Funny Only When It Ends: Silicon Valley, “Binding Arbitration” (S2: E9)

In Roger Ebert’s review of This Is Spinal Tap, he explains how the Stonehenge gag is funny. The audience knows the size of the Stonehenge prior to the band. We then laugh to their reaction of the very undersized object. The order of the shots brings about this desired effect. Now, in the most recent episode of Silicon Valley, “Binding Arbitration”, the primary gag ends only when the credits roll. While this gag isn’t exact as the one in Spinal Tap—i.e in how it’s presented by the editing—I was still reminded of it. The episode felt, in the same spirit, patient with its humor. No concern for quick and cheap laughs, but clever.

There are two parts: the first is the most important, for the future of Pied Pier rests on the court case at hand. The second feels less so. Throughout, it feels like a less interesting side note, definitely secondary. [Spoilers from here on out] Danesh, Gilfoyle, and Jared are concerned with that damned and very, very uninteresting condor egg, displayed on a live feed—well really only Jared. Upon noticing the condor hasn’t returned to its egg in some time, Jared checks on its safety by calling the museum. At this time Danesh and Gilfoyle explain Schrödinger’s cat: a useful thought experiment to explain how an object can occupy contradictory states (the cat in a box with poison food can both be thought of as dead AND alive). If Jared makes the call there is a chance he contributes to the condors misfortune.

Jared still makes the call only to find that the museum is not so concerned with the condor, but removing the camera and cancelling the live feed. This leads to the tragic death/injury of the man removing the camera, which Jared can only be blamed for . . . right? Danesh won’t check his phone regarding the fate of Pied Piper. If he does, and the text is bad, he contributes to the company’s misfortune. Now, the punch line: He pauses . . . and cut to the credits, keeping in mind Richard and Erlich's location. 

And in the same way we laughed to how the band in Spinal Tap would react to the undersized Stonehenge, here we are in on the joke without Richard and Erlich. They are the cat in the box. We now wait for the verdict. At this moment, Pied Piper is dead AND alive. So please don’t watch the next episode! If you do, you could potentially harm the characters and their company.