Normally I prefer writing reviews of TV shows I actually enjoyed and would like to recommend to others. And by now you can probably guess, this one is none of that. However, since I heard about this series here on Hive, and it does deal with cryptocurrencies to a certain extent, I thought I'd include it in my Binge on This post series.
StartUp is a series created by Ben Ketai, with three seasons of ten episodes each, released between 2016 and 2018 on Crackle. Its plot is about three characters who could not be any more different: a Jewish banker, a Cuban hacker, and a Haitian thug, who involuntarily get involved in a tech project, culminating in a start-up company. There is plenty of violence, sex, quirky situations, revolutionary tech ideas, and plenty of shady figures on both sides of the already blurry legal line of Miami, where the show is set in.
The Good: The Characters
Before I start ripping on the series, let me see if I can say some good things about StartUp. What kept me watching more than anything were the truly unexpected situations the story kept dragging the protagonists through. And for sure, simply the interaction between the three, their motivations, their aspirations, and ultimately the way they keep sticking together, while not necessarily liking each other, is what made this series interesting.
The other thing I kinda liked, is how the plot doesn't leave out any chance of turning a potentially successful endevor into a disastrous crash and burn. And our intrepid trio just keeps on pushing through, first due to sheer necessity, later seized by greedy risk-taking, but eventually from some type of cooperation grown out of years of collaboration. Of course, these attributes are really the base minimum for any series, without which even the best plot would be unbearable.
The Bad: The Story
Along with the positive aspects, there were plenty of things I didn't quite like about StartUp. First of all, it's the gratuitous violence you find in so many TV shows, to which this series is no exception. Then there would be the gratuitous sex, and lastly gratuitous deaths of characters deemed to be less than protagonist level. Normally I'm willing to ignore all this, if the rest of the show is good. But in this case it's simply not, so I feel I should point out these negatives.
Another thing that bothered me a bit is the horrible side of each character that was brought to the surface at one point or another. Here I should clarify that this is actually something I normally tend to enjoy. It gives the story depth and makes things more realistic. However, the way these ugly sides came out made me dislike that particular character so much, that when it was time to redeem for it, I found it hard to believe and accept it. Again, this would not have bothered me so much, if it hadn't been for the aspects that made this show truly ugly.
The Ugly: Anything Tech Related
I first got into crypto in Spring 2017, so when StartUp was first released my background knowledge of the technical part of the story was minimal. However, I kinda doubt I would have become as interested in crypto as I am now, had this show been my first impression of it back then. It's not even just vague or inaccurate information that the writers must have inadvertently stepped into when coming up with this script... Instead, it seems like they didn't avoid a chance to do so every single time something tech related was mentioned. These are just a few of the worst facepalm moments:
- Their revolutionary new crypto GenCoin is praised to be outside governmental control, and available to anyone worldwide. Erm... unlike Bitcoin?
- Decentralization and open-source is touted as risky, while centralized closed-source as safe and secure.
- The idea of multiple servers world wide doesn't even occur to the genius hacker until the second season!
- Because the "dark net" may be government controlled, they create their own version of it... which in the third season can be controlled not only by them, but also the NSA. Like what?
- Even though they appeal to the safety-mindedness of their clients, they remain being a fully centralized company, holding all the strings in their hands.
Watch It at Your Own Discretion
After a while, as one of these huge whoppers followed the next, I ended up ignoring them, just like minor plot holes in other series. Though by the time I had made it through the third season I was actually glad that there was no fourth one. Seeing that the show was discontinued in 2018, and the general consensus being that it was a let-down, I don't even believe they'll pick it up again.
What I found most disappointing about StartUp is that it could have been a decent show given all its premises, if only they had sought out some competent consulting regarding blockchain tech and cryptos. After all, decentralization, taking banking and finance out of the hands of the corporate elite, finding market niches outside of state control, all these things would have fit in so well with the general gray-area attitude of Miami, portrayed in this show. But who knows what forms this benign series would have taken on then? I still believe Mr. Robot was the most realistic computer hacking series, even though it barely touched on cryptos. Maybe that was the intention of both of these shows? Maybe a realistic anarcho-crypto series is still outside the realm of the conceivable?
In any case, if you think you want to give StartUp a shot, here is the trailer to start out with:
Take a Look at the Previous Posts in my Binge On This Series:
Chernobyl: An Apocalyptic Documentary
The Handmaid's Tale: A Not Too-Far-Off Dystopia
Twin Peaks: The Return - The Series Closing After 25 Years
Silicon Valley: Humor from the World of Tech and Money
Dark: Intense Time-Travel for Germanophiles
Twin Peaks: The Show That Changed Everything
The Man In the High Castle: What if the Nazis Had Won?
Lost: Mystery With Addictive Potential
Babylon Berlin: Sociopolitical Tremmors in the Weimar Republic
Rome: A Realistic Sandal Series
Carnivàle: A Throw-back to the Thirties
Weeds: The Hillarious Alternative to Breaking Bad
Mr. Robot: Hackers, Freedom, and Mental Issues
Das Boot: A Real German WWII Series
Black Sails: Pirate Lore Galore
Twelve Monkeys: Time Travel and Pandemic
The DocsMX 2020 Film Festival