AMC’s The Audacity barely glances back as it establishes itself as a slick, satirical lens into the culture and power dynamics of Silicon Valley. While the show never directly references real companies, its fictional tech behemoths bear more than a passing resemblance to recognizable industry players, so the commentary feels pointed and timely.
Among these, one company in particular, “Cupertino,” has generated chatter for how closely it resembles one of the biggest names in tech. So, did The Audacity just call out Apple Inc.? The short answer is yes, just in a different, satirical kind of way.
The Audacity: Did the AMC drama series just take a shot at Apple?
According to reports, through nuanced allusions, character names, and story arcs, AMC’s show seems to lambaste Apple’s corporate persona, leadership approach, and even its much-criticized manufacturing practices, all while enjoying a certain degree of separation by setting everything in fiction.
One very obvious hint is the use of the word “Cupertino” itself. Apple’s headquarters are located in Cupertino, so there’s really no question. In the show, Cupertino is referred to as the “world’s most profitable company,” a nod to Apple’s real-life dominance in the financial world.
The similarities don’t end there, as The Audacity also introduces a CEO named “Big Tim,” an obvious jab at Apple CEO Tim Cook. In fact, another character, “Little Tim”, also makes a brief appearance, adding another satirical layer to corporate and executive branding.
And under all its surface-level jokes, the show employs Cupertino as a plot device to examine larger questions about corporate power and ethics. Episode 1 includes a plot involving Cupertino’s potential acquisition of Duncan Park’s company, Hypergnosis, a hint of the kind of Big Tech aggressive expansion. The plot is reflective of real-life worries about monopolistic behaviour and the power that companies like Apple have in defining markets and innovations.
The Audicity signals some of the more serious criticisms about Apple.
Apple has been criticized earlier, particularly regarding labor conditions in factories overseas. In a pivotal scene, Cupertino’s head of ethics discloses worker suicides at a factory in Guangzhou. The storyline is reminiscent of the real-life Foxconn controversy, championed by Apple as its primary manufacturing partner, around a wave of worker suicides at one of its facilities in Shenzhen in 2010.
Referencing events like these, the show takes on the dark side of satire and becomes more pointed social commentary, wondering aloud about the human cost of the smooth consumer technology image.
To its credit, the show never comes out and says exactly what they make in Cupertino, offering up interpretations to viewers. The ambiguity actually serves it well, as people can use their own perception of Apple’s environment, whatever that may be, whether iPhones, Macs, whatever, Services, to fill in for the imaginary company.
It also plays into the idea that Cupertino is not just Apple, but the whole culture of tech giants that started with them, that just want more profit and more scale.
Some speculations believe it’s the creator’s history that has inspired The Audacity
Some speculations mention that creator Jonathan Glatzer had spent time in Silicon Valley doing research for the series and consulting with industry insiders. Still, the comments he made while speaking with Vulture would seem to indicate that he was never contacted by anyone from Apple to discuss the project.
In the end, The Audacity doesn’t mention Apple by name, but it really doesn’t have to. “Cupertino” is a way of articulating a critique that is funny yet a little disturbing, that admires and doubts Big Tech. It’s not so much a punch in the face as it is a mirror. It is a mirror that distorts reality just enough to make its message unavoidable.
Edited by Priscillah Mueni