"Halt and Catch Fire" spielt in den frühen 1980er Jahren und handelt vom Computer-Boom durch die beginnende Verbreitung des Personal Computer. Erzählt wird die Geschichte durch die Augen dreier Weggefährten: Visionär Joe MacMillan, Ingenieur Gordon Clark und das programmierende Wunderkind Cameron Howe, deren Innovationen zum Konflikt mit den Computerriesen der Zeit führen. Habgier und Stolz bedrohen private und berufliche Beziehungen, während die Drei gemeinsam versuchen, das Leben in der texanischer Silicon Prairie zu meistern.

While the whole world is singing songs from balconies and throwing video parties, Gennady Borisovich, owner of a chain of hardware stores in Podolsk, is trying to save his business. And his wife can't (or won't?) go home from Bali.

Former Federal Security Service Colonel Sergey Dergach has settled in at his dacha with a load of alcohol and delivers controversial information from his dubious informants, which puts his colleagues in fear.

Meanwhile, Gennady Borisovich's secretary Julia is going for possibly the last manicure in her life. She is very upset that her secret boyfriend has self-isolated with his family. He connects to a video call with his colleagues from the closet - the only place in the house where he can hide from his wife and children.