By Season 5, Silicon Valley has transformed from a show about the struggle for success into a show about the struggle for maintaining one’s conscience after success has been achieved.  Once simply introverted computer programmers, main character Richard Hendriks and his compatriots have finally secured funding for “Pied Piper” and the quest to build a decentralized internet free of corruption and government interference.  While his data compression algorithm sprung Richard and his friends into the highly-competitive industry, it was not without cost. In order to “make it” in the business, Richard is now in danger of becoming the type of person he despised the most: a power-hungry CEO, like his nemesis, Gavin Belson.

In the Season 5 premiere episode, “Grow Fast or Die Slow”, Richard is obsessed with making and saving as much money as possible, and has a serious lack of regard for his co-workers.  With the demands of the new growing company, Richard reluctantly assumes more of a management role, forcing his partners to agree on hiring decisions to move the company forward. Richard, feeling professionally obligated to attend a gala honoring Gavin Belson, is informed by his very nemesis Gavin that he has stolen and hired Richard’s potential staff.  Richard was shamed and angry, and sought vengeance. Instead of working hard to find new employees, he took a darker path. Richard stooped to Gavin’s level when he maliciously bankrupted another company, “Sliceline,” to get Pied Piper’s needed coders. While Richard’s scheme benefited the company, this deed is an example of the lengths Richard will now go to succeed in the industry.

One continuing storyline in Silicon Valley’s Season 5 opening episode is the toxic relationship between Gilfoyle and Dinesh.  Their constant insults and one-upmanship are in some ways reminiscent of the ‘Seinfeld Model’ of self-centered disregard for others.  Yet as their incomes increased, so did their capacity for personal destruction.  In the second episode of season 5, Dinesh splurges and buys a Tesla, equipped with all the bells and whistles including a trunk in the front, or “frunk”.  After boasting incessantly to Gilfoyle about this new expensive vehicle, he crashes the car while racing Gilfoyle and his ‘craptastic electric motorcycle’ to work.  Gilfoyle comments to Dinesh, “Something is wrong with your frunk . . . it’s all frunked-up.” Faced with a very expensive repair bill, Dinesh reluctantly pays it to stave off Gilfoyle’s further mocking of him and the Tesla.  These characters’ back-and-forth has become incredibly expensive, and is indicative of what can happen to those consumed by greed and pride.

Silicon Valley has never been a more relevant show.  Mark Zuckerberg, the real-life CEO of Facebook, has been skewered by the news for his shady mishandeling of user data.   His public descent in the industry is similar to the constant humiliation of Richard; one could even make the claim that Richard’s character is based off of Zuckerberg.   The constant ups-and-downs, the moral dilemmas, and the hair are points of comparison between the two. Using a comedic platform, the creators of Silicon Valley have highlighted the problems with those in our society that are relentless in their quest for power.  Although those in pursuit of power can try to mask their quest by lies and claims of good intentions, as this show and current events have taught us the ugly truth has a way of being revealed one way or another.

Transforming from a story about a simple up-and-comer, Silicon Valley has now become a show full of corrupt individuals.  Richard does not yet see this in himself, as he believes that all of his horrible acts were for a good cause: a decentralized internet.  Such a seemingly positive goal is how many in this kind of industry avoid their conscious. No matter how messy, mean or corrupt the road to the goal may be, the goal is what matters and the end justifies the means.  The destruction in the would-be mogel’s wake would be considered by him as simply collateral damage. Thus while the Pied Piper decentralized internet would in theory be free from corruption, in fact its creators are not.