In the best moment of “Server Space”(and T.J. Miller’s possible Emmy clip), Erlich pontificates about how Silicon Valley is what it is today because of businesses starting up from garages. It’s a thoughtful moment in an otherwise stagnant episode, before next week’s head-to-head with Hooli.
The episode opens with Richard being stressed, which isn’t such a new development. However, his doctor (Andy Daly) warns him that these night sweats could turn into bed wetting. When Richard makes the mistake of telling Jared, Jared becomes obsessed with preventing this from happening.
Yes, that’s Horace
Richard has a lot to be stressed about, including the impending move to new Pied Piper digs with conference nooks and models named Yalena. During the move, Erlich gifts Richard a kimono and demands that Richard bow (to the waist) in respect. He also schools the guys on the fact that ferrets are illegal in the state of California (which appears to be true).
Meanwhile, during the move, a nosy wheelchair-bound neighbor Noah (played by Frank Collison, who ‘90s kids may remember as Horace from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman) starts sniffing around their house.
However, after the walk-through at the new building, PP gets some bad news: They have to stay at their old building because Gavin has infringed on their server space. In order to fix the issue, Gilfoyle suggests they build their own servers.
“No host can match the config that I built here in the house,” he says. “Oh, and also, we don’t seem to have a choice.”
Jared doubts there would be an issue if they wanted to back out on their new lease, and Erlich thinks it’s a great idea. Should they smoke pot to celebrate?
Last week, Silicon Valley introduced viewers to Carla, the newest Girl-in-the-Dragon-Tattoo-esque developer. For those wishing to get to know this new character better this week, you will be sorely disappointed, as she’s reduced to only a few lines and a bong hit.
Monkey Business
At Hooli, Davis Bannercheck (Patrick Fischler) is also stressed. Bighetti, aka Big Head, is using his newfound power to test potato cannons (“See what your brightest minds are being wasted on?”) and Bannercheck doesn’t see it as valuable as creating monkeys with bionic arms that can pleasure themselves on command like toy monkeys clanging cymbals.
When Pied Piper starts moving its stuff back into their old headquarters, the crew discovers that Jared is a stowaway in the house, which Gilfoyle wants to change in order to create space for the servers (“I need all rodents and Jareds out of the garage”). They soon need to decide where to place Jared. Erlich’s room is out because he sleeps “dick up.” Naturally, Richard takes him in and discovers that Jared speaks German in his sleep. Just another reason for him to wake up drenched in sweat (“Do you think maybe you sweat through your urethra?” asks Jared).
Seeing the guys move back in, Noah starts snooping around again, and Erlich tells Richard to refrain from talking to the neighbors because Pied Piper is not zoned for business. Richard is pissed at Erlich for not telling him this, but Erlich is pissed at Richard for not being more respectful of his kimono gift.
Jared looks into the legal ramifications of not being properly zoned, and Noah could cause some problems. Jared also suggests that Richard do Kegel exercises in order to work on preventing night sweats from turning into a nocturnal pee session.
When Dinesh messes with the server system, the whole block’s power goes down. Soon, Noah is back and after maneuvering his way through the sea of cars in the driveway, he tells them he’s reporting Pied Piper to the city inspector.
From Baghead to ‘Sole Dreamer’
Hours later, Richard wakes up yet again in a cold sweat, with Jared yelling German on the floor next to him. There’s nowhere to sleep in the living room because of Jian-Yang and his friends, so Richard heads out to the pool area and catches Noah in his neighboring yard with, of all things, a ferret. After snapping a photo of the crime, Richard shows Erlich, and the two confront Noah and threaten to reveal his secret if he disrupts the peace between neighbors.
The episode ends with Gavin announcing the departure of Davis Bannercheck, who has been forced out of Hooli due to his inability to be a team player (i.e., let Big Head do whatever the hell he wants). Good news for Big Head: He’s once again been promoted to “sole dreamer.” But the even more exciting news is that the Nucleus division will be unveiling their video platform for a UFC fight next month, despite being anywhere from 6 to 15 weeks behind schedule.
What did you think of “Server Space”? Did you know ferrets are illegal in California? And do you think masturbating monkeys should be?
