After the season finale only accumulated 574,000 viewers, it looked as though AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire would never make it to season 2.  On top of that, the only time it broke a million viewers was season premiere night.  Otherwise, the numbers ranged from 970,000 down to a lackluster 550,000.  But, it turns out, AMC still has faith in the series because it was just renewed and will air again next summer.

For those of you who have missed out, Halt and Catch Fire picks up about a year after IBM unleashes the very first IBM personal computer.  Lee Pace leads as Joe MacMillan, an ex-IBM executive who’s determined to beat them to it, even if it means running the risk of getting into some serious trouble in the process.  Hit the jump for more on the Halt and Catch Fire season 2 renewal.

The show’s good, but with those ratings, the renewal is definitely a surprise.  Here’s what AMC president Charlie Collier had to say about it:

"This is a show about invention, experimentation, and the inherent risks in trying to break new ground – themes that really resonate with us as a network and attracted a passionate audience.  We have a history of demonstrating patience through the early seasons of new shows, betting on talent and building audience over time.  We see that opportunity here and look forward to a second season of 'Halt and Catch Fire' from creators Chris Cantwell and Chris Rogers, and showrunner Jonathan Lisco."

Seems like a major risk, but as someone who’s catching up on the show now and is enjoying it quite a bit, I’ve got no problem with AMC taking their chances.  Lisco, Cantwell and Rogers had this to say about the new season:

"We're thrilled to have the opportunity to continue telling this story.  Our series about creation, innovation, and taking bold risks wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for our partners at AMC, a network known for these very things.  Harnessing the momentum of our first season, this next chapter will take the rich characters our audience has come to love in new and surprising directions."

Speaking of those characters, the reason I’m giving the show a go at all is because of our interview with Halt and Catch Fire star, Mackenzie Davis.  I regretted not knowing much about the show when we talked and was determined to make sure that didn’t happen again.  I’m currently four episodes in and so far, it’s fantastic.  Admittedly, some of the technical details can be tough to follow, but what the show does especially well is integrate all of that BIOS, motherboard and coding talk with some very grounded and relatable personal issues, a stand out being the project’s effect on Scoot McNairy’s character’s marriage.

If you’d like to give Halt and Catch Fire a shot, all 10 episodes of season 1 are currently available on AMCTV.com.