HBO Westworld discussion

evil wasabi

The Jongmaster
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JJ is a paint by numbers kind of guy. That boredom you're feeling is a result of being too familiar with his portfolio.
 

LoneSage

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Oh this is an HBO show based on a 70s film also called Westworld that was directed by Jurassic Park author Michael Crichton who I just now discovered died in 2008.
 

Gyrian

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Michael Crichton who I just now discovered died in 2008.

Goddamn time flies.

I'm really digging this show, despite the problems you have all raised earlier. I'm enjoying the world-building and fantastic acting from the main cast. Delores and Maeve are super compelling, and it's hard not to glue your eyes every damn time Anthony Hopkins or Ed Harris turn up. It's interesting how they've set things up so that you sympathize with the hosts that much more over the humans. The stuff they're made to go through is pure cruelty.

For those familiar with the original movie, Yul Brynner's gunslinger had a subtle cameo in the last episode when Bernard visits the basement level. They used this incredible prop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plaJGj3oq8Y
 

smokehouse

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Wow...so I'll admit that I'm kind of surprised about the polarized views of this show. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

With that said, sure this has been done before. If 2016, what hasn't been done before?

If you're going to do something again, do it right (or better)...so far I feel this show is doing it right. The visual elements of the show have all been great, I love the style of everything and the feel it portrays. I've also enjoyed the acting and plot writing. is it simple? Sure, this isn't There will be Blood, this is more No Country for Old men and I'm ok with that. The overall theme of human nature both inside and underneath the park is well done. Again, I fully understand that human nature is what it is...and it's rather predictable. Figuring that this show is about that very thing, it's just going to be more predictable. I feel every actor chosen has well chosen and plays their part well. Again, everything is pretty solid.

What I'm really enjoying is all of the subtle hits and details scattered about. The show is chock full of hints, visual cues, fine details, and nods to the original film. Every scene offers some visual item scattered here or there, and that kind of stuff appeals to me.
 

HornheaDD

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Watched EP6 last night. Definitely enthralled with whatever that Behavior gal is finding out.
 

Mendel

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Don´t stop watching after the first 2-3 episodes. You dont really care about the characters early on at all. Game of thrones was much the same at first. Confusing, boring, didn´t care.

I almost stopped watching after second episode as well cause it seemed so boring. It´s gradually growing on me. Still far from my favorite series but I subscribed to HBO for this because of the hype so I will soldier through the first season. I hope I will keep finding that I like it more. Now it´s still a bit meh. And I love both westerns and scifi generally. It´s just a tad bit too confusing for now and none of the firefights seem to really matter because everyone is either human (invincible) or they will respawn (hosts) anyways... well... at least for first few episodes.

Music is really cool on this show.

one of the biggest reasons why I didn´t stop watching.
 
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smokehouse

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Don´t stop watching after the first 2-3 episodes. You dont really care about the characters early on at all. Game of thrones was much the same at first. Confusing, boring, didn´t care.

I almost stopped watching after second episode as well cause it seemed so boring. It´s gradually growing on me. Still far from my favorite series but I subscribed to HBO for this because of the hype so I will soldier through the first season. I hope I will keep finding that I like it more. Now it´s still a bit meh. And I love both westerns and scifi generally. It´s just a tad bit too confusing for now and none of the firefights seem to really matter because everyone is either human (invincible) or they will respawn (hosts) anyways... well... at least for first few episodes.



one of the biggest reasons why I didn´t stop watching.

Oh man...the beginning of Game of Thrones. Knowing nothing of it, I'll admit that after the first episode, I was so damn confused I thought my stupid ass had surely missed something. It really plops you right down in the middle of this ongoing, huge plot line.
 

LoneSage

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Oh man...the beginning of Game of Thrones. Knowing nothing of it, I'll admit that after the first episode, I was so damn confused I thought my stupid ass had surely missed something. It really plops you right down in the middle of this ongoing, huge plot line.

Yeah I disagree with Mendel. First episode was ace. Great introduction to a bunch of characters and brilliant ending. The medieval setting but hints of otherworldly shit going down. Season 1 still takes the cake.
 

BladeDancer314

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Good show, hopefully that blax chick gets paid extra since she's naked 24/7

I want season 3 of the leftovers
 

HornheaDD

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That was an great episode…

"What does this door go?"
"What door?"

Man, that was awesome...
Yeah as soon as he said what door, the previous statement of 'they couldn't see it if they looked right at it...' clenched it lol.
 

smokehouse

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Yeah as soon as he said what door, the previous statement of 'they couldn't see it if they looked right at it...' clenched it lol.

Spoiler:
Last night was a great turning point for Hopkins character, he went from the almost lovable absent minded professor to someone who isn't to be fucked with. In all fairness, he did offer her a stern warning and she didn't listen. Now, I wonder if Theresa's character will pop back up, but in a secret host body.
 

K-2

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Watcging this every week. I havent seen the movie, so can't comment on that, but I am a fan so far. She's definitely in the process of being made in the basement of that cabin and will come back as a host doppelganger
 

Mendel

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Okay so I was still in the fence before this ep7... but now I´m a fan.

Suddenly I´m caring about a couple storylines as well as about some of the characters.

I also absolutely love this quote:
"Doesn´t look like anything to me."
 

smokehouse

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Okay so I was still in the fence before this ep7... but now I´m a fan.

Suddenly I´m caring about a couple storylines as well as about some of the characters.

I also absolutely love this quote:
"Doesn´t look like anything to me."

That entire last scene was just awesome...
 

smokehouse

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Wow...ok, so that last episode is going to take some time to digest...
 

smokehouse

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Seriously.

So does this mean that the conversations that Bernard was having with Dolores in the first few episodes... weren't the Bernard we know?

Spoiler:
Ok, so the best I can tell, we are watching two entirely different timelines. Tonight, guest A showed guest B a pic of his wife to be stating "remember her?". That same pic was shown on an earlier episode buried in the dirt. Finding that picture fucked up one of the hosts, if my memory serves me correctly. My guess is that is a WAY past timeline. Another clue is that when Guest B slaughtered the hosts, they were all early mechanical robots. The church Delores keeps going to is also currently buried in the "city in the sand"...

Now, to the Bernard thing. I think it was Bernard talking to Dolores, we were watching Arnold do it and seeing him encourage her growth. At the end of the episode, he states she killed him so either she did it on her own, or the other founder prompted her to do it.

Man, that episode had my head spinning a bit…
 

NeoSneth

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lordy this show has such weak plot development. I'm pretty much done with it based on this alone. The presentation is fantastic, and I am following all the memory crisscrossing and future-past stuff.
there are loose ends in every major plot. they are making things obtuse for no reason other than to be obtuse.

Spoiler:
There's no logical reason that Asian guy is helping the lady escape. absolutely none. He's not in love with her, he's not in any danger because she just goes back into the park every time.
 

F4U57

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Started it yesterday, two episodes in. I like what I've seen so far.
 

smokehouse

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lordy this show has such weak plot development. I'm pretty much done with it based on this alone. The presentation is fantastic, and I am following all the memory crisscrossing and future-past stuff.
there are loose ends in every major plot. they are making things obtuse for no reason other than to be obtuse.

Spoiler:
There's no logical reason that Asian guy is helping the lady escape. absolutely none. He's not in love with her, he's not in any danger because she just goes back into the park every time.

Spoiler:
I'm pretty sure he's helping her because they've shown zero issue with beating to death anyone who doesn't play along with them.



I found the season 1 finale to be completely satisfying. They wrapped things up nicely tying up all the loose ends well. There were a few mediocre plot lines, like the "maze" issue, but in the end, I enjoyed it all. I really look forward to the direction season 2 will take us.

Love the music...especially the last piece used, one of my favorites songs of all time and 100% applicable to what was going on.

*EDIT*

Oh...one last very important observation...

Spoiler:
Did anyone else pick up on the "SW" section of the complex? When the WW worker and the host go into it, there's a ton feudal Japan era Samurai fellas fighting it out. When the host asks him what's up, he replies with "it's complicated". Will this be something we see in season 2? A second world? In the movie, there was 3 worlds, West, Medieval, and Roman...perhaps there's more worlds in this park as well?
 
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