Westworld (NO SPOILERS)

[Scabutz]

Sheets Tabuer said:

This is turning in to self indulgent crap

Westworld or Pistonheads?

[buggalugs]

I can see the point about it being self indulgent, like when Ford did the clicky fingers musical statues bit for the one millionth time recently I was like... again.. really...

But overall I’m still really enjoying it especially the last couple of episodes that have really focused in on one character, the Indian chap was great.

How fab was that heart shaped box cover too.

[Doofus]

[redacted]

[Watchman]

One of the criticisms I’ve read about this series that I *do* agree with (as opposed to those that are simply confused by the timelines) is how Dolores has become an unsympathetic character. I have always found more engagement in stories that have a character I can get behind but Dolores is no longer someone I can rely upon on that regard.

There are other “leads” though, any one of whom might have become the one we are rooting for but again, in this series have we lost Bernard to general confusion, Maeve to a hospital guerney, Ford - who always seemed a bit cold (telling Dolores in S1 that they have never been friends) - now seems quite psychotic (kill Elsie? Why?), and William who seems to have descended into madness from which he cannot return.

OK, Maeve is still a good guy (gal) but there does appear to be little redemption on offer for them all.

I still love the series but I am losing the warm feelings it used to provide.

[Halb]

Delores will have some growing to do after the Teddy incident, she might have gotten through her monster phase.


Also, we do have Akecheta. And I've started to like Lee as well.

[Blaster72]

[redacted]

[Flip Martian]

Well I loved last night's episode. 2 engaging episodes on the trot - it's like they're ramping things up for the ending, with the last one next week. All the dots are slowly being joined together.

I have also lost any sympathy for Delores. She could have been a talismanic and inspirational leader of a rebellion that viewers could root for, or not - instead she seems to have gone off on her own sweet way, telling anyone about how "they" will pay and murdering everything and losing everyone around her. Given Teddy's awakening and finally working out how everything was, I'm not surprised he did what he did.

That William moment this week though...a real "I can't believe he did that!" moment so kudos for that. They filled in his back story pretty well too, I thought. Although the whole "Ford gives me all my data on a card...where shall I put it? Oh I know - I'll hide it in a book in my wife's room that she will find and watch". Lazy plot device.

[Halb]

Oh yeah, the incident with the dottir and the guards, that had me rapt
that screwed the dottir's plans.

Really interested in this forge now. The writers were on westword, talk about laconic.

[pidsy]

Trailer for nexts weeks is on YouTube.

It looks like it all kicks off.

[Watchman]

Halb said:

Also, we do have Akecheta. And I've started to like Lee as well.

Ake could become a central character from the back story they gave him but Lee, whilst it would be great to see him turn into a nice young man [/grandma mode] he doesn't have any back story, therefore is a little thinly developed.

[Corso Marche]

I loved Season 1, as did most, and Season 2 has been acceptable in most places, but they've not really moved the story on much in the bigger picture, have they ?
For this reason I'm fairly certain I'll end with the season 2 finale, and won't be partaking in Season 3 whenever it comes about.

[LoonyTunes]

Flip Martian said:

Well I loved last night's episode. 2 engaging episodes on the trot - it's like they're ramping things up for the ending, with the last one next week. All the dots are slowly being joined together.

I have also lost any sympathy for Delores. She could have been a talismanic and inspirational leader of a rebellion that viewers could root for, or not - instead she seems to have gone off on her own sweet way, telling anyone about how "they" will pay and murdering everything and losing everyone around her. Given Teddy's awakening and finally working out how everything was, I'm not surprised he did what he did.

That William moment this week though...a real "I can't believe he did that!" moment so kudos for that. They filled in his back story pretty well too, I thought. Although the whole "Ford gives me all my data on a card...where shall I put it? Oh I know - I'll hide it in a book in my wife's room that she will find and watch". Lazy plot device.

Both William and Delores seem stuck on the same page in their quest to whatever their end game is. Both have been responsible for the deaths of their loved ones whilst on their personal journey of hate.

[Fabric]

Scabutz said:

So is MIB a host and he is cutting into his port? Or is this misdirection again?

I think he's checking to see if he is or not, he doesn't know.

Ever since the episode with James Delos' "fidelity test", someone either on here, or Reddit (I forget), postulated that MiB may actually now be a virtual mind and that the "game" is actually just a device to get MiB's mind to gradually accept reality, without rejecting it altogether, ala James Delos' fate. Over the last few episodes I think there may be some credence to that theory.

Have a look at the artwork on the promo posters for the original Michael Crighton movie too...

[Halb]

Fabric said:

Ever since the episode with James Delos' "fidelity test", someone either on here, or Reddit (I forget), postulated that MiB may actually now be a virtual mind and that the "game" is actually just a device to get MiB's mind to gradually accept reality, without rejecting it altogether, ala James Delos' fate. Over the last few episodes I think there may be some credence to that theory.

Wouldn't that make everything else irrelevant and the whole story quite st?

[Fabric]

Halb said:

Wouldn't that make everything else irrelevant and the whole story quite st?

Potentially, albeit I still don't know what the actual story really is? Outside of individual character quests and goals, at least.

Season 1 painted the park as consequence free playground for the wealthy elite, that went a bit tits up at the hands of Ford.

Season 2 is revealing that the entire park has just been a sham, since day one, built and designed solely to collect data on the guests that visit it, with a means to furthering Delos' "project", be it immortality, or a perfect virtual copy of the human mind. All whilst competing against Ford's apparent desire to create a silicon based species and play God.

I think once we know exactly what the hardware that lies in the fabled "valley beyond" is, and does, things might be a bit clearer(?).

I do agree that having MiB suddenly revealed as being a host all along would seem a bit simplistic, as currently stands at least.

[rsbmw]

It hasn't been a sham since day one. Ford and Arnold set it up, William then got Delos involved who wanted to turn people into hosts (immortality), meanwhile Ford is trying to turn hosts into people. Both of these stories get told whilst showing things from various perspectives, management on both sides, hosts becoming sentient, people transferring their consciousness to hosts etc.

I also don't think William has been a host all along, if he is one now (not certain), he would have been transferred at some point.

[Fabric]

rsbmw said:

It hasn't been a sham since day one. Ford and Arnold set it up, William then got Delos involved who wanted to turn people into hosts (immortality), meanwhile Ford is trying to turn hosts into people. Both of these stories get told whilst showing things from various perspectives, management on both sides, hosts becoming sentient, people transferring their consciousness to hosts etc.

You're correct, I'd forgotten that young William met James inside the park during a flashback this season and pitches the acquisition to him (then gets called a cheeky ) - my mistake there.

I don't think he's been a host all along either, as with James there'd be a transition point somewhere. I did wonder if that's what his "shedding skin" monologue was alluding to though.

Edited by Fabric on Tuesday 19th June 16:08

[MWM3]

My Theory on William is that he is a bit like Trigger's broom i.e. he is still human but has had various bionic upgrades/replacements/enhancments on his body and possibly mind over the years. This would explain why he isn't dead after being shot umpteen times and also why he likely has a port in his arm like Bernard.

Basically a human with many host parts now.

[westtra]

Could william be human brain in host body? Bit like ghost in the shell.

As we know the innards have a layer that looks like brain so may be able to get rid of the red ball holder etc. To place a full brain.

[Corso Marche]

In Bernard's scene with Elsie and Ford where he appeared to finally exorcise Ford I couldn't see the small scar on Bernard's right temple. Was that just me missing it or did anybody else notice the same ?