# The Computer Chronicles

30 Hacker News commenters recommended The Computer Chronicles and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 6 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** PBS show about early personal computers, loved for nostalgia, calm background viewing and a window into computing history. People mostly watch episodes on YouTube.

## Why people recommend it

- Watching old episodes on YouTube (5 comments): "I love watching old episodes of Computer Chronicles on Youtube" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46450406)) "I love watching old Computer Chronicals episodes" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48833161)) "I still watch it on YouTube occasionally." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46447705))
- Childhood memories of watching it (4 comments): "I loved to watch the Computer Chronicles - which usually was shown late at night for some reason." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46448996)) "I have fond memories of watching Computer Chronicles as a kid" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46449249)) "a definite must-watch for a young nerd back in the late 80s" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46446989))
- Background viewing while working or sleeping (4 comments): "A fun background show (for those of us with ADHD?) I like to have on is Computer Chronicles" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48094337)) "It was my bedtime entertainment, watching those recordings from another era of computing" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46447293)) "One of the core pieces of entertainment I use to fall asleep to" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46447054))
- Window into early computing history (4 comments): "The Computer Chronicles episodes on computer networks and services sparked an interest in networking" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46447501)) "as a computer history nerd watching the videos on the Internet has been eye opening" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46448325)) "Recently downloaded The Computer Chronicles. I want to go back to that world." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45945628))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Halt and Catch Fire](https://hackerapproved.com/p/halt-and-catch-fire.md): 166 recommend
- [Babylon 5](https://hackerapproved.com/p/babylon-5.md): 86 recommend
- [Silicon Valley (TV series)](https://hackerapproved.com/p/silicon-valley.md): 52 recommend
- [Andor](https://hackerapproved.com/p/andor.md): 52 recommend
- [The Wire](https://hackerapproved.com/p/wire.md): 39 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "The Computer Chronicles", https://hackerapproved.com/p/computer-chronicles/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).