RECAP: SILICON VALLEY, S3EP4 - INBREEDING AND RIVAL INCUBATORS
Richard is a loveable idiot. He may have stumbled at the end of the last episode but he stood right back up at the start of this one. He stuck it to Jack. He used Jack’s conjoined triangles of success against him. He struck a deal to make his platform. And then he managed to slam face first into Jack’s desk. Ouch.
“That was pretty badass, Richard. Until it wasn't”
The crew also got to meet Dane, the box designer whose quirkiness and chemistry with the team brought some great laughs. Ironically though, as Richard, Gilfoyle and Dinesh started to make the box they hated so much, they embraced the project and just jacked up the box to outperform the specifications they had to meet.
Dinesh put it best when he said “Just because the box sucks, doesn't mean we have to suck at making it.” They even argued over what animal the box should look like.
Jack and Richard seemed like best pals on the project, that was until Jack wanted to sell not only the box but also Richard’s compression algorithm, stabbing him “in the front” as Erlich pointed out. Monica sided with Richard, swaying the board vote in his favour to decline the deal. I am a bit tired of seeing Richard get fucked around by everyone so it was nice to see someone else on his team. It really adds some nice positivity to the episode.
Erlich’s housing subplot continued this episode with his potential tenant being poached by Bighead, who had accidentally started up his own incubator business after that 20$ million payoff from Belson. In true Erlich fashion, he strikes a deal with Bighead to become partners and the dimwit accepts. Erlich needs to find something better to do in show as his character is becoming a bit of dud in comparison to the earlier seasons.
Gavin Belson had a hilarious arc this week beginning with a beautifully comical speech about inbreeding with prop example of a Bulldog. But it was the punchline to this whole arch that was one of the high points of the episode. Belson ends up rebuying his Nucleus division for millions of dollars, who he thought were outsiders, to avoid another scenario of “inbreeding” in his company.
Does he really not remember us? How long did you work at Hooli the last time?
Seven years.
Belson’s buying of N-frame proved great for Pied Piper. While blazing up and hearing the news of Gavin’s acquisition, Erlich breaks into a coughing fit as he tries to explain to the others how great this deal is for them. His coughing fit turned into my laughing fit as Erlich struggles to get his words out and his coughing foregrounds the entire scene. N-frame’s evaluation of 250$ million results in Jack getting the boot and CEO position remaining empty for the time being.
This is a win for the team.
But how long will it stay a win? Hopefully for at least the entirety of the next episode. They deserve that much. Knowing the show though, I’m sure we’ll see some kind of chaos next week but I have got to say that this might actually be the strongest season of Silicon Valley yet.
