Crew is also not a comedian. The rest of the cast — Middleditch et al — are stand ups and improvisers. The show is successful in part because the comedy-centric cast is so confident in their roles. The chemistry between them is undeniable, whether they are reading lines or goofing off on late night television . The chemistry between the engineers and Monica is nonexistent. Which isn't to say hiring a woman comedian in her place would have been more effective, but I don't think it would have hurt. Hiring women comedians is a sore spot of mine, as men comedians often get a pass for poor acting in favor of bravado/charisma/male privilege. Women comedians, meanwhile, only get roles they write for themselves. The women characters who play opposite comedians are often played by non-comedians like Crew. (Comedy Central's Corporate and HBO's Crashing, much as I hate it, have both employed a lot of women comedians in the years since Silicon Valley premiered. Keep it up!)