I've watched the first 2 seasons. It definitely has that aspect of letting you project yourself into the situation.
Like imagine you were a computer wiz right as things were taking off in every direction.
It's like when Mad Men would set aside the plotlines and have a bit that was just about the advertising of the era, or The Knick would examine the state of medicine around 1900.
Kinda fascinating.
Of course plot and characters are a different thing and Halt and Catch Fire is hit and miss with that. Season 2 was better than season 1 but it's definitely not an all-timer.