Super Pumped is the first installment of a miniseries anthology that plans to retell some of the biggest tech-related stories in today’s world. The debut season, dubbed as The Battle for Uber, kicks off with the story of Uber’s founding and how its CEO Travis Kalanick was ultimately fired by his own company.
With high-profile stars such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Uma Thurman, and Kyle Chandler leading the cast, Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber gathered immediate hype and ended up with rave reviews so far. Themes of corporate greed, internal politics of Silicon Valley, and the startup culture are evoked in the series which might draw viewers to similar dramas and comedies.
Succession (2018–present)
Stream On HBO
When it comes to greedy capitalists on television, nothing gets better than the power-hungry characters of Succession. Reminiscent of the Murdochs and the Trumps, Succession’s Roy family is headed by an aggressive patriarch who refuses to on his business empire to his three children. When the latter fight among themselves to gain power, a family drama of Shakespearean proportions is set in motion.
The HBO drama series also includes a lot of boardroom meetings among of the family and the WayStar-RoyCo company. The result is some smart dialogue-driven chaos that is reminiscent of Uber’s meetings to oust their own CEO. The coup attempts in Successions add to the similarities.
The Morning Show (2019–present)
Stream On Apple TV
As the title suggests, The Morning Show deals with the behind-the-scenes functioning of a daytime news show. The first season kicks off from an anchor being fired on the basis of sexual harassment allegations. With this change in the newsroom, his co-anchor struggles with a change in staff and new-age politics.
The diverse viewpoints that come out of the news show's staff proves how divisive a workspace can be. In the end, it is the consensus that defines the company, for good or bad reasons. Even the inner politics of Super Pumped leaves the space for interpretation as viewers can decide for themselves whether Uber’s CEO is right or if it is the rest of the staff.
American Crime Story (2016–present)
Stream On Hulu
With three seasons so far, the anthology TV series humanizes its characters and offers individual perspectives rather than succumbing to true crime tropes.
American Crime Story’s multi-season approach to address new stories is similar to what Super Pumped attempts to do, focusing on a technological context. Following the rave reviews that The Battle for Uber generated, the show’s second season has been greenlit which will focus on the rise of Facebook.
Silicon Valley (2014–19)
Stream On HBO Max
Silicon Valley has been the birthplace of several iconic start-ups and companies that dominated the tech-world today. Having similar aspirations for success, the budding entrepreneurs of HBO’s Silicon Valley come up with their own ideas to revolutionize the internet. However, the road to entrepreneurial success is a tough one as is brought out by the show’s situational humor and satirical jabs at the uber-rich.
As Silicon Valley progresses in its later seasons, workroom meetings and industry fallouts act as recurring themes. In fact, the series antagonist Gavin Belson functions as the greedy CEO stereotype that is even comparable to Uber’s Travis Kalanick in Super Pumped.
Mad Men (2007–15)
Stream On AMC Plus
Set in the midst of New York’s booming ad business of the 1960s, s position as one of the all-time favorite TV show characters, the womanizing and bashful Draper is shown as a talented man on the job who is an asset for his business peers.
However, a shady past and a crumbling personal life affects his focus at times which eventually drives him away from his own business. In this sense, Draper’s fall from grace makes for entertaining boardroom dramatics, similar in scale to the central premise of Super Pumped.
Industry (2020–present)
Stream On HBO Max
The 2008 financial crisis led to a widespread recession. Set in this tumultuous context, Industry pits young finance graduates in an increasingly unpredictable and competitive job market. Business teams are put in jeopardy and loyalties are tested as the show progresses.
Shows like Super Pumped would focus on the upper echelons of American businesses. But Industry can serve as a contrasting companion piece given how it revolves around people who haven't even made it to the top yet. Instead, these are ambitious, hard-working civilians who are struggling to become future CEOs .
Severance (2022–present)
Stream On Apple TV+
Severance follows a Truman Show-like approach to the workplace as a group of employees have memories of work and personal life that are surgically altered. When a new worker drops by, a new truth is unearthed that reveals more about the company’s shadowy past.
Much like Super Pumped, Severance’s first season also dropped this year and has been earning positive acclaim. Even though is primarily a sci-fi show, it shows that sometimes, companies can hide a lot from their own employees. Just take Super Pumped as a case in point where an actual CEO’s position is also not secure in the boardroom.
Mr. Corman (2021–present)
Stream On Apple TV+
The Mr. Corman turns out to be an efficient tragicomedy.
The show is leading actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt's brainchild as he also serves as writer and director. Just a year after Mr. Corman's debut, Gordon-Levitt marked his sophomore foray into television playing the protagonist in Super Pumped. If people liked his energetic theatrics in the latter, they might also like the actor's calm and composed persona in the former.
Billions (2016–present)
Stream On Showtime
The financial thriller-drama Billions pits a ruthless hedge fund investor against an equally ruthless attorney who is hell-bent at bringing him down. As their egos clash, both seek to get a large share of the ever-turbulent financial market.
If Super-Pumped showcases the internal politics of companies, Billions plays around similar concepts but with multiple external parties. The characters in both cases also engage in some aggressive office space banter that adds to the satirical undertones. Interestingly, both shows are also currently some of the highest-rated Showtime dramas.
The Dropout (2022–present)
Stream On Hulu
Elizabeth Holmes was already one of the biggest names of the American tech-world and could have been even bigger until her fraud came out in the public. The Dropout dramatizes Holmes' infamous story of how Holmes developed healthcare technology that eventually endangered the lives of patients from all across the country.
The Dropout shows how dangerous it can be when a select few entrepreneurs handle the lives of millions, a concern that is ever-present in modern capitalism. The legal tussles of the latter half aof the miniseries might also remind viewers of the "coup" at the Uber office.