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The Worst Episodes of Silicon Valley

Every episode of Silicon Valley ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Silicon Valley!

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In the high-tech gold rush of modern Silicon Valley, the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success. Partially inspired by Mike Judge’s own experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer in

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  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Silicon Valley Season 6 Episode 4 - Maximizing Alphaness
    7.0/10(31 votes)

    #1 - Maximizing Alphaness

    S6:E4

    When Richard’s authority is threatened by his former Hooli manager, Dinesh has just the solution. Jared learns some hard truths about his birth parents.

    Director:Liza Johnson
    Writer:Daisy Gardner

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  2. Silicon Valley Season 1 Episode 4 - Fiduciary Duties
    7.3/10(38 votes)

    #2 - Fiduciary Duties

    S1:E4

    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.

    Director:Maggie Carey
    Writer:Ron Weiner

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  3. Silicon Valley Season 1 Episode 6 - Third Party Insourcing
    7.3/10(43 votes)

    #3 - Third Party Insourcing

    S1:E6

    Richard feels threatened when the team hires “The Carver” a hacker with a notorious reputation, to help with Pied Piper’s cloud. Jared finds himself taken for a ride when he seeks out Peter Gregory’s signature. Erlich and Dinesh compete for the attention of Tara, Gilfoyle’s visiting girlfriend. Later, Dinesh faces a sexual dilemma.

    Director:Alec Berg
    Writer:Dan O'Keefe

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  4. Silicon Valley Season 1 Episode 2 - The Cap Table
    7.4/10(42 votes)

    #4 - The Cap Table

    S1:E2

    After a celebratory party at the Hacker Hostel, Richard and Erlich learn that Peter Gregory won't pay up until they deliver a viable business plan that includes a slimmed-downed staff. A desperate Richard hires former Belson underling Jared, and they set about trying to trim the fat. While Gilfoyle and Dinesh prove essential, Big Head's place in the company is less certain.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writer:Carson D. Mell

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  5. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 4 - Tech Evangelist
    7.4/10(36 votes)

    #5 - Tech Evangelist

    S5:E4

    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.

    Director:Jamie Babbit
    Writer:Josh Lieb

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  6. Silicon Valley Season 1 Episode 1 - Minimum Viable Product
    7.5/10(48 votes)

    #6 - Minimum Viable Product

    S1:E1

    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.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writers:Dave Krinsky, John Altschuler, Mike Judge

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  7. Silicon Valley Season 1 Episode 3 - Articles of Incorporation
    7.5/10(39 votes)

    #7 - Articles of Incorporation

    S1:E3

    While Gavin Belson begins to hype Nucleus, a competing compression platform, Richard learns that the name Pied Piper is already registered to a sprinkler company, forcing him to negotiate. Meanwhile, Erlich goes on a vision quest for a new company name, and Peter Gregory proves elusive when one of his companies asks for money.

    Director:Tricia Brock
    Writers:Matteo Borghese, Rob Turbovsky

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  8. Silicon Valley Season 2 Episode 3 - Bad Money
    7.5/10(38 votes)

    #8 - Bad Money

    S2:E3

    While considering Gavin’s proposal, Richard is approached by Russ Hanneman, an image-conscious billionaire who wants to back Pied Piper, but may not be as “hands-off” as he claims. Gilfoyle and Dinesh play hardball to get what they want; Gavin finds a new strategy in dealing with the enemy.

    Director:Alec Berg
    Writer:Alec Berg

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  9. Silicon Valley Season 2 Episode 4 - The Lady
    7.5/10(38 votes)

    #9 - The Lady

    S2:E4

    Richard and Erlich disagree over a potential employee. Dinesh and Gilfoyle worry that someone they recommended for the company will be receiving more money than they make.

    Director:Alec Berg
    Writer:Carson D. Mell

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  10. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 2 - Reorientation
    7.5/10(36 votes)

    #10 - Reorientation

    S5:E2

    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.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writer:Carson D. Mell

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  11. Silicon Valley Season 2 Episode 1 - Sand Hill Shuffle
    7.6/10(44 votes)

    #11 - Sand Hill Shuffle

    S2:E1

    The Pied Piper guys are wined and dined by every venture capitalist under the sun, while Monica adjusts to a new managing partner at Raviga as the company faces major changes.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writer:Clay Tarver

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  12. Silicon Valley Season 2 Episode 2 - Runaway Devaluation
    7.6/10(39 votes)

    #12 - Runaway Devaluation

    S2:E2

    In the wake of Hooli’s bombshell, Richard and the guys struggle to find a backer as they face legal and financial woes. Monica attempts to balance her interest in Pied Piper with her job. A cash-strapped Dinesh tries to put an end to the Kickstarter campaign for his cousin’s new app, Bro. Richard gets a surprising offer.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writer:Ron Weiner

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  13. Silicon Valley Season 3 Episode 6 - Bachmanity Insanity
    7.6/10(35 votes)

    #13 - Bachmanity Insanity

    S3:E6

    Richard's neuroses could ruin his new relationship. Big Head and Erlich's launch party goes awry. Dinesh is smitten with a foreign coworker.

    Director:Eric Appel
    Writer:Carson D. Mell

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  14. Silicon Valley Season 4 Episode 9 - Hooli-Con
    7.6/10(34 votes)

    #14 - Hooli-Con

    S4:E9

    While Erlich goes on a trip to get his mojo back, the Pied Piper guys take to Hooli-Con to pull off a stealth operation. There, an ethically challenged Jared tries to keep himself in the dark, Gilfoyle and Dinesh get distracted by Keenan and Richard's obsession with an ex's new beau leads him to put their whole plan in jeopardy.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writer:Chris Provenzano

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  15. Silicon Valley Season 6 Episode 5 - Tethics
    7.6/10(30 votes)

    #15 - Tethics

    S6:E5

    Richard fumes at Gavin's new ethical stance. Dinesh's trip turns into a nightmare. Gilfoyle and Monica work on their peer review scores.

    Director:Pete Chatmon
    Writer:Lew Morton

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  16. Silicon Valley Season 1 Episode 5 - Signaling Risk
    7.7/10(40 votes)

    #16 - Signaling Risk

    S1:E5

    Erlich convinces a graffiti artist to create Pied Piper's logo; Jared works to make the company more efficient; Richard learns that he has eight weeks to prepare for a live demonstration.

    Director:Alec Berg
    Writer:Jessica Gao

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  17. Silicon Valley Season 2 Episode 5 - Server Space
    7.7/10(41 votes)

    #17 - Server Space

    S2:E5

    Gavin continues to cause trouble for Pied Piper. Gilfoyle works on building servers. Jared becomes Richard's roommate.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writer:Lee Sung Jin

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  18. Silicon Valley Season 2 Episode 8 - White Hat/Black Hat
    7.7/10(39 votes)

    #18 - White Hat/Black Hat

    S2:E8

    Richard causes trouble when he sympathizes with a competitor.

    Director:Alec Berg
    Writer:Dan Lyons

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  19. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 1 - Grow Fast or Die Slow
    7.7/10(37 votes)

    #19 - Grow Fast or Die Slow

    S5:E1

    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.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writer:Ron Weiner

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  20. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 3 - Chief Operating Officer
    7.7/10(35 votes)

    #20 - Chief Operating Officer

    S5:E3

    Encouraged by Jared to strike up a friendship with Dana, a like-minded CEO, Richard instead finds himself charmed by Dana's COO, who challenges his loyalty to Gilfoyle. Facing limited housing options thanks to his impulse purchase, Dinesh searches for a new roommate.

    Director:Jamie Babbit
    Writer:Carrie Kemper

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  21. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 5 - Facial Recognition
    7.7/10(34 votes)

    #21 - Facial Recognition

    S5:E5

    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.

    Director:Gillian Robespierre
    Writer:Graham Wagner

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  22. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 6 - Artificial Emotional Intelligence
    7.7/10(34 votes)

    #22 - Artificial Emotional Intelligence

    S5:E6

    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.

    Director:Matt Ross
    Writer:Anthony King

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  23. Silicon Valley Season 6 Episode 6 - RussFest
    7.7/10(27 votes)

    #23 - RussFest

    S6:E6

    A major event puts PiperNet's capabilities to the test. Monica confronts Jian-Yang over his use of Pied Piper's name.

    Director:Matt Ross
    Writer:Carrie Kemper

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  24. Silicon Valley Season 3 Episode 5 - The Empty Chair
    7.8/10(33 votes)

    #24 - The Empty Chair

    S3:E5

    Richard's ego gets in the way during an interview. Erlich makes his pitch to Big Head. Dinesh, Gilfoyle and Jared lose track of some hardware.

    Director:Eric Appel
    Writer:Megan Amram

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  25. Silicon Valley Season 4 Episode 1 - Success Failure
    7.8/10(38 votes)

    #25 - Success Failure

    S4:E1

    In the wake of Pied Piper’s clickfarm scandal, the guys struggle to find funding for Pied Piper’s video-chat app to keep up with their rapidly growing user base. Erlich faces resistance from Big Head’s dad, while Gavin balks after Jack steps on his toes at Hooli. Having a hard time adjusting to his company’s pivot, Richard gets sage advice from an unexpected source, leading him to a big idea that could change his future.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writer:Alec Berg

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Maximizing Alphaness" is the worst rated episode of "Silicon Valley". It scored 7/10 based on 31 votes. Directed by Liza Johnson and written by Daisy Gardner, it aired on 11/17/2019. This episode scored 0.3 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Fiduciary Duties".