Silicon Valley's attention to detail means even the fictional math is hyper-realistic. IEEE Spectrum profiles Vinith Misra, the brain behind Pied Piper's compression algorithm—and the guy who wrote the mathematical proof of that epic dick joke from the season finale. This guy is a legend.
To be fair, Misra's input on the show goes a lot further than the three-minute masturbation joke that serves as the turning point for Silicon Valley's season one finale. Misra, who has since completed his Ph.D, designed the novel lossless compression algorithm that propels the show's fictional startup to fame. That algorithm doesn't actually work—but it's detailed enough, and plausible enough, that even an expert would have to ponder it deeply before recognizing its flaws.
The whole story of how Misra and his advisor Dr. Tsachy Weissman achieved this is fascinating—you should really check out IEEE Spectrum's complete profile. Silicon Valley is coming back for a second season, which likely means that Misra and Weissman will continue adding realistic math theory to bolster the show's believability. And maybe even more next-level dick jokes. [IEEE Spectrum]