AMC's New TV Series Is a Hilarious Silicon Valley Satire from the Writer of 'Succession'

AMC has launched a new series called The Audacity, a caustic satire of Silicon Valley's tech world. Jonathan Glatzer, co-creator of Succession and Better Call Saul, is the showrunner and sole writer.

The Audacity stars Billy Magnussen, Zach Galifianakis, and Sarah Goldberg.

What Is 'The Audacity' About?

Duncan owns a major tech company. His overconfidence has led to unpleasant consequences – a false rumor he started could cause the company to lose profits, and the board of directors is ready to fire him.

In an attempt to find independent financial assistance, he turns to various people, but to no avail. Unexpectedly, his psychologist, Joanne, offers help.

But after obtaining compromising information about Joanne, Duncan begins blackmailing her. He threatens to leak all her dirty laundry online unless she finds him a wealthy sponsor.

'The Audacity' Is Filled With Ambiguous Yet Charismatic Characters

After watching the first episode, you might get the impression that Glatzer is repeating the formula of Succession, with its vile, greedy characters who are damaged but unwilling to work on themselves.

In The Audacity, the characters carry burdens of problems, grievances, and complexes, but they can't be called outright bad. Occasionally, we discover that Duncan is an empath, Joanne is a caring mother, and Carl is an emotionally repressed man.

Technology is also heavily criticized: not only does it violate personal boundaries, it also greatly harms the environment. However, this doesn't seem to bother Duncan and his ilk.

'The Audacity' Is Reminiscent of 'Succession', but in a Different Package

The most striking scene is one in which a veteran, played by Rob Corddry, unable to connect with anyone, begins to cry during a conversation with an artificial intelligence.

Unlike the others, the machine is interested in his story and gives him the opportunity to speak out. This is a frighteningly accurate analogy to real-life cases in which users turn to neural networks for help instead of their loved ones.

The Audacity isn't afraid to satirize corporate villains, and its own audacity lies in its unambiguous approach – even the most notorious scoundrels aren't condemned hastily.

Perhaps even the rich cry or the psychologist violates ethical codes, not so much for her own benefit, but for that of her loved ones – the deeper you dig, the more you learn.

Glatzer's show adheres to this rule without question. The Audacity is a smart, wicked, and unexpectedly touching satire that will appeal to anyone who misses Succession and wants something just as edgy.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'The Audacity'?

• The Audacity has 76% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 5.1/10.

Where to Watch 'The Audacity'?

The Audacity is available to stream on AMC+.