All TV shows about tech companies share the common theme of tackling the inner workings of cutting-edge corporate machinery, almost always dressed in slick 21st-century business lingo with a healthy side of real-world paralleling narratives. Shows like WeCrashed, Silicon Valley, and Succession don't stray too far from the truth in their portrayal of modern tech giants. Meanwhile, others like Severance, Mr. Robot, and Devs offer peeks into the future based on how far today's most prominent tech companies have come. The best TV shows about tech companies are among some of the freshest small-screen dramas of the last two decades and are always a source of astute social commentary about society's relationship with technology.
Whether they are based on real companies and events, or envision the dystopia where modern society is likely headed, these shows typically critique capitalist culture and seek to unravel the socio-political role of rapid technological development. Characterized by their often ambitious plots, not all TV shows about tech companies were created equal. While many of these shows have fallen short of grasping what makes the industry so fascinating, some stand above the rest as entertaining, complex, and ultimately relatable narratives. In the era of streaming, these are the 10 best shows about tech companies on television.
10 WeCrashed (2022)
- Stream now on AppleTV+
Based on the podcast of the same name, WeCrashed details the rise and demise of the real-life tech company WeWork, one of the world's highest-valued start-ups. WeCrashed is told through the lens of the relationship between Adam Neumann (Jared Leto), the company's co-founder, and his wife Rebekah (Anne Hathaway). The miniseries only received mildly positive reviews and was criticized for its slow pacing. Nonetheless, audiences praised the show's central relationship and Hathaway's standout performance, while Leto was named Best Actor by the LifeArt Festival in 2022. The recurring cast is rounded out by the likes of Anthony Edwards (Top Gun), O-T Fagbenle (Black Widow), and America Ferrara (Superstore).
9 The Dropout (2022)
- Stream now on Hulu
The Dropout, which is also based on a podcast of the same name, documents the origins of and fallout of the disgraced biotech company Theranos, founded by Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried). In The Dropout, Theranos claimed that they could conduct advanced blood tests with a simple finger prick, and the show masterfully brought these events to life. The miniseries was a critical and audience hit, with Seyfried receiving a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance. Opposite Seyfried is Naveen Andrews (Lost) as her COO/boyfriend Sunny Balwani, and Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts), William H. Macy (Shameless), and Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird) appear in recurring roles.
8 Maniac (2018)
- Stream now on Netflix
Loosely based on the Norwegian show of the same name, Maniac is about two strangers who end up connecting when they find themselves in the middle of a mind-bending pharmaceutical trial that the tech company's scientists claim will fix their mental problems. An underrated gem among contemporary TV shows about tech companies, Maniac was praised for its visual storytelling and the performances of its leads Jonah Hill (Superbad) and Emma Stone (La La Land), who was nominated by both the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Satellite Awards for her role as Annie. Amongs the vast cast, Justin Theroux (The Leftovers), Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects), and Sally Field (Forrest Gump) have stand-out ing roles.
7 StartUp (2016-2018)
- Stream now on fuboTV
Set in modern Miami, StartUp tracks the unlikely intersection of a desperate banker, ambitious gang lord, and witty hacker as they reinvent how to commit crimes through GenCoin, a cryptocurrency startup. What differentiates StartUp from other TV shows about tech companies is that, despite it's seemingly straightforward name, the series is actually a full-blown antihero crime series. The Crackle show was initially dismissed by critics, but has found a positive second life with audiences on Netflix — and rightly so. Over the course of its three seasons, the show stars Martin Freeman (The Hobbit), Ron Perlman (Hellboy), and Adam Brody in one of his best roles.
6 Devs (2020)
- Stream now on Hulu
Few other TV shows about tech companies have captured the horror potential of the sub-genre as much as Devs. A surreal, sci-fi take on the secrecy of Silicon Valley, Devs follows software engineer Lily (Sonoya Mizuno) as she investigates the death of her boyfriend who worked alongside her at the mysterious tech company, Amaya. With a cast led by Nick Offerman in one of his most underrated roles, the show was praised for its imagination and exploration of the themes of autonomy and destiny - to the tune of four Primetime Emmy nominations. The ing cast includes Stephen McKinley Henderson (Dune), Cailee Spaeny (Mare Of Easttown), and Alison Pill (The Newsroom).
5 Halt And Catch Fire (2014-2017)
- Stream now on AMC Plus
Halt And Catch Fire is a late 20th century period drama about the personal computer revolution. The series begins with the founding of the fictional company Cardiff Electric, a competitor of IBM, and splintering out as the characters take on different projects, eventually reaching the emergence of the World Wide Web in the '90s. The show stars Lee Pace (Foundation), Scoot McNairy (Argo), and Mackenzie Davis (The Martian). Meanwhile, the title Halt And Catch Fire refers to the computing idiom that began as a joke about the difficulty of operating early IBM computers, with the fictitious "HCF" code insinuating that developers actually programmed a machine code meant to fry a U.
4 Mr. Robot (2015-2019)
- Stream now on Prime Video
Mr. Robot focuses on and is narrated by the morally-dubious hero Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), a cybersecurity engineer at Allsafe who suffers from several mental health problems. The show picks up when Elliot is recruited by a team of hacktivists to take down E Corp, Allsafe's biggest client. One of the TV shows about tech companies that changed the game in the 2010s, it would be an understatement to say that not everything is at it seems in Mr. Robot. Malek won an Emmy for his performance in Mr. Robot's first season, and the show continued to receive critical praise even when audiences dwindled. The main cast includes Christian Slater (True Romance), Portia Doubleday (Her), and BD Wong (Jurassic Park).
3 Silicon Valley (2014-2019)
- Stream now on HBO Max
A parody of the tech culture in Northern California, Silicon Valley tells the story of Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch) a programmer who develops his own revolutionary data compression app. As word gets out about his achievement, Richard struggles to ward off competition from larger companies. Out of the best TV shows about tech companies, only Silicon Valley is largely considered to also be one of the best comedies of the 21st century, and was nominated for 5 consecutive Best Comedy Series Emmys. The rest of the main cast includes Martin Starr (Tulsa King), Zach Woods (The Office), and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick). Silicon Valley also has the best soundtrack on this list.
2 Succession (2018-present)
- Stream now on HBO Max
Succession revolves around Logan Roy (Brian Cox), the patriarch of the wealthy Roy family and head of the fictional tech-media giant Waystar Royco. When uncertainty about Logan's health arises, his children jockey for control of the company while he doubts if any of them are capable of taking the reigns. With 9 Emmy wins under its belt, the Shakespearean dark dramedy shows no signs of slowing down going into its fourth season, and is easily the most decorated of the best contemporary TV shows about tech companies. The main cast includes Kieran Culkin (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World), Sarah Snook (Steve Jobs), and Jeremy Strong (The Big Short).
1 Severance (2022-present)
- Stream now on AppleTV+
In Severance, the title refers to a medical procedure in which a person's work memories are separated or severed from their memories outside the office. If a prospective employee of Lumon Industries is willing to undergo the quick brain surgery required to input the Severance Chip, Lumon promises perfect work-life balance. Through the eyes of Lumon employee Mark Scout (Adam Scott), Severance reveals a vision of dystopia unlike that of any other modern TV shows about tech companies. The winner of two Primetime Emmys, Severance was renewed for a second season days before its first season finale. The main cast also includes John Turturro (The Big Lebowski), Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter), and Patricia Arquette (Boyhood). In addition to being one of the most surreal series around, Severance is arguably the best TV show about tech companies in the 21st century so far.