realhackhistory - Whiz Kids (TV) #TV #hacking #history
Channel: realhackhistory
Date: 2022-01-01

A group of high-school kids get themselves into, and out of, various high-tech related predicaments and solve complex mysteries with the aid of their trusty personal computers and the art of #hacking, but this isn't the movies Hackers or WarGames though, this is an overlooked early 80s TV gem known as Whiz Kids.

In 1983 it was estimated that there were 10 million computers in use in the US. Whiz Kids was created at a time when people could not help noticing the growing importance of computers and the increasing influence computing was having on all aspects of society. It makes sense, given events in the US around this time, that convergent creative processes took notice of cheaper, more accessible personal computers and the rapidly emerging phenomenon of teen hacker groups. 

A year before Whiz Kids came out the movie Tron had proven that kids were interested in complex plots that revolved around computing, Whiz Kids would test just how great that interest was. A year after Whiz Kids premiered on television hacking groups like Cult of the Dead Cow and Legion of Doom were forming and the entire US hacking scene had grown exponentially after the popularity of the movie WarGames.

At hack.history we look at the real #history of hacks, hackers & hacktivism as well as the portrayal of hacking & #hackers in popular culture, in particular in movies as well as TV shows.

To bring together these videos we look at news from the time, FOIA documents, first hand accounts & various other primary historical sources.

hack.history is a purely educational channel and does not provide practical instructions on anything relating to computer crime.

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Opening music is 'Under Suspicion' by Danya Vodovoz ►► https://shrtco.de/917mAn

To learn more about the 414s hacker group check out short documentary "The 414s: The Original Teenage Hackers" on Vimeo ►► https://vimeo.com/502242358

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 The introduction
00:16 Intro theme 
00:31 The origin of Whiz Kids
01:18 Comparisons with WarGames
01:32 Computing in the 80s
02:02 The plot of Whiz Kids 
02:38 RALF is seized by the Feds 
03:30 The main cast of Whiz Kids 
03:54 Hacking plot themes
04:18 Supporting cast 
04:55 Pilot episode breakdown: "Programmed For Murder"
10:44 Historical tech context
11:15 Historical hacking context
11:31 The 414s hacking group 
12:07 The Inner Circle hacking group 
12:24 Cold War paranoia of the time
12:50 Foundation of cDc, LOD & 2600
13:03 Origin of the term "computer virus"
13:22 Hacking in the show Whiz Kids 
13:48 Whiz Kids Episode 5 "Chip Off The Old Block"
14:29 Whiz Kids Episode 10 "The Network"
15:01 Whiz Kids Episode 2 "Fatal Error"
15:36 Whiz Kids Episode 3 "Deadly Access"
16:09 Whiz Kids Episode 13 "Maid in the USA"
16:44 Whiz Kids Episode 6 "Airwave Anarchy"
17:06 Whiz Kids Episode 15 "The Sufi Project"
17:36 TV critics react to Whiz Kids 
18:56 Whiz Kids rewritten to deal with criticism
19:17 The legacy of Whiz Kids 
20:23 Sneakers
20:49 Outro - please like and subscribe!