The Computer Chronicles
Hacker ApprovedRanked 8 of 60 TV series by recommenders
PBS show about early personal computers, loved for nostalgia, calm background viewing and a window into computing history. People mostly watch episodes on YouTube.
PBS show about early personal computers, loved for nostalgia, calm background viewing and a window into computing history. People mostly watch episodes on YouTube.
30 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 30
- criticize it
- 0
- approval share
- 100%
Recommended in 6 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 30 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- Nobody criticizes itNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 6 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Watching old episodes on YouTube
“I love watching old episodes of Computer Chronicles on Youtube”
Comment from 1 Jan 2026 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87” “I love watching old Computer Chronicals episodes”
Comment from 8 Jul 2026 in “Copy That Floppy – Cambridge guide for preserving data from fragile floppy disks” “I still watch it on YouTube occasionally.”
Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87” - Comment from 1 Jan 2026 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87”
- Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87”
Childhood memories of watching it
“I loved to watch the Computer Chronicles - which usually was shown late at night for some reason.”
Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87” “I have fond memories of watching Computer Chronicles as a kid”
Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87” “a definite must-watch for a young nerd back in the late 80s”
Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87” - Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87”
Background viewing while working or sleeping
“A fun background show (for those of us with ADHD?) I like to have on is Computer Chronicles”
Comment from 11 May 2026 in “The Greatest Shot in Television: James Burke Had One Chance to Nail This Scene” “It was my bedtime entertainment, watching those recordings from another era of computing”
Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87” “One of the core pieces of entertainment I use to fall asleep to”
Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87” - Comment from 1 Jan 2026 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87”
Window into early computing history
“The Computer Chronicles episodes on computer networks and services sparked an interest in networking”
Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87” “as a computer history nerd watching the videos on the Internet has been eye opening”
Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87” “Recently downloaded The Computer Chronicles. I want to go back to that world.”
Comment from 16 Nov 2025 in “Computing Across America (1983-1985)” - Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Stewart Cheifet, creator of The Computer Chronicles, dead at 87”
Other TV series people recommend
The four most recommended other TV series, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halt and Catch Fire | 166 | 20 | 89% | 7 | — | Approved |
| Babylon 5 | 86 | 21 | 80% | 7 | — | Approved |
| Silicon Valley (TV series) | 52 | 1 | 98% | 12 | — | Approved |
| Andor | 52 | 5 | 91% | 9 | — | Approved |
| The Computer ChroniclesThis page | 30 | 0 | 100% | 6 | — | Approved |
What people said
27 of the 30 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“There's a great episode of the 90s PBS show Computer Chronicles with a ton of these”
“I love watching old Computer Chronicals episodes”
“A fun background show (for those of us with ADHD?) I like to have on is Computer Chronicles”
“Still my favorite show to put in the background while I code.”
“I love watching these on YouTube”
“Stuart and Gary were the best.”
“I love watching old episodes of Computer Chronicles on Youtube”
“It's also some of the best TV ever made, snappy, restrained, strangely calming.”
“As a kid I loved waiting for whenever this show would air.”
“I have fond memories of watching Computer Chronicles as a kid”
“I loved to watch the Computer Chronicles - which usually was shown late at night for some reason.”
“falls well short of CC or TechTV”
“The chronicles are great; I like watching them today”
“as a computer history nerd watching the videos on the Internet has been eye opening”
“The Computer Chronicles was kind of unique that way.”
“fascinating and priceless time capsules of the era”
“I still watch it on YouTube occasionally.”
“CC is one of my favorite shows of all time”
“The Computer Chronicles episodes on computer networks and services sparked an interest in networking”
“I've enjoyed them on YouTube.”
“It was my bedtime entertainment, watching those recordings from another era of computing”
“Was a faithful CC viewer.”
“One of the core pieces of entertainment I use to fall asleep to”
“a definite must-watch for a young nerd back in the late 80s”
“Computer Chronicles was sort of like having a users group presentation in your living room every week.”
“They are quite fascinating.”
“Recently downloaded The Computer Chronicles. I want to go back to that world.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.