Since its release in 2012 the Raspberry Pi has made a number of TV and Film Appearances. It has been used in TV shows and movies to track people, hot-wire vehicles, hack buildings and blowup mountains. Here is a summary of all the films and TV episodes that have featured our favourite single-board computer.

TV Shows

The first TV appearance was way back in 2013 when the Pi was barely a year old. Since then it has been used in nine TV programmes.

Revolution

Season 1 Episode 17, “The Longest Day”, NBC, 13th May 2013

Continuum

Season 2 Episode 12, “Second Last”, Showcase, 28th July 2013

Person of Interest

In “Person of Interest” the character Harold Finch (played by Michael Emerson) uses the Pi as a secure networking device.

Season 3 Episode 11, “Liberty”, CBS, 24th Sept 2013

Arrow

Season 2 Episode 4, “Crucible”

Warner Bros. Television, 30th October 2013

CSI: Cyber

CSI:Cyber uses the Pi as an example single board computer which can be used to covertly interface with the electronics in a building.

Season 1 Episode 2, “CMND:/Crash”

CBS, 11th March 2015

Sense8

Season 1 Episode 11, “Just Turn the Wheel and the Future Changes”

Netflix, 5th June 2015

Mr Robot

Season 1 Episode 4, “eps1.3_da3m0ns.mp4”

USA Network, 22nd July 2015

Mr Robot

Season 1 Episode 5, “eps1.4_3xpl0its.wmv”

USA Network, 22nd July 2015

Charlie Brooker’s Election Wipe 2015

BBC, 2015

Mr Robot

Season 2 Episode 5, “eps2.3_logic-b0mb.hc”

USA Network, 3rd August 2016

Black Mirror

In this black and white episode of “Black Mirror” the Pi is used to hot-wire a van via some sort of USB interface. Given recent high profile issues with modern car electrical systems this doesn’t seem too far from a possible future.

Season 4 Episode 5, “Metalhead”

Netflix, 29th December 2017

Lost in Space

In Netflix’s “Lost in Space” reboot a Raspberry Pi can be seen connected to some ultrasonic transducers. Based on the component layout I suspect it is a Raspberry Pi B+.

Season 1 Episode 10, “Danger, Will Robinson”

Netflix, April 2018

Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators

In this episode of “Shakespeare & Hathaway” the Pi is used to trigger a booby-trap. It is seen attached to some electronics earlier in the episode and mentioned by name by a character later on.

Season 2 Episode 4, “Beware the Ides of March”

BBC, 28th February 2019

Films

It took a few years for a Pi to appear on the big screen but has now appeared in two productions. In the animated feature “Big Hero 6” a Pi can be seen on a desk in the background. In “Point Break” a number of Pi’s with touch screens are used as timers on a large bomb.

Big Hero 6

Walt Disney Pictures, 2014

Point Break

In Point Break (2015) the Pi is used as a detonator for a bomb. The screens appear to be RPi Displays from Watterott Electronics encased in a TEK-BERRY clear enclosure.

Warner Bros. Pictures, 2015

YouTube Video

You can see the clips in which the Pi makes an appearance in a video I’ve put together :

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

Other Note Worthy Mentions

Doctor Who

The Raspberry Pi appeared in the production art for a Doctor Who episode although it was not visible in the final prop. The character “Nardole” (played by Matt Lucas) uses the device but it is unclear if it ever used a Raspberry Pi in the onscreen prop. Perhaps we’ll never know for sure?

Season 10 Episode 8, “The Lie of the Land”

BBC, 3rd June 2017

My favourite use of the Pi is in Mr Robot where it is used a number of times, referred to by name and used for a purpose that makes good use of its features. Charlie Brooker get’s a salute for including a Pi in both his 2015 “Election Wipe” and an episode of “Black Mirror”.

These appearances almost certainly make the Raspberry Pi the most watched single board computer in popular culture.

I’m sure the Pi will continue to appear on our screens so keep your eyes open and post a comment if you spot one in future productions.