8-Part Satire Series Now On Netflix Is The Social Network Meets Succession

Published Aug 22, 2026, 8:30 PM EDT

Memory Ngulube joined Screen Rant in April 2024 as part of the Movies and TV team. Since then, she has written for the Perennials and Streaming team, covering a wide range of topics from new releases to old movies and TV shows. Memory is currently a Classic TV writer. 

Before joining Screen Rant, Memory was a freelance copywriter who specialized in email marketing and social media management. While she enjoyed her job, her true passion was always movies and TV.

When she isn’t writing for Screen Rant, Memory can be found reading, baking (which is one of her passions), or watching her favorite K-drama.

The tech and entertainment industries are two of the richest sources of stories about ambition, power, and unchecked egos. From The Social Network to Succession, some of the most compelling movies and TV shows of the past two decades have turned wealthy entrepreneurs and tech empires into gripping entertainment, while also holding up an uncomfortable mirror to the real world.

That tradition continues with The Audacity, an eight-episode AMC+ satire that is now streaming on Netflix. Created by Jonathan Glatzer, whose previous work includes Succession, Better Call Saul, and Bad Sisters, the series dives into the bizarre world of Silicon Valley through an ambitious data-mining CEO, Duncan Park (Billy Magnussen), and the ethically questionable people surrounding him. The show’s combination of dark comedy, corporate intrigue, and technological paranoia makes it easy to see why viewers might describe it as The Social Network meets Succession.

The Social Network helped define Hollywood's portrayal of Silicon Valley, while Succession demonstrated how corporate greed and power could become the foundation for prestige television. The Audacity brings those ideas into the age of AI and data capitalism, giving the familiar tech-billionaire story a distinctly modern twist. Though the AMC series is a comedy, it still treats its themes with the depth that a topic this important and influential in today's society deserves.

The Audacity Is Essential Viewing In 2026

The Audacity is easily one of the most important TV shows of 2026, as it couldn’t be more timely. From the get-go, the AMC series proves that it understands the absurdity of modern technology culture. Given that we are now living in an era of debates surrounding artificial intelligence, data privacy, billionaire influence, and the blurry line between technological innovation and exploitation, The Audacity has plenty of real-world material to satirize. The comedy show, however, doesn’t treat these subjects simply as comedy fodder.

Instead, it filters people's anxiety about technology through deeply flawed and often hilarious characters. Questions about whether continuous innovation is actually making society better have become impossible to ignore, making The Audacity’s debut essential. Of course, TV shows that explore real-world experiences can at times come off as preachy. Thankfully, the series avoids that by not only exploring the economic consequences of rapid technological advancement, but also by showing how innovation affects people's everyday lives and their standard of living.

The Audacity Gets Better As It Goes

The Audacity rewards viewers who stick with it. The series begins slowly as it sets up its premise and introduces audiences to the characters. By episode four of The Audacity, the plot finally accelerates as characters have to reckon with their decisions. Throughout the comedy, Duncan’s behavior is hot and cold. One minute he believes he is a failure and doesn’t have what it takes to survive in Silicon Valley; the next, he convinces himself he’s God’s gift to humanity.

The Audacity Cast	Character
Billy Magnussen	Duncan Park
Sarah Goldberg	Dr. JoAnne Felder
Lucy Punch	Lili Park-Hoffsteader
Meaghan Rath	Anushka Bhattachera-Phister
Paul Adelstein	Dr. Gary Felder
Zach Galifianakis	Carl Bardolph
Simon Helberg	Martin Phister
Rob Corddry	Tom Ruffage

However, it's Duncan’s acceptance that he's actually a villain, as it were, that makes the season's later episodes even more interesting. Initially, the CEO is merely depicted as an obnoxious tech bro, but he becomes more compelling as his confidence cracks. By the season finale, everyone’s lives have shattered, leaving plenty of material for the series’ second season (thankfully, it's already been renewed) to dig into.

Most importantly, The Audacity becomes increasingly confident about what it actually wants to be. Although it begins as a chaotic, uneven Silicon Valley satire, it later becomes a portrait of people whose technological ambitions outweigh their ability to control the consequences. The best part about The Audacity’s last episodes, however, is that viewers end up caring about characters who are tough to root for, because, at the end of it all, Silicon Valley bros are people battling demons just like everyone else.

All episodes of The Audacity are streaming on AMC+ and Netflix.

Cast

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  Billy Magnussen

  Duncan Park

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  Lucy Punch

  Lili Park-Hoffsteader

The Audacity explores the consequences of corrupt corporate practices, processed through the conflict between a visionary Silicon Valley tech CEO and a manipulative psychologist.