Looking at television shows on cable and the internet these days reveals programs with characters from a great diversity of backgrounds. All races are represented. Both sexes. All ages (well probably not, pop culture is overwhelmingly obsessed with the 15 to 21 age range). All sorts of careers and lifestyles.
But technology workers who specialize in programming or IT or computer repair are strangely absent. If they are included then it is as a cliche anti-social basement nerd or some sort of magician-like deus ex machine who is around to solve the plot at the last minute using technobabble that doesn’t correspond to anything in the real tech world.
But there are some glimmers of hope out there in TV land. Listed below (in no particular order) are the top 5 shows that either feature tech workers as main characters or feature technology in a realistic and entertaining way. Included are both television shows and internet web series.
#1: The IT Crowd (2006)
What IT worker doesn’t know about this show? Four seasons and a special episode of IT goodness are found in this BBC produced series featuring two IT workers at a giant corporation who are forced to get along with their new technologically illiterate boss.
The series features lots of laughs and plenty of inside jokes for tech enthusiasts. Keep an eye on the background props and stickers for shout outs to all sorts of geek culture stuff.
#2: Silicon Valley (2014)
A show about a group of guys who create a startup in Silicon Valley and then go through all the tribulations of bringing their company to market. This show I haven’t seen yet personally but I have heard nothing but great things about it from everyone who has mentioned it.
#3: Halt and Catch Fire (2014)
From Wikipedia: “The series is set in the Silicon Prairie of Texas in 1983 and depicts a fictionalized insider’s view of the personal computer revolution.” So far one season has aired and a second is slated to appear in 2015.
#4: The Website is Down (2009)
This is a funny web series about the ongoing problems faced by a technical support IT worker. Very low budget but extremely funny. So far 5 episodes (well… 4.5) have been made, the last one in 2011. The best part? They’re all pretty short and you can watch them all online for free! Legally! I’ve embedded the first episode here:
#5: Dilbert (1999)
You’ve probably heard of the long-running comic strip but did you know that Dilbert was a television cartoon as well? It ran for two seasons and features an electrical engineer main character trying to survive in the corporate world. From wikipedia:
“The series follows the adventures of a middle-aged white collar office worker, named Dilbert, who is extremely intelligent in regards to all things that fall within the boundaries of electrical engineering. Although Dilbert’s intelligence greatly surpasses that of his incompetent colleagues at work, he is unable to question certain processes that he believes to be inefficient, due to his lack of power within the organization. Thus, he is consistently found to be unsatisfied with the decisions that are made in his workplace, because of the fact that many times he has many suggestions to improve the decision, yet is incapable of expressing them. Consequently, he is often found to show a pessimistic and frustrated attitude, which ultimately lands him in various comedic situations that revolve around concepts like leadership, teamwork, communication and corporate culture.”
What other television or internet shows do you know of that feature technology and technology workers? Share them in the comments below!
Re: The Website is Down (2009)
That’s Great, nice find!