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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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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Silicon Valley Season 6 Episode 4 - Maximizing Alphaness
    7.3/10(1640 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 5 Episode 4 - Tech Evangelist
    7.5/10(1740 votes)

    #2 - 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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  3. Silicon Valley Season 6 Episode 5 - Tethics
    7.6/10(1590 votes)

    #3 - 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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  4. Silicon Valley Season 1 Episode 1 - Minimum Viable Product
    7.7/10(3492 votes)

    #4 - 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:Mike Judge, John Altschuler, Dave Krinsky

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  5. Silicon Valley Season 1 Episode 2 - The Cap Table
    7.7/10(2839 votes)

    #5 - 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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  6. Silicon Valley Season 1 Episode 4 - Fiduciary Duties
    7.7/10(2543 votes)

    #6 - 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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  7. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 2 - Reorientation
    7.7/10(1814 votes)

    #7 - 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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  8. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 6 - Artificial Emotional Intelligence
    7.7/10(1645 votes)

    #8 - 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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  9. Silicon Valley Season 2 Episode 4 - The Lady
    7.8/10(2080 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 4 Episode 6 - Customer Service
    7.8/10(1717 votes)

    #10 - Customer Service

    S4:E6

    On the hunt for financial support, Richard looks outside the tech bubble, and crosses paths with a contentious figure from Pied Piper's past. Erlich reaches out to Monica and Laurie in search of a new endeavor. A launch gone wrong finds Dinesh and Gilfoyle at war as Jared tries to keep the peace.

    Director:Clay Tarver
    Writers:Shawn Boxe, Graham Wagner

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  11. Silicon Valley Season 4 Episode 7 - The Patent Troll
    7.8/10(1674 votes)

    #11 - The Patent Troll

    S4:E7

    When Richard decides to stand up to a patent troll, his defiance ends up coming back to haunt him. Gilfoyle goes to desperate measures to battle Jian-Yang's new smart fridge. Jared embraces multiple identities in his quest to reduce costs. Erlich tries to hang with the alpha males.

    Director:Jamie Babbit
    Writer:Andrew Law

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  12. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 1 - Grow Fast or Die Slow
    7.8/10(1942 votes)

    #12 - 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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  13. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 7 - Initial Coin Offering
    7.8/10(1619 votes)

    #13 - Initial Coin Offering

    S5:E7

    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.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writer:Clay Tarver

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  14. Silicon Valley Season 2 Episode 2 - Runaway Devaluation
    7.9/10(2139 votes)

    #14 - 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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  15. Silicon Valley Season 3 Episode 2 - Two in the Box
    7.9/10(1944 votes)

    #15 - Two in the Box

    S3:E2

    The new and improved Pied Piper impresses Dinesh and Gilfoyle, but worries Richard. Jared and Erlich both face housing issues. Gavin suggests a controversial move.

    Director:Mike Judge
    Writer:Ron Weiner

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  16. Silicon Valley Season 3 Episode 5 - The Empty Chair
    7.9/10(1862 votes)

    #16 - 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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  17. Silicon Valley Season 4 Episode 8 - The Keenan Vortex
    7.9/10(1668 votes)

    #17 - The Keenan Vortex

    S4:E8

    An unexpected increase in data traffic leads Richard to turn to Erlich for help in garnering a deal with Keenan Feldspar, Silicon Valley's latest “it” boy--but when Keenan makes a too-good-to-resist offer, Richard must weigh Pied Piper's future against a potential mutiny. Jack faces setbacks while preparing for Hooli-Con.

    Director:Jamie Babbit
    Writers:Graham Wagner, Rachele Lynn

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  18. Silicon Valley Season 5 Episode 5 - Facial Recognition
    7.9/10(1740 votes)

    #18 - 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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  19. Silicon Valley Season 1 Episode 3 - Articles of Incorporation
    8.0/10(2724 votes)

    #19 - 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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  20. Silicon Valley Season 2 Episode 3 - Bad Money
    8.0/10(2139 votes)

    #20 - 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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  21. Silicon Valley Season 2 Episode 5 - Server Space
    8.0/10(2074 votes)

    #21 - 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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  22. Silicon Valley Season 3 Episode 6 - Bachmanity Insanity
    8.0/10(1895 votes)

    #22 - 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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  23. Silicon Valley Season 4 Episode 1 - Success Failure
    8.0/10(2033 votes)

    #23 - 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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  24. Silicon Valley Season 4 Episode 4 - Teambuilding Exercise
    8.0/10(1744 votes)

    #24 - Teambuilding Exercise

    S4:E4

    When Richard reaches out to an unlikely ally, Jared worries about the company he's keeping. Gilfoyle gets tough on security in the wake of Dinesh's latest dalliance; later, he considers whether to put his pride aside for a job. Concerned about Jian-Yang's commitment to his app, Erlich takes matters into his own hands.

    Director:Jamie Babbit
    Writer:Meghan Crumley

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  25. Silicon Valley Season 4 Episode 5 - The Blood Boy
    8.0/10(1748 votes)

    #25 - The Blood Boy

    S4:E5

    Cracks in Richard's latest partnership become more apparent when he's forced to deal with an unexpected interloper. Dinesh scrambles to find a way out of his new relationship as things get more serious. After learning of surprising developments afoot at Raviga, Monica has trouble deciding which horse to back.

    Director:Tim Roche
    Writer:Adam Countee

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Maximizing Alphaness" is the worst rated episode of "Silicon Valley". It scored 7.3/10 based on 1640 votes. Directed by Liza Johnson and written by Daisy Gardner, it aired on 11/17/2019. This episode scored 0.2 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Tech Evangelist".