Mark Rylance recently compared his Don’t look up character to Elon Musk, highlighting our society’s growing fixation on tech culture and its eclectic figureheads. Over the past decade, dozens of movies, TV shows, and reality shows have scratched that itch, making tech its subject.
While many of these attempts have failed to capture what makes the industry so fascinating, these shows stand out above the rest as entertaining and complex tales. These are the best tech company shows on TV, according to IMDb.
ten WeCrashed (2022) – 7.3
Based on the podcast of the same name, We crashed details the rise and fall of tech company WeWork, one of the world’s most highly rated start-ups, through the lens of the relationship between Adam Neumann (Jared Leto), the company’s co-founder , and his wife Rebekah (Anne Hathaway).
While the miniseries received only mildly positive reviews, critics praised the show’s central relationship and Hathaway’s outstanding performance. The recurring cast is rounded out by Anthony Edwards (Superior gun), OT Fagbenle (Black Widow) and America Ferrara (Hypermarket).
9 The Stall (2022) – 7.5
Based on the podcast of the same name, The stall documents the origins and fallout of the disgraced biotech company Theranos, founded by Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried), which claimed it could perform advanced blood tests with a simple finger prick.
The miniseries was a critical and public success, with Seyfried receiving praise for his portrayal. Opposite Seyfried is Naveen Andrews (Lost) as COO/boyfriend Sunny Balwani, and Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts), William H. Macy (Shameless) and Laurie Metcalf (lady birdlisten)) appear in recurring roles.
8 Developers (2020) – 7.7
A sci-fi take on the secret of Silicon Valley, Developers follows software engineer Lily (Sonoya Mizuno) as she investigates the death of her boyfriend who worked alongside her at the mysterious tech company Amaya.
With a cast led by Nick Offerman in one of its best roles, the series has been hailed for its imagination and exploration of themes of self-reliance and fate. The supporting cast includes Stephen McKinley Henderson (Dunes), Cailee Spaeny (Easttown Pond) and Alison Pill (The press room).
seven Maniac (2018) – 7.7
Freely inspired by the Norwegian show of the same name, Maniacal tells the story of two strangers who eventually connect when they find themselves in the middle of a mind-bending pharmaceutical trial that scientists at the tech company believe will solve their mental problems.
The miniseries was praised for its visual storytelling and the performances of its protagonists Jonah Hill (Superbad) and Emma Stone (La La Land). Among the extensive cast, Justin Theroux (Leftovers), Gabriel Byrne (The usual suspects) and Sally Field (Forrest Gump) have supporting roles.
6 Startup (2016-2018) – 7.8
Located in modern Miami, start follows the unlikely intersection of a desperate banker, an ambitious gang lord, and a witty hacker as they reinvent the way crimes are committed through cryptocurrency startup GenCoin.
The Crackle show was initially rejected by critics but found a positive second life with audiences on Netflix. Over its three seasons, the show stars Martin Freeman (The Hobbit), Ron Pearlman (Hellboy), and Adam Brody in one of his best roles.
5 Stop and Catch Fire (2014-2017) – 8.4
Stop and catch fire focuses on the personal computer revolution and the emergence of the World Wide Web, beginning with the focus of fictional Cardiff Electric, a competitor to IBM, and branching off as the characters undertake different projects.
Although the show started out with strong reviews, it continued to earn accolades with each season, ending with one of the best series finales of the 2010s. The show stars Lee Pace (Foundation), Scoot McNairy (Argo) and Mackenzie Davis (The Martian).
4 Silicon Valley (2014-2019) – 8.5
A parody of tech culture in Northern California, Silicon Valley tells the story of Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch), a programmer who develops his own revolutionary data compression application. As news of his achievement spreads, Richard struggles to stave off competition from big business.
Considered one of the best comedies on HBO Max, Silicon Valley was nominated for 5 consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series and won universal acclaim for its writing and humor. The rest of the main cast includes Martin Starr (freaks and geeks), Zach Woods (Office), and Kumail Nanjiani (The big sick).
3 Mr. Robot (2015-2019) – 8.6
Occurring in present-day New York City, Mister Robot is narrated by Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), a cybersecurity engineer at Allsafe who struggles with social anxiety disorder and clinical depression. The show picks up when Elliot is recruited by a team of hacktivists to take down E Corp, Allsafe’s biggest client.
Malek won an Emmy for his performance in Mister RobotThe first season of, and the show continued to receive critical acclaim even as its audience size dwindled from season to season. The main cast includes Christian Slater (true romance), Portia Doubleday (His) and BD Wong (jurassic park).
2 Severance pay (2022-) – 8.7
Considered one of the best new shows of 2022, Breakup uses its main character Mark Scout (Adam Scott) to illustrate a world in which employees can accept a “separation” program that separates his work memories from their non-work memories. However, Mark begins to question the program from both sides.
Breakup was embraced by both critics and audiences and was renewed for a second season days before the first season finale. Besides Scott, the main cast includes John Turturro (The great Lebowski), Christopher Walken (The deer hunter), and Patricia Arquette (Childhood).
1 Succession (2018-) – 8.8
Succession revolves around Logan Roy (Brian Cox), the patriarch of the wealthy Roy family and head of the fictional tech media giant Waystar Royco. When uncertainty over Logan’s health arises, his children vie for control of the business as he doubts either of them will be able to take the reins.
With 9 Emmy wins under its belt, the dark Shakespearian comedy-drama shows no signs of slowing down for its fourth season. The main cast includes Kieran Culkin (Scott Pilgrim Versus. The world), Sarah Snook (Steve Jobs) and Jeremy Strong (The big court), who won an Emmy for her role.
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