Westworld (Season 1)

[number8]

Yeah, that's kind of the point. It's a blunter extension of the fly moment from the pilot. She's doing things she should not be able to, and Bernard is the only one who knows.

[Dukefrukem]

Caught up. I'm not buying the idea that anyone in headquarters is a robot.

Neil Marshall's episode was fantastic.

[Irish]

This show would be more interesting if they never included any scenes from outside the park. (And let the guests explore the game.)

[Ezee E]

This look....

[Peng]

Really love both Evan Rachel Wood and Thandie Newton in these roles. The former navigates between layers and layers of consciousness so well, and the latter's awakening is so thrilling to watch.

[Mara]

I really like the new girl character. She seems to be the only guest we've seen so far who would play the way I would play. Not taking the whole thing so damn seriously like William is, or walk around acting the jaded dick like his buddy, or whine and bail like the other minor guests we've seen. She's actually getting into the roleplay aspect and just "yes, and-ing" wherever the game takes her.

I've been thinking a lot about this comment and I'm starting to tally up the various ways that guests choose to experience the park (and how it caters itself to all of them.) The awful tourist couple from early on are treating it like Disney Land-- show up, ride the rides, get souvenirs. The gunslinger girl (whom I am disappointed we didn't check in with this week) is committing to a sandbox video game format-- she has given herself a persona and goals, and is immersing herself in an adventure that she is having an emotional reaction to.

William, on the other hand, is playing the game slantwise because he is treating the park as a new life. He's not hurried and he's not necessarily looking to accomplish anything. He is behaving as a newcomer to a new world. If it was possible to marry Delores, take over the ranch, and become a cowboy, I think he would do it.

Logan, William's friend, is treating the park like a video game but an old-school one where achievement is all that matters. He is the player who skips over all the exposition scenes because they don't interest him. He's the type of person who doesn't understand why you would go trick-or-treating when you could just go out and buy a bag of candy.

The man in black-- I am not sure what he is doing. Conquering? Dismantling? I feel like his goal is to be the Anthony Hopkins character-- the God.

So far I think I am finding Maeve the most compelling (playing the Echo role.)

[Ezee E]

I've been thinking a lot about this comment and I'm starting to tally up the various ways that guests choose to experience the park (and how it caters itself to all of them.) The awful tourist couple from early on are treating it like Disney Land-- show up, ride the rides, get souvenirs. The gunslinger girl (whom I am disappointed we didn't check in with this week) is committing to a sandbox video game format-- she has given herself a persona and goals, and is immersing herself in an adventure that she is having an emotional reaction to.

William, on the other hand, is playing the game slantwise because he is treating the park as a new life. He's not hurried and he's not necessarily looking to accomplish anything. He is behaving as a newcomer to a new world. If it was possible to marry Delores, take over the ranch, and become a cowboy, I think he would do it.

Logan, William's friend, is treating the park like a video game but an old-school one where achievement is all that matters. He is the player who skips over all the exposition scenes because they don't interest him. He's the type of person who doesn't understand why you would go trick-or-treating when you could just go out and buy a bag of candy.

The man in black-- I am not sure what he is doing. Conquering? Dismantling? I feel like his goal is to be the Anthony Hopkins character-- the God.

So far I think I am finding Maeve the most compelling (playing the Echo role.)

I like how Maeve and Delores are both having different approaches while they are waking up.

I was initially not very impressed by Maeve's character, but her scenes last night, especially in the safe room, were fascinating to watch because she's still utilizing her Western character as well. I figure she's the one that goes ballistic soon enough, rather than Delores, who just wants to escape it all.

Delores is having to "be her character" while also plan her escape at the same time. The interaction with the other hosts verses William, and then the interaction with William/Logan as they were fighting was clever. It was almost painful to watch the end of yesterday's episode, not knowing if she'd be "killed" or not.

Logan finding his "Easter Egg" finally showed what he had been waiting for. To me, it seems like he's gotten everything out of Westworld that he could possibly want at this point. If he makes it out of this round, I can't really see him going back again.

[Watashi]

If the show is going with the Paradise Lost angle, then MiB is Arnold and his "death" in the park was his fall of grace to becoming a new man.

[number8]

I know Maeve's arc was the significant one this episode, but the scene with Ford and Cullen at the restaurant is actually the one resonating the most for me. Not sure why. I found it compelling and chilling, maybe because it's the only one that baffled me. The other developments were things I expected already.

[number8]

Also, holy shit, they had to shut down the gunfight because a family with kids were coming to town? They do this all the time? Park guest coordination sounds like a nightmare job.

[Ezee E]

I know Maeve's arc was the significant one this episode, but the scene with Ford and Cullen at the restaurant is actually the one resonating the most for me. Not sure why. I found it compelling and chilling, maybe because it's the only one that baffled me. The other developments were things I expected already.

I liked that scene a lot too. I'm starting to see why they casted Hopkins in the role now.

I think Thandie Newton just elevated her scene way past what was written for her.

[Ezee E]

Also, holy shit, they had to shut down the gunfight because a family with kids were coming to town? They do this all the time? Park guest coordination sounds like a nightmare job.

Ohhhhh... I saw the scene but my dog was biting a squeaky toy and I missed the line of dialog with why they were rushing the gunfight. lol.

One more note, I dug how they were able to figure out how to handle the "spacemen" possibly showing up in hosts' dreams.

[number8]

Logan, William's friend, is treating the park like a video game but an old-school one where achievement is all that matters. He is the player who skips over all the exposition scenes because they don't interest him. He's the type of person who doesn't understand why you would go trick-or-treating when you could just go out and buy a bag of candy.

I read this hilarious description of him:

He's that guy who shows up for raids but laughs at anyone who knows the lore behind each boss.

Logan: "This hat looks like shit."
William: "Isn't that modeled after the one Billy the Kid wore?"
Logan: "lol nerd."

[Dukefrukem]

So did we get some new clues on the timeline this week? Seeing Ed Harris with Lawrence then seeing Lawrence again a few scenes later?

I'm getting a sense that Arnold has planted a "game" inside the park, that sets all of the hosts free. Ed Harris is trying to find it.

[Ezee E]

So did we get some new clues on the timeline this week? Seeing Ed Harris with Lawrence then seeing Lawrence again a few scenes later?

I'm getting a sense that Arnold has planted a "game" inside the park, that sets all of the hosts free. Ed Harris is trying to find it.

Not convinced that there's two timelines still. William's storyline would be really weird if it was in the past and one of the hosts wanted to be free, and there's the story of "Arnold" from long ago. Just think that the park had ample enough time to reset Lawrence.

I AM wondering if Frost is a god host that may have been involved in killing Arnold though. Love how the other hosts will quickly defend him in the matter of a second. If anyone is a host that we don't know is a host, I'm going with him.

Wonder if Pariah used to be Rome World? The architecture, colors, and some of the uniforms seem to indicate so...

[Dukefrukem]

Have they mentioned Rome World at all? Or Medieval World?

[Ezee E]

Have they mentioned Rome World at all? Or Medieval World?

Not at all. I don't think they necessarily "exist" in this version, but that's as close as it gets I suppose.

[Dukefrukem]

I was wondering if we would be able to buy these. Now you can.

http://www.stereogum.com/1908815/str...e-songs/music/

[Spinal]

I was wondering if we would be able to buy these. Now you can.

http://www.stereogum.com/1908815/str...e-songs/music/

That's funny. I thought that sounded like NIN's "Something I Can Never Have". But then I was like, why would they use that song?

[Henry Gale]

At this point I'm firmly in the two timelines theory camp. Having Hopkins and his unconfirmed young boy counterpart both interact with Ed Harris, especially speaking about the maze right when Delores was discovering it. [

Show Spoiler

He's gotta be old Jimmi Simpson.

]

And I mean really, we're given a premise with a nondescript real-world time at any given moment that allows a cast of ageless machines to largely navigate us through a mysterious story. I'd be super disappointed if it wasn't taking advantage of such an upending.

[Ezee E]

At this point I'm firmly in the two timelines theory camp. Having Hopkins and his unconfirmed young boy counterpart both interact with Ed Harris, especially speaking about the maze right when Delores was discovering it. [

Show Spoiler

He's gotta be old Jimmi Simpson.

]

And I mean really, we're given a premise with a nondescript real-world time at any given moment that allows a cast of ageless machines to largely navigate us through a mysterious story. I'd be super disappointed if it wasn't taking advantage of such an upending.

There's a scene where the Security guy approves of the cigars to explode, and also to have Delores brought back to the settlement. So unless the security guy is a host, it's one timezone.

Also, Bernard talks to Delores about the maze, which began her journey to look for it. Meanwhile, he has conversations with Hopkins, who has also talked with the Man In Black.

[Irish]

My issue with every fan theory I've seen: They don't lend the show anything thematically or narratively.

Westworld is so obsessed with its themes that characters spout them directly. It's much less interested in story, or even plot.

It doesn't make sense that the MiB and William are the same guy, because that makes the show into Breaking Bad: Futureworld Edition and the show hasn't ever leaned in that direction.

[Spinal]

I really hope this show does not open up a time travel element on top of everything else. It's already having a hard enough time providing us with lived-in characters that pursue objectives that provide some sort of emotional investment. I don't need another layer to keep track of. I need more reasons why these people are worth caring about.

[Dukefrukem]

There's a scene where the Security guy approves of the cigars to explode, and also to have Delores brought back to the settlement. So unless the security guy is a host, it's one timezone.

Also, Bernard talks to Delores about the maze, which began her journey to look for it. Meanwhile, he has conversations with Hopkins, who has also talked with the Man In Black.

What about the theory that everyone is a host except for the guests?

[Henry Gale]

There's a scene where the Security guy approves of the cigars to explode, and also to have Delores brought back to the settlement. So unless the security guy is a host, it's one timezone.

Going with the theory, wouldn't that have been in the latter timeline? Which we'd be in with all of the scenes with the creators.

Also, Bernard talks to Delores about the maze, which began her journey to look for it. Meanwhile, he has conversations with Hopkins, who has also talked with the Man In Black.

I think we're being led to assume that with the information they've given us, but in my mind we're seeing two stories: The initial discovery of the Arnold voice in Delores' head (the stuff towards the ending of the present episode when she's seeing herself) and seeing the image of the maze for the first time on the coffin, and the other story, the "present" (the Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Anthony Hopkins time), once she's begun to trust the voice/programming and allowing it guide her.

We only see her speaking to the voice directly when she's on her own, having just finished her meeting with Hopkins. "He doesn't know. I didn't tell him anything" -- that feels like a significantly calmer and more calculated being than the one so afraid and confused in Orgy Town.