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Within the television landscape of 10 years ago it was almost unthinkable that a TV series of success could be based on one of the most stigmatized guilds in recent years: informatics and technology.
From outside the guild, the figure of the IT specialist has always been idealized as a lonely, strange, methodical, asocial and —let’s say it— ugly person. There, brutal honesty. I think the closest approximation would be the IT dude from Jurassic Park.
But since the recent few years, this has changed and the prototypical IT-guy has become something else, from a winner to a social parasite, and everything in between. They can be a successful businessman or an Anonymous hacker, or both at once.
The fact is that American TV channels have realized that these people are as interesting as any other (or more) and have changed enough to develop quality T.V. series. But are the IT series true to reality? Let’s compare.
1.- The IT Crow.
English in origin, in this comedy we see how is the IT department of a large company: two guys working in a basement without any contact with the rest of the squad. They are last in the food chain but have created their own world in the basement and enjoy their own oddities.
Reality: (Almost) no company marginalizes their IT department like that, because they depend directly on it. But it is true that some tech people like to have their well-defined way to organize their own space, being very fussy when it comes to others respecting it.
2.- Halt and Catch Fire
Inspired by true events, this American series tells the story of the early days of the computer industry in Texas’ Silicon Prairie, based primarily in the development of the first personal computers back in 1983.
Reality: this series shows how hard working in IT is. Hours and hours of development work without sleep, with lots of pressure to finish projects. Nothing new to us, who know the trade. But it also conveys the idea that success and being a pioneer in this world is relatively easy, when actually getting to the top and succeed in the world of computing is really complicated. Especially when you have less money than Rocky Balboa’s brother in law.
3.- Sillicon Valley
This comedy narrates the adventures of a current informatics group in the world of startups from America’s most famous Valley. The social and economic difficulties of people not prepared at all for business but for computing are the backbone of this series that’s currently one of HBO’s staples.
Reality: Not all IT guys are that much of social parasites nor have so many oddities like the ones who make up this group. The reality is that the vast majority of are not prepared to succeed on the scale you hope to succeed in Silicon Valley. Make an app, find funding and being a winner in San Francisco is a dream that many get. But also many are left behind because of their dire social skills and low empathy towards people who belong to their guild.
4.- Mr. Robot
This great series is about the life of an IT specialist trapped working in tech support for a multinational. His work bores him, torments and disgusts him. But when he gets home his computer skills cross the dark side of the net to be seized on something more important than just hanging out in his room.
Reality: Unfortunately many IT people get gradually isolated into their own world completely missing their chance of socializing. From their computer they’re able to do almost anything, but some choose to do well. Not all hackers are bad, as the people been thinking since forever; some are dedicated to screwing up ISIS scouting accounts or uncovering pedophiles and handing over their data to the police.
5.- Big Bang Theory
We know that the main characters aren’t exactly 100% IT guys, but it’s just as if they were. Their geek world revolves entirely around internet, they dominate it, and staying offline for them is real torture.
Reality: We depend on internet, more and more with each passing day. What happens to the geeks of the series happens to everyone. We can no longer live without Wi-Fi or 4G. Moreover this IT profile the series shows has a good side: your knowledge in technology can get you closer to the bombshell next-door.
In short, the world of computing has changed a lot in very little. Now an IT specialist can have as much —or more— success than a rock star, be the cornerstone of a company and use their knowledge to improve their social status. That Jurassic Park IT guy has left for good.
