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Bitcoin’s Next Frontier: Television

Last Updated March 4, 2021 4:50 PM
Justin OConnell
Last Updated March 4, 2021 4:50 PM

New television series cements the digital currency in primetime.

Bitcoin has made its way into the popular mind and most recently this can be seen with depictions in television, of which there have been a great many. But, perhaps most interesting, entire series are taking Bitcoin on as the main plot point, further cementing bitcoin’s relevance to mainstream culture. 

In 2013, as the price of bitcoin skyrocketed to $1200, bitcoin creeped into the mainstream media dialogue. From there, it appeared in more than one movie. As the center of the film’s script, Bitcoin played a key role in the development of the film Dope alongside the darkweb. Then, in the film Deadpool, Bitcoin appeared in a small business as a payment means.

Mr.Robot
A screencap from  the breakaway hit TV series Mr.Robot

Mr. Robot appeared on the USA Network last year, and Bitcoin has played a key role in the script which revolves around hacktivists amid an economic crisis.

And now, there’s a new 10-episode drama from Sony Pictures’ Crackle streaming platform which revolves around three strangers enmeshed in a digital currency scheme and running from the FBI.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_XSewKQQa0

Actors Martin Freeman and Adam Brody star in the show which has aired its first episode on Reddit. GenCoin is the main fictional digital currency in the show and is similar to Bitcoin or any of the hundreds of altcoins available on the digital currency market. Interestingly, a little known digital currency called Monero made waves for its privacy benefits – one of GenCoin’s biggest advantages (But, perhaps not one of bitcoin’s).

“People have heard about digital currency, but they really don’t understand how it operates. They just see it on the headlines,” Bitcoin expert Brian Stoeckert told CNBC . “This is one way they can follow a story line and get a unique perspective on it.”

TV cam

StartUp, which debuted tonight, centers on a digital currency company forced to start with dirty money. This elicits the attention of the FBI.

The series was ordered this past January, and will feature hourlong episodes based in Miami. The series filmed in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Freeman plays an FBI agent, Phil Rask, who focuses on financial crimes. Brody plays an intelligence financier whose father earned money illegally. He still uses that money to fund his startup, where trouble begins for him. The show even features a local Haitian gang.

Critical Content and Hollywood Gang Productions produced the series. Tom Forman, Andrew Marcus, Ray Ricord, Gianni Nunnari and Shannon Gaulding were executive producers. The series is written by Ben Ketai (Chosen), also an  executive producer and director. Brody and Anne Clements (Cleaners) serve as producers.

Featured image from YouTube/Crackle . Images from Vimeo and Shutterstock.