‘Silicon Valley’ Season Finale Doesn’t Crash the Gates, But They Get There All the Same (TV REVIEW)

★★★★★★★★★★ “The Uptick”

The Silicon Valley season finale premiered with a slight puff of smoke Sunday night as everything fell into place for the dudes at Pied Piper. Perhaps the showrunners thought their season was clever as it led up to the sale of the middle out compression company to Bachmanity, or perhaps they were busy with a second venture leaving this season to their assistants, whatever the case we missed out on a fabulously heart racing season-ender in favor of everything just making sense.

In what’s been the dullest, yet satisfyingly driven season thus far, it seems we’ve finally seen the dudes get a handle on their constant self-sabotage. While Richard blew the 60-million-dollar to fund Pied Piper, he also saved himself from what would potentially have ended all of the dudes’ careers due to their inability to gain a real uptick. Now, this season we did learn more about the technical business side of the startup process, but who cares when we get the same dull shit every week?

It seems my suspicions were confirmed regarding Big Head and his eventual world domination. The way I see it, he and Erlich will somehow keep Pied Piper successful which will lead to the take-over of Hooli, giving validation to the dudes as they conquer their past. Considering the historical incompetence people in power harbor, it makes complete sense. Next season is looking at the wrap-up of the storyline, and personally I would kind of like to see them fail, if for nothing more than to hint at a stronger future to come. Since I have no say in the matter, it’s looking like we’ll have to settle with something like, “oh they did it! Oh look they’re interested in something else now. Here they go again…” TV tropes, they be tropin’.

Lori stepping out of the picture is a little disappointing. Like Jared, her timing and lack of understanding of other people makes for a big part of the comedic value that makes the show special. She could possibly pop back in next season, though it wouldn’t really make sense in the long run. Similarly, CJ’s short run should have the same results. It was very convenient to have the blog storyline wrapped up with a tiny bow, and while CJ was mostly not that exciting, she still added to the world with a certain dimension (i.e., XY chromosomes). Are we bound to single serve storylines when it comes to women entering the picture?

Something to look forward to: the newly formed Dinesh and Gilfoyle alliance. Both are too smart for their own damned good, both are assholes who love to see others squirm, and when their powers combine it’s like an extra level of douchebaggery. If there ever was an indication of an uptick having to do with Pied Piper, it would solely revolve around their budding bromance. We’ve known they were best friends for years, and it’s almost like they’ve broken the fourth wall to gain the info for themselves. On the other side of the spectrum we can continue to watch the wonderfully awkward interaction between Jared and Richard as Jared continues to believe he’s Richard’s best friend.

Something to hope never happens: with the possibility of Lori out of the picture, let’s hope we’re not subject to a whole new character with the same type personality. It worked with Lori because of Peter Gregory’s sudden death, but trying to keep that element going will be just as dull as their up-down plotlines went this season. It’s reasonable to believe that Pied Piper will flourish moving into next season, so it should be reasonable to not expect the continued “will they, won’t they” concerning the fucking up of the company.

Driving the company to the video service will undoubtedly bring in new problems, but hopefully new successes as well. The more that’s at stake, the more interesting things get. Consider the last two season finales with the complex dick math, and Richard’s mad rush to the house. Has GoT taught us HBO likes its formulas when it comes to season structure? Where was that heart pounding excitement? It sure wasn’t during the board meeting as we had already pieced together the true buyers of Pied Piper. Disappointing season and finale aside, one must still appreciate the glory of the series. If it ended tomorrow, it would still be better than a lot of the garbage currently packed up as entertainment. Silicon Valley is constantly teetering on the verge of absolute success, let us sit back as a people and hope for a difference moving into season four.