Halt and Catch Fire S1E9 - "Up Helly Aa" Recap

The group arrives in Vegas to check in for Comdek and finds that their room was released because their corporate account has been frozen due to the pending criminal investigation. They're able to buy a suite off a pair of brothers with a weak presentation on their printer. Cameron ends up putting together a striking display with chains and spray paint that attracts a large number of guests up to the suite. Gordon's having trouble getting the machine to work but Joe is able to manipulate the guests into wanting to party their faces off under the condition and come to the booth the following day to see their demo then. Gordon and Donna are able to get the machine working.

The following day, Donna's former boss is shown to be selling a product called the "slingshot" that is virtually identical to the group's machine. She attacks him but Joe quickly ushers her away. Once back in the room, Gordon confronts her and she admits to kissing him but nothing more. She points out that they have been having problems in their relationship.

Joe meets with Donna's former boss, who is willing to sell the machine back to them. Joe's not keen on the idea but it looks as if he won't have much of a choice. He heads back up to the room with Cameron and finds a drunk Gordon has removed Cameron's operating system to make it faster. Cameron pleads with Joe to tell Gordon to undo it but Joe sides with him, saying it's what's right for the machine. Joe follows her out and tells her he wants her there with him when the machine has its demo but she refuses, since he won't put the operating system back in.

The demo is underway and Joe focuses on speed as a selling point, utilising all his skills as a smooth-talking salesman. Later that night, Joe comes across a demo for MacIntosh. The machine speaks. And Joe may have to eat his words sooner than he thought.

Halt and Catch Fire airs on Sundays on AMC at 10PM.