The penultimate episode of Halt and Catch Fire was one of its best episodes this season, in a lot of ways it felt like a season finale. So many balls left up in the air. What on earth is wrong with Gordon after hitting rock bottom for a second time in two weeks. Joe struggles with trying to do the right thing. And with Cameron’s limited options she decides to lash out. Bosworth had probably the biggest emotional moment of the episode and Donna was left to the sideline once again for the most part.
But before all that, let’s start with Gordon. The idea of him getting stuck in a parking garage and just stumbling around was annoying and tedious at first, and it wasn’t until he broke his leg that things got moderately more interesting. It made me think how stir crazy being stuck in a stairway must be for over 3 hours. And Gordon Breaking down once he found his car and was carried off in an ambulance was a tough moment. His aimlessness in the show reflects how aimless this character has felt all year. Just wondering around with very slim ties to the more interesting story lines. The realization that it’s a psychological problem and not the brain damage was an interesting twist. I mean unless the character is going to die I’m not sure how much longer they could’ve gone with the brain damage plot.
On to more intriguing plots, Cameron has taken this season into a much more cuddly area. She has a great hacker boyfriend, here employee’s (servants) like her. Joe is out of the picture. It’s all coming up roses for her until the one thing she built this season on was taken from her. So almost immediately she ditches the boyfriend and does it the most disrespecting robotic way. I agree with most of Tom’s points that this is all her fault and that love is not a side effect and all but the stretches him and Sarah (Joe’s wife) have gone to to convince us that they see this ulterior motive to their love is a bit ridiculous. As for Tom himself (I’ll get to Sarah in a minute.) he has seen Joe maybe twice and has only seen Joe and Cameron interact less than that. So why on earth is he SO convinced that they were made for each other. Again he was right to leave but it just feels like these two characters are seeing the motivation that isn’t there.
But beyond ruining her love life she needs to make some money. So Cameron has the only option to sell their brand new game created by their love. Extract and Defend (soon to be changed.) was saved by Bosworth pulling out his best Don Draper impression just in the nick of time. While that moment was cool, it was a bit undercut by the weird scene after it in which Donna Cameron and Bos pretend they didn’t sell it. But Bosworth moving on is a sad sight to see you can’t blame him. He needs stability. As he said, he’s not long for this business world. I hope behind hope that we see Toby Huss at some point in the future.
After being laughed out of the Mutiny office Drunk and high Joe wakes up to Gordon calling him to get out of jail. A bit odd but it was also nice to see this weird Bromance continue for these guys. Short quick moments like that. Joe has spent a large part of this season trying to be the good guy. And it’s incredibly tough to watch him repeatedly fail. Especially this time because it was to no fault of his own. Sure old Joe would’ve pulled the dirty trick that Cameron did at the end, but new Joe wants to move on and live his life in California. Him refusing Cameron was all about that. But she tricked him once again because she was desperate and backed into a corner. So Joe takes all the heat even though she knows he had nothing to do with WestPoint.
Now comes my biggest gripe this year and certainly this episode. I’ve already spoken a little about it with Tom, but Sarah explicitly says to Joe “No matter what you do, I’m on your side.” so my immediate thought is ‘Oh cool so no relationship drama there.’ But once he goes off book during the shareholders meeting she turns on a dime with the mention of Cameron. A woman she has met once. And seen interact with Joe once. How on earth can a woman be so jealous with another woman knowing nothing about her? Well, her reasoning is that the way his face reacts when she says his name is enough to do it. I call bullshit, This type of argument does not break up a marriage. Maybe I’m just so in love with Joe that I’m biased but her reaction to Cameron is the same as if she had watched the first season. Sure maybe Joe told her all about it but her love for him is clearly not as strong as his love for her…(stepping down off my soap box.)
With it usual issues this episode was another strong inclusion in the season two of Halt and Catch Fire. It’s interesting to see what the lonely Cameron does without Tom, and Bos to back her up. Certainly Joe will try to regain some dignity and hopefully show flashes of last years, Joe. Heartless and deceiving. As much as I love new Joe it would be nice to see him with a slightly severe reaction to his wife leaving him (again.).
