TV
Westworld season 1 – Grade: B+
“Cease all motor functions!”
I am afraid of Westworld. So many times in the past I’ve fallen for shows like Westworld that have these deep, intricate character-driven storylines only to be disappointed in the end. In my heart of hearts I know that with TV series like Westworld the journey is more important than the destination, but I’m always hoping that the series ending will be as good as the road it took to get there. And so far at least, one season in, Westworld has taken one fine, interesting road and has quickly become my favorite thing on TV in the last few months.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect with Westworld but whatever I was thinking the show might be like isn’t anything as to what it actually was like. Much of the story is told via three groups of characters. The first group is of people like Dr. Ford (Anthony Hopkins) and Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) who are trying to keep this massive park running while at the same time making improvements while acting in a sort of god-like way even if some of their changes have started causing glitches in the robots of the park known as the “hosts.” These robots don’t know that they’re robots and awaken each day anew not realizing that they’re all in a story loop and essentially play the same day over and over again. With this robot group are characters like Maeve (Thandie Newton) who’s starting to have memories she shouldn’t have and Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) who’s beginning to question the nature of her reality. And then there’s the human visitors of the park like William (Jimmi Simpson) and “The Man in Black” (Ed Harris) who are experiencing the park in very different ways. Harris’ character is convinced that there’s a core story beneath the veneer of Westworld that the rest of the guests experience and wants to uncover this truth, even if it means he has spend 30 years there and cause pain, death and destruction to the hosts to do so. And William, brand new to the park, wants to help Doloris in her quest for self realization but isn’t sure what all is required to do so or the ramifications of.
I think that what works best about Westworld are all the questions that the series creators ask. Like if Dr. Ford is creating these robots, and these robots are self-aware, feel pain and have emotions, has he created life? Even if that life can be changed, controlled and obliterated at the flick of a switch. And for the “hosts” of the show who, if they’re somewhat self-aware now, what happens in the future when they become fully self-aware and want to control their own destinies and futures and not be controlled and tied to the Westworld park as they are now? And what will they do when they realize the people who’ve created them have spent decades abusing them over and over again with no consequences?
I’m also fascinated with how Westworld ties into modern day video games. In those games players come up against characters in the game who they can do what they will with. Though there might be consequences in the game if the players harm these characters, there are no real world consequences if they decide to do so. And this is the same for Westworld where the visitors can do whatever they want to the hosts be it hurt them, rape them or kill them. There’s no consequences since technically you can’t hurt, rape or kill a robot. But what if someday the robots started remembering these terrible things done to them and what if they wanted to fight back?
It’s interesting to imagine just where Westworld will go in future seasons? In my head I’ve got it all mapped out down perfectly to the series sixth season. But if I’m lucky the creators of Westworld will continue to do their own thing and keep creating a surprising show that asks a lot of bit questions about what it’s like to live in the times that we do without providing a lot of easy answers.
Legion TV Spot
“The human race is beginning to evolve.”
The Expanse TV Spot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06EIAuYRRTw
“In this world that we live in you have to pick a side.”
Movies
Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer
“This is my chance to prove myself.”
War for the Planet of the Apes trailer
“All of human history has lead to this moment.”
The Mummy (2017) trailer
World War Z + Suicide Squad = The Mummy
The Reading & Watch List
- Baby Dinosaur’s 99 Million-Year-Old Tail, Encased In Amber, Surfaces In Myanmar
- Prince’s Closest Friends Share Their Best Prince Stories
- How ancient astronomers helped reveal Earth’s slowing rotation
- An oral history of ‘Get a Mac,’ Part 1
- An oral history of ‘Get a Mac,’ Part 2
- Tony Hawk Reflects on ‘The Search for Animal Chin,’ the Greatest Skateboarding Video Ever
- An A–10 Pilot Could Hope to Last Two Weeks Against the Soviets
This week in pop-culture history
- 1917: Arthur C. Clarke, author of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Rendezvous with Rama and Childhood’s End to name a few is born
- 1941: The Wolf Man opens in theaters
- 1976: King Kong debuts
- 1978: Superman opens in theaters
- 1984: Dune premiers
- 1984: Runaway debuts
- 1984: Starman opens
- 1996: Mars Attacks! premiers
- 1998: Star Trek: Insurrection opens in theaters
- 2002: Star Trek: Nemesis premiers
- 2005: King Kong opens in theaters
- 2010: Tron: Legacy debuts
