Hooli-Con
Silicon Valley | Season 4 | Episode 9

Hooli-Con

TV-MA | 29 MIN

Written by Chris Provenzano
Directed by Mike Judge

Still struggling to store Fiduciated General Insurance's data, Richard devises a plan to hack Pied Piper's code onto the Hooli app during Hooli-Con. He realizes attendees will download the app to access free Wi-Fi, allowing PiedPiper to store data across their devices. Gilfoyle and Dinesh are on board to carry out the hack, and Dinesh heads to visit Mia in prison to pose a "hypothetical" hacking challenge: How would she hack into the Hooli app servers through a Wi-Fi connection?

At Mia's suggestion, the guys realize they can position Wi-Fi "Pineapples" around Hooli-Con, putting PiedPiper's server between everyone's devices and the real Wi-Fi. Jared resists taking part in the scheme and warns Richard the move is dangerously close to Gavin-like behavior. But Richard justifies it as a means to an end for the "greater good" -- they're trying to give free internet to the world.

After burning down his palapa, Erlich has an epiphany: He'll visit Gavin Belson in Tibet, on a soul-searching journey of his own. Jian-Yang is quick to provide a one-way premium economy ticket and assistance getting a visa from his "corrupt uncle"; he personally drives the Aviato founder to the airport.

The guys arrive at Hooli-Con and set up their meager folding table. Sending Jared off on various tasks, Richard mans the table while Gilfoyle and Dinesh hook up Pineapples. Hooli head of security, Hoover, immediately homes in on their suspicious behavior, but is brushed off when he reports it to Jack Barker, who is busy preparing for his big moment.

In an awkward run-in, Richard sees Winnie with her new boyfriend, Joel. He's the founder of an app called PeaceFare, which lets users send virtual coins to virtual homeless people and grow virtual corn for virtual starving villages. Unable to resist, Richard hacks into Joel's computer and changes his PeaceFare screen saver.

Richard's petty move immediately causes problems when Joel calls the Hooli Technical Response team to locate the hacker. The team quickly detects the Pineapples and the guys are taken to security. Awaiting Hoover, Jared snaps when he learns all their hard work will come to nothing and PiedPiper is on the precipice of a true crisis because Richard couldn't resist changing "PeaceFare" to "PoopFare."

Moved by Richard's kind words about Gavin Belson in Code/Rag, Hoover decides to let the guys' scheme slide. He pretends the PiedPiper guys are working on a covert penetration test of the Wi-Fi security and returns their equipment. With Hoover's blessing, the guys head back to the conference floor and complete their mission.

By the end of Hooli-Con, the guys are able to get the necessary number of users to store Fiduciated General Insurance's data, but Jared is completely disillusioned. Richard tries to console him by promising he won't behave badly during the next crisis. Mollified for the moment, Jared joins Richard, Dinesh and Gilfoyle to watch Jack's keynote.

On stage, disaster strikes the Hooli CEO: while testing Keenan's new VR capabilities, the audience's HooliPhones begin to overheat and combust.

HBO Max