trash".
I feel Cameron cutting Donna's idea was not so much about her behavior but about Donna, learning to stand up for herself and her ideas and fighting for them. She was too passive last season and this shows how much she isn't willing to put up with it.

Another thing, I enjoyed Gordon's and Joe's interaction and above all it showed that Joe hasn't changed AT ALL. He is still the same, only this time smoother and more accessible. I feel like he learned from last season it's all about relationships (Didn't Bosworth say this to him?) and this is him making it about relationships to get his way. Him having a fiancée kind of makes him more "normal" than the loner with sociopathic tendencies from last season.
He treated Gordon the same way like last season, only less aggressive and not in his face anymore, but Gordon was still the beta male to his alpha male.

I felt a bit sorry for Gordon in the last episode. He wants to fix his mistake at Mutiny and help them. That's sweet and it shows Gordon's good side. I will feel even worse for him when he gets his diagnosis. I also think that Donna will get an abortion, possibly behind his back and this will crash him when he finds out.

About next episode: I'm not that bothered about the sex scene with Joe/Sara princessofpower

, I think it will be interesting what they want to convey with it because it's also the first time Joe and Cam meet. I think it will have something to do with that. The "sweet" scenes with Joe and Sara are over IMO, from now on they will show us how they fall apart.
Based on the promo for next episode, is Sara watching Joe and Cam in the parking garage?
I think we might find out next episode if Sara knows about Cam and also if she knows the truth about his scars.

i never learn · 06-26-2015, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by northboundtrain (View Post)

See, I think if they planned to cancel it, there'd be a different ending...

right. unless they have time to produce something else, i feel like they thought they'd be getting a three. L.O.L! my whole thing is, the writers appear to be moving the show into season one territory by having two end so... broken, so i kind of believe that they knew this season was going to turn out stupid, anyway. if that makes sense.

northboundtrain · 06-26-2015, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parisredbeatrice (View Post)

Thanks for the new thread and the ratings info. I don't know what to say, if the show ends like that, it would have an even worse ending than last season.

Exactly. I could have seen last season's serving as a series finale...at least Gordon and Donna still had a strong marriage...and Donna/Cameron had a hopeful start at Mutiny, especially with Cameron's speech about them being the future...and then of course Joe wandering off into the wilderness...forever an enigma.

Ending on the kind of note we read in the script excerpt would suck.

Quote:

I watched the last episode and I liked it, but I prefer season 1 to season 2 as well. Maybe it wasn't such a smart decision from the writers to go in this direction with the main characters not interacting that much. I guess they really thought the Mutiny storyline would balance that out, but frankly most of the people watch for the characters and their interaction.

Yeah. Before the season started, I wasn't as concerned, but there has been a lot of Mutiny, and I can see it grating on some people.

I also realized that it's really weird that the Wheelers didn't even appear in 204. It makes things feel a little more disjointed.

Quote:

At this point, I'm frankly a bit thrown by the Cameron hate. This is just too much. On imdb there is even a "Cameron sucks" thread with more than 30 pages. There is a woman who is even calling her a rapist, she was abusive to Joe. I feel like everything that Cameron says and does will be misinterpreted in the worst possible way by some people.

Cameron is as polarizing a character as Joe was in S1. I can understand people's irritation with her, but I'm not really there yet myself. She just strikes me as really young and still needing to grow up.

Quote:

So, about the last episode. Cameron was a dismissive to Donna's idea, but it reminded me actually of Joe, how he didn't saw the value of Cameron's OS in Landfall and then discovered it with the flashlights of the Clarke girls.
Cameron saw the value of Donna's community after she made that mistake and sending that horrible line to everyone at Mutiny. Yes, it was horrible, but it was only intended for Tom to read and I reminded me as well on last season when Gordon and Donna called her "white trash".

That's a great parallel to draw, and one I hadn't considered.

Quote:

Another thing, I enjoyed Gordon's and Joe's interaction and above all it showed that Joe hasn't changed AT ALL. He is still the same, only this time smoother and more accessible. I feel like he learned from last season it's all about relationships (Didn't Bosworth say this to him?) and this is him making it about relationships to get his way. Him having a fiancée kind of makes him more "normal" than the loner with sociopathic tendencies from last season.

And Gordon even asked if Sara was someone Joe got to make himself seem more normal. Joe dismissed him as crazy, but Gordon wasn't too far off -- in effect, that's what Joe did.

Quote:

He treated Gordon the same way like last season, only less aggressive and not in his face anymore, but Gordon was still the beta male to his alpha male.

Exactly. The only real difference here is that Joe was so, so angry in S1, and he barely kept it in check most of the time, which I guess can be attributed to the high-pressure stakes they were all working under.

Now, he's more chill on the surface, but you're absolutely right that he's still manipulating things underneath.

Gordon knows it, though. He just can't resist it.

Quote:

I felt a bit sorry for Gordon in the last episode. He wants to fix his mistake at Mutiny and help them. That's sweet and it shows Gordon's good side. I will feel even worse for him when he gets his diagnosis. I also think that Donna will get an abortion, possibly behind his back and this will crash him when he finds out.

I ache for Gordon. He's doing so much right, and he even seems to have stopped the coke. This is going to be so difficult to watch.

If the ratings weren't in a freefall, I would wonder/hope that maybe the shocking twist of his diagnosis would get people to tune in. Now, I'm wondering if it'll make people tune out.

Quote:

Based on the promo for next episode, is Sara watching Joe and Cam in the parking garage?

Has anyone been able to find the promo online? I only got to see it briefly when it aired on AMC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by i never learn (View Post)

right. unless they have time to produce something else, i feel like they thought they'd be getting a three. L.O.L! my whole thing is, the writers appear to be moving the show into season one territory by having two end so... broken, so i kind of believe that they knew this season was going to turn out stupid, anyway. if that makes sense.

I think I get what you're saying...that they realized that moving the show's direction the way they did was a mistake, so they made things really angsty when they wrote the finale, trying to get back to a more S1 vibe?

parisredbeatrice · 06-26-2015, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by northboundtrain (View Post)

Ending on the kind of note we read in the script excerpt would suck.

I hope they changed a bit during filming. It would be so depressing.
I also think Donna might only stay with Gordon because he is sick. We know they would be fine in the end just like that Joe and Cameron are endgame.

Quote:

I also realized that it's really weird that the Wheelers didn't even appear in 204. It makes things feel a little more disjointed.

I think Sara wasn't in the episode to show the old Joe coming back in full force, unrestrained. For us to appreciate him and let him breathe before she starts noticing his old ways and he might repress it again.

Him creating the network in secret also shows how is putting himself before Sara. After learning all that stuff about Peter, he is still doing it behind her and Jacob's back.

Quote:

Cameron is as polarizing a character as Joe was in S1. I can understand people's irritation with her, but I'm not really there yet myself. She just strikes me as really young and still needing to grow up.

Exactly, and frankly Joe and Cameron are the driving forces of the show.

Quote:

And Gordon even asked if Sara was someone Joe got to make himself seem more normal. Joe dismissed him as crazy, but Gordon wasn't too far off -- in effect, that's what Joe did.

Yes, and I was so happy about that line. They are giving us a lot of hints what is really going on with Joe and it will be interesting to know by the end of the season why he really went after Sara.

Quote:

Exactly. The only real difference here is that Joe was so, so angry in S1, and he barely kept it in check most of the time, which I guess can be attributed to the high-pressure stakes they were all working under.

Now, he's more chill on the surface, but you're absolutely right that he's still manipulating things underneath.

Gordon knows it, though. He just can't resist it.

I agree, Gordon knows it, but he just loves the work and he needs Joe to get him off the ground, just like Donna needs Cameron.

Quote:

I ache for Gordon. He's doing so much right, and he even seems to have stopped the coke. This is going to be so difficult to watch.

I always had a soft spot for men with beard, so watching Gordon falling apart and then even Joe betraying him in the finale will be hard.
I kind of feel Joe will be punished that he didn't stick with Gordon and Cameron instead of the Wheelers.

Quote:

Has anyone been able to find the promo online? I only got to see it briefly when it aired on AMC.

I only saw it in a bad quality, but Joe and Cam seem to talk in the garage at Westgroup and apparently Sara arrives in a Volvo and is watching them from afar.
Also, Cameron says something like "I can't tell if you know you're lying" and I guess to Joe. If she says this to him it will be very telling, because she is the one who reads his bull****.

**wickedrum** · 06-26-2015, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parisredbeatrice (View Post)

I hope they changed a bit during filming. It would be so depressing. I also think Donna might only stay with Gordon because he is sick. We know they would be fine in the end just like that Joe and Cameron are endgame. I think Sara wasn't in the episode to show the old Joe coming back in full force, unrestrained. For us to appreciate him and let him breathe before she starts noticing his old ways and he might repress it again. Him creating the network in secret also shows how is putting himself before Sara. After learning all that stuff about Peter, he is still doing it behind her and Jacob's back. Exactly, and frankly Joe and Cameron are the driving forces of the show. Yes, and I was so happy about that line. They are giving us a lot of hints what is really going on with Joe and it will be interesting to know by the end of the season why he really went after Sara. I agree, Gordon knows it, but he just loves the work and he needs Joe to get him off the ground, just like Donna needs Cameron. I always had a soft spot for men with beard, so watching Gordon falling apart and then even Joe betraying him in the finale will be hard. I kind of feel Joe will be punished that he didn't stick with Gordon and Cameron instead of the Wheelers. I only saw it in a bad quality, but Joe and Cam seem to talk in the garage at Westgroup and apparently Sara arrives in a Volvo and is watching them from afar. Also, Cameron says something like "I can't tell if you know you're lying" and I guess to Joe. If she says this to him it will be very telling, because she is the one who reads his bull****.

Do you have a link? Even if it's bad quality, it's better than nothing

princessofpower · 06-26-2015, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parisredbeatrice (View Post)

Thanks for the new thread and the ratings info. I don't know what to say, if the show ends like that, it would have an even worse ending than last season.

I watched the last episode and I liked it, but I prefer season 1 to season 2 as well. Maybe it wasn't such a smart decision from the writers to go in this direction with the main characters not interacting that much. I guess they really thought the Mutiny storyline would balance that out, but frankly most of the people watch for the characters and their interaction.

At this point, I'm frankly a bit thrown by the Cameron hate. This is just too much. On imdb there is even a "Cameron sucks" thread with more than 30 pages. There is a woman who is even calling her a rapist, she was abusive to Joe. I feel like everything that Cameron says and does will be misinterpreted in the worst possible way by some people.

So, about the last episode. Cameron was a dismissive to Donna's idea, but it reminded me actually of Joe, how he didn't saw the value of Cameron's OS in Landfall and then discovered it with the flashlights of the Clarke girls.
Cameron saw the value of Donna's community after she made that mistake and sending that horrible line to everyone at Mutiny. Yes, it was horrible, but it was only intended for Tom to read and I reminded me as well on last season when Gordon and Donna called her "white trash".
I feel Cameron cutting Donna's idea was not so much about her behavior but about Donna, learning to stand up for herself and her ideas and fighting for them. She was too passive last season and this shows how much she isn't willing to put up with it.

Another thing, I enjoyed Gordon's and Joe's interaction and above all it showed that Joe hasn't changed AT ALL. He is still the same, only this time smoother and more accessible. I feel like he learned from last season it's all about relationships (Didn't Bosworth say this to him?) and this is him making it about relationships to get his way. Him having a fiancée kind of makes him more "normal" than the loner with sociopathic tendencies from last season.
He treated Gordon the same way like last season, only less aggressive and not in his face anymore, but Gordon was still the beta male to his alpha male.

I felt a bit sorry for Gordon in the last episode. He wants to fix his mistake at Mutiny and help them. That's sweet and it shows Gordon's good side. I will feel even worse for him when he gets his diagnosis. I also think that Donna will get an abortion, possibly behind his back and this will crash him when he finds out.

About next episode: I'm not that bothered about the sex scene with Joe/Sara princessofpower

, I think it will be interesting what they want to convey with it because it's also the first time Joe and Cam meet. I think it will have something to do with that. The "sweet" scenes with Joe and Sara are over IMO, from now on they will show us how they fall apart.
Based on the promo for next episode, is Sara watching Joe and Cam in the parking garage?
I think we might find out next episode if Sara knows about Cam and also if she knows the truth about his scars.

I agree that Season 1 is far better than Season 2 so far. By the end of Ep. 101, I was hooked. There's not been one episode in Season 2 that I've bothered to rewatch. That tells me something.

Keeping all the main characters apart for this season IS the big mistake, IMO. It killed the energy and spirit of the show. They tried to make up for it by showing all the chaos at MUTINY, but to me that has felt like filler 'noise' than really anything that will make me care more about the characters. [I read similar complaints about this season with HANNIBAL, which had the main characters apart for most of the time. And viewers kept leaving as well, so no wonder that got cancelled too.]

As one of the Cameron 'haters' on here, I can understand. Though she's a mirror of Joe, Cameron does not have the experience or maturity to get away with the stuff that Joe does. . viewers expect Joe to be a bad guy, but Cam's set up to be a heroine. Frankly, I don't understand why anyone would say she "raped" Joe. That sounds like a crazy LP fangirl complaining, rather than anything based on what was onscreen. A 6' 5" buffed guy could surely rebuke a skinny young girl's advances if he wanted to!

Cameron is polarizing because her ego just can't get out of the way.

Glad you aren't bothered by the Joe/Sara sex scene either. I suspect he sleeps with her as a reaction to seeing Cameron. and thinks of her the whole time!

northboundtrain · 06-27-2015, 12:14 AM

AMC actually released a clip to IGN...I can't remember them doing that for any of the previous episodes this season, though I know they did it last season.

Halt and Catch Fire: See the Creation of Chat Rooms - IGN

The clip is of Donna getting the idea to create private chat rooms after she sees Lev flirting with a guy in one of the community rooms. Tom and Bosworth also appear in the clip.

Quote:

Originally Posted by parisredbeatrice (View Post)

I also think Donna might only stay with Gordon because he is sick. We know they would be fine in the end just like that Joe and Cameron are endgame.

If that's the only reason Donna's still with Gordon, though, that's really depressing. It's just not a great note to end things on with them if 210 is really the end.

Quote:

I think Sara wasn't in the episode to show the old Joe coming back in full force, unrestrained. For us to appreciate him and let him breathe before she starts noticing his old ways and he might repress it again.

I agree with you that that's probably why they did it, but I don't know that that was the right call considering that she's such a new character we barely know. If they'd at least shown her going to Austin, or had her try to call Joe and have him be distant, or maybe even not pick up, I think that would have worked better.

The writers and producers keep talking about the possibility that he's found love with Sara, and it's clear they want us to wonder if he's changed, but I don't feel like anything about Joe/Sara's relationship is coming across that way on screen, and we're almost halfway through the series.

I just keep going back to that awkward scene from 202 where Sara gave Joe all of that backstory about her ex over the phone, even though that seems like the sort of thing she realistically would have warned him about the moment he told her Jacob offered him a job. It felt almost shoe-horned in...like someone in the writers' room came up with it at the last minute.

I don't know...I have so much respect for S1, and the more I re-watch it the more I appreciate it, but elements of S2 feel off, and this is one of them.

Quote:

I only saw it in a bad quality, but Joe and Cam seem to talk in the garage at Westgroup and apparently Sara arrives in a Volvo and is watching them from afar.
Also, Cameron says something like "I can't tell if you know you're lying" and I guess to Joe. If she says this to him it will be very telling, because she is the one who reads his bull****.

Thank you!

parisredbeatrice · 06-27-2015, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wickedrum (View Post)

Do you have a link? Even if it's bad quality, it's better than nothing

I uploaded it. Here is the link. Promo for 205

Quote:

Originally Posted by princessofpower (View Post)

Keeping all the main characters apart for this season IS the big mistake, IMO. It killed the energy and spirit of the show. They tried to make up for it by showing all the chaos at MUTINY, but to me that has felt like filler 'noise' than really anything that will make me care more about the characters.

I agree, it might have worked if the show was more successful and had a bigger, loyal fan base. We are loyal, but not many people

.

Quote:

As one of the Cameron 'haters' on here, I can understand. Though she's a mirror of Joe, Cameron does not have the experience or maturity to get away with the stuff that Joe does. . viewers expect Joe to be a bad guy, but Cam's set up to be a heroine. Frankly, I don't understand why anyone would say she "raped" Joe. That sounds like a crazy LP fangirl complaining, rather than anything based on what was onscreen. A 6' 5" buffed guy could surely rebuke a skinny young girl's advances if he wanted to!

Cameron is polarizing because her ego just can't get out of the way.

Oh, don't worry, you aren't such a bad cameron 'hater'

, there are far worse haters on imdb. It was the same last year after the finale, they called her many names, they don't want to see anything decent in her. I think she will get better from now on and they will show us her growth in the finale, whereas with Joe we saw his "growth" in the premiere and in the finale we will see he hasn't grown much or at.

Quote:

Glad you aren't bothered by the Joe/Sara sex scene either. I suspect he sleeps with her as a reaction to seeing Cameron. and thinks of her the whole time!

I think Cameron will have a breakdown in her room after she sees Joe. Isn't there a scene in a promo where she is throwing stuff around? We will get his reaction to meeting her as well. I think the next 3 episodes are there to see why he is with Sara and why they don't work and the rest of the season will be us waiting for him to blow up. By 207 we will see that them getting married is a big mistake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by northboundtrain (View Post)

I agree with you that that's probably why they did it, but I don't know that that was the right call considering that she's such a new character we barely know. If they'd at least shown her going to Austin, or had her try to call Joe and have him be distant, or maybe even not pick up, I think that would have worked better.

The writers and producers keep talking about the possibility that he's found love with Sara, and it's clear they want us to wonder if he's changed, but I don't feel like anything about Joe/Sara's relationship is coming across that way on screen, and we're almost halfway through the series.

I just keep going back to that awkward scene from 202 where Sara gave Joe all of that backstory about her ex over the phone, even though that seems like the sort of thing she realistically would have warned him about the moment he told her Jacob offered him a job. It felt almost shoe-horned in...like someone in the writers' room came up with it at the last minute.

I feel all of this is intentional, this way they appear hollow and not fleshed out. If they show too much of her they would appear too real.
I rewatched some scenes with them and his body language is also very telling. When you are in love you want to be close to that person and he isn't, it's always her.

I know, nothing they said in the interviews or the press release is shown on the screen. It's Joe's delusion they are selling us, but they want us to get the clear picture when we watch it. They want the moment when Sara finds out he is still in love with Cameron to be BIG.
I feel like everyone who knows the characters well, knows und understands the storylines and doesn't trust the misleading information.

**wickedrum** · 06-28-2015, 03:40 PM

Thanks for the video!

Donna is so busy with work and family, I have no idea how she does it. The prototype of a modern superwoman I guess.

i never learn · 06-28-2015, 03:42 PM

donna's a saint. idc what gordon has, if he screws some bimbo, it's over.

**wickedrum** · 06-28-2015, 04:04 PM

If she's indeed a saint, she will understand.

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Fan Forum > General Discussion > Spoilers > Halt and Catch Fire S&S #4: "It says, 'You put your hand into the light, but cannot grasp it.' And there’s no way out." (Watch AMC Sun @ 10PM EST)