The worst episodes of Silicon Valley
Ranked by viewer rating, lows first. Lit marks on the season rail place this list across the run. Vote on a placement to back it or contest it.
- 01
Attending an elaborate launch party, Richard and his computer programmer friends - Big Head, Dinesh and Gilfoyle - dream of making it big. Instead, they're living in the communal Hacker Hostel owned by former programmer Erlich, who gets to claim ten percent of anything they invent there. When it becomes clear that Richard has developed a powerful compression algorithm for his website, Pied Piper, he finds himself courted by Gavin Belson, his egomaniacal corporate boss, who offers a $10 million buyout by his firm, Hooli. But Richard holds back when well-known investor Peter Gregory makes a counteroffer.
- 02
Now that Pied Piper has ample funding and new offices, the pressure to get things right stymies Richard and forces him to grow the company in a way he hadn't planned. A picky Dinesh and Gilfoyle question their ability to make good decisions. After returning to Hooli, Gavin worries about becoming antiquated.
- 03
Attempting to woo a gaming company to PiperNet, Richard inadvertently angers a prized ally; Dinesh deals with a betrayal; in preparation for a big launch, Gavin leaves his underlings with a cryptic message; Jared gets inside information from Big Head.
- 04
Richard's new relationship is threatened by neuroses; Big Head and Erlich's launch party has snags; Dinesh falls for a foreign coworker.
- 05
Artificial Emotional Intelligence
Richard decides to help when Laurie gets in a jam, but his lack of emotional discipline threatens to backfire on Pied Piper. Gavin tries to make a deal with a stubborn partner while abroad. Dinesh relishes a rare win. Jared bonds with a surprising figure.
- 06
As the Pied Piper guys prepare to close on their Series B funding, Richard receives some unsettling news. Gilfoyle suggests a risky proposition and Monica gets blunt with Richard. Dinesh goes to great lengths to compete with a coworker, while Jared keeps close watch on Richard's new assistant. In search of a better deal, Gavin tries to charm small-town America.
- 07
Gavin creates interference that hinders Pied Piper's expansion. Meanwhile, the guys could be threatened by a nosy neighbor; Guilfoyle sets out to build servers; Richard's reluctant to let Jared move in; and Big Head's leadership skills are suspect.
- 08
Panicked by suddenly leading a much larger team, Richard finds himself managing a number of small conflicts in his efforts to unite his new employees. Dinesh celebrates a new purchase that Gilfoyle looks to spoil. Jian-Yang goes to court. Gavin meets pushback over his signature and what it says about him.
- 09
Overshadowed by Jared in an on-camera interview, Richard's confidence wavers further when Laurie and Monica force him to work with Eklow, a new artificial-intelligence company. Gilfoyle worries about the prospect of introducing AI into Pied Piper. Dinesh makes Jared self-conscious ahead of a second interview. Gavin questions his future beyond Hooli.
- 10
Richard gets paranoid about security after he takes pity on a competitor and inadvertently starts a feud. Meanwhile, Jared fibs about Pied Piper's size; and Gavin looks for a scapegoat when he feels pressure from board members.
- 11
Erlich wants to testify when Pied Piper and Hooli enter binding arbitration, but Richard worries that his rival's claims could have merit. Meanwhile, Jared, Dinesh and Gilfoyle debate a philosophical theory; and Big Head gets a boost.
- 12
Richard lets his ego get in the way at an interview; Dinesh, Gilfoyle and Jared misplace hardware; Erlich pitches his plans to Big Head.
- 13
Erlich struggles to come clean to Richard, who is forced to make a choice between their friendship and the company's future. Jared's new Pied Piper apparel makes a splash, and divides Dinesh and Gilfoyle. As Gavin faces major life changes, the guys celebrate a rare victory.
- 14
Richard's authority is threatened by his former Hooli manager; Monica tries to prove her support of other women; Gavin sets his sights on the literary world.
- 15
Richard mulls a proposal by Gavin, but also considers a pitch from Russ Hanneman about backing Pied Piper. Meanwhile, Monica learns surprising news about Richard's deal with Hooli; and Gilfoyle and Dinesh go to extremes to get what they want.
- 16
Richard butts heads with Erlich over a prospective hire, while Dinesh and Gilfoyle become suspicious that a new employee they recommended is commanding a higher salary. Big Head gets a surprising promotion at Hooli. At a board meeting, Monica and Richard find themselves outvoted; Jared institutes a workplace harassment policy.
- 17
Erlich runs into an old protégé who's now an energy drink billionaire when Monica urges the guys to pursue a livestream opportunity, but Richard learns their friendship isn't what Erlich thinks it is. Meanwhile, Jared wants Carla and Monica to be friends.
- 18
Upon discovering surprising stats, Richard attempts to bridge the gap between Pied Piper and its users, leading Jared to take drastic measures to hold everything together. Gavin learns secrets about the competition and decides to bring in a new face to reclaim his former glory.
- 19
An overtired Richard pushes himself to the brink of sanity while trying to move ahead with his next big idea. Eyeing a comeback, Erlich pressures an uncooperative Jian-Yang. Monica sets a trap at Raviga to improve her standing with Laurie. Dinesh goes on a date; Big Head enters the world of academia; Gavin faces an unknown future.
- 20
The Pied Piper guys try to pull off a stealth plan at Hooli-Con.
- 21
Artificial Lack of Intelligence
Richard discovers his promise to keep Pied Piper free from collecting user data is under threat. Jared finds himself missing his role as Richard's go-to guy and revisits the hacker hostel. Gilfoyle devises a creative way to deal with Dinesh's complaining.
- 22
The Pied Piper team races to close a major deal; Dinesh considers being a better person; an angry Jared reluctantly helps Richard.
- 23
At Peter's toga party, Richard drunkenly promises to make Erlich a board member, which he regrets the next morning. After being unassigned at Hooli, Big Head finds others like him who have made careers out of doing nothing. Richard struggles to put Pied Piper's vision into words for a presentation without Erlich; later, he discovers an interesting connection between Peter and Gavin Belson.
- 24
At TechCrunch Disrupt, Richard feels the pressure to finish his demo, but finds himself distracted by a girl he dated briefly, who's now spreading rumors about him. Jared worries that Monica is taking his place in the company. Dinesh develops a crush on a girl at a neighboring booth. Erlich's scandalous past connection to one of the judges threatens Pied Piper's chances.
- 25
Pied Piper could go under if Richard and the guys can't find legal and financial help in the wake of Hooli's bombshell. Meanwhile, Dinesh tries to thwart a fund-raising campaign for his cousin's new app; and Monica tries to keep her interest in Pied Piper separate from her job.
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