JeTmAn81 said:

Has there been any mention of the other worlds being included in the Westworld show? Romanworld and Medievalworld were also present in the film.

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And Westworld, the new HBO series set at the park, is as beautifully built as its subject matter. Its carefully chosen details add up to a pulp spectacular that’s more thoughtful than any other of this fall’s new dramas.

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I’m therefore hesitant to write “Westworld” off as a dreary trot from start to finish; parts of it are as imaginative and intriguing as anything that’s been on TV recently, particularly in the sci-fi realm. It’s definitely not the cyborg “Deadwood” that some HBO fans were actively wishing for, nor does it roll out the welcome mat as a riveting, accessible adventure. You’ll have to fight your way in and, like The Man in Black, you’ll need to stick to your guns and discover the answers you seek. If there are any.

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The new Westworld, created by married couple Jonathan and Lisa Joy Nolan and the result of a long, bumpy development process, is a canny big swing for HBO: simultaneously the vast, thematically rich, plot-drenched drama full of sex and violence the network so desperately needs in the fast-approaching post–Game of Thrones era and a kind of apologia for the creepy sexual violence that has long powered the network and prestige dramas more generally.* The show is promising with an asterisk, starting strong before casting about for distractions—hocus-pocus backstory, a quest, an unnecessary mythology—from its morally disturbing premise.

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After so much buildup, years of production mired in controversy, television critics and fans were left wondering if HBO's Westworld would be another smash hit like Game of Thrones. After seeing the first four episodes, I can say that it did deliver, even beyond my expectations.

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So what’s there to make of this show? Given how meticulously plotted, even if it is to a fault, the first few episodes are, there should be faith that there’s some sort of mind-blowing payoff in store. The subject matter certainly lends itself to that. In the meantime, even if occasionally baffling and a little disjointed, the very idea of the show and the production value is worthy of investment, even if there’s a lack of feeling to provoke intense passion for it.

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“Westworld” has fewer heroes than “Game of Thrones,” which makes it a bit harder to warm up to, but like a good, thought-provoking puzzle, it is compelling and addictive. The small bits of humor help, too. For the foreseeable future, I’m in.

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From a plotting standpoint, the show doesn’t always make logical sense, but it looks amazing (every penny of the huge budget is evident onscreen) and features multiple strong performances (Thandie Newton and Shannon Woodward are additional standouts). Like most prestige dramas these days, it’s slow to get started, but its world should be worth exploring. 3 out of 5 stars

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Grade: (A-): The pilot for “Westworld” is a bit uneven but after diving into subsequent episodes I felt like a guest at the park, my eyes opening to the show’s possibilities and seeing things I never noticed before. Sometimes it was small things but other times it was something deeper and more meaningful. After watching the first three episodes I’m not exactly sure where “Westworld” is taking me but I can’t wait to see how deep the rabbit hole goes.

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Should “Westworld’s” ultimate purpose be to invite some level of self-examination within the audience, making us contemplate the callousness with which we give free rein to violence as sport, well done, then. That’s achieved by the end of the premiere. Considering the source, though, this idea has a bitter irony to it, making it tough to determine whether the drama’s ongoing investigation of existential concepts and morality is truly worthy of the time it will take to play this game through to the finish.

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El Daniel said:

Are all the reviews based on the first 4 episodes? I was under the impression some had seen the entire season.

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El Daniel said:

Are all the reviews based on the first 4 episodes? I was under the impression some had seen the entire season.

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El Daniel said:

Are all the reviews based on the first 4 episodes? I was under the impression some had seen the entire season.

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Cornballer said:

Get an ambitious GAFfer to banner-ize it for you and we can have a vitruvian free OP.

EDIT: Here's the big version of the poster for anyone that wants to take a crack at it.

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El Topo said:

Poor attempt made in GIMP, anyone feel free to whip up something better. I tried to somehow make it look like an eye, but I'm too lazy and/or not skilled enough for a smoother transition. 4am over here.

Text still looks janky, will have to fix that later.

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Gyrian said:

That is one fantastic looking poster!
I dug the design enough to give this one a try. Same dimensions as the banner we currently have on:

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Westworld’s vastness, its sprawl of characters and plot lines, could easily be unwieldy and confusing. But instead it’s rather carefully, thoughtfully crafted—despite a reportedly troubled production. Well, beyond the first episode, anyway. Once the show’s two halves fuse together—the dark Western yarn marrying the pensive, eerie futurist science-fiction—the series becomes something beguiling. It’s beautifully acted and intricately written, frightening and probing and provocative. I am perhaps taking it on a good deal of privileged faith that the series will continue to interrogate the gender disparity intrinsic in its premise; if it does, it will be well worth watching. I don’t think this is going to set the globe aflame like Game of Thrones did. But Westworld could at least assert itself as a rare kind of truly transporting television—what we might have once called must-see.

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For anyone who loves coherent science fiction, beautifully shot vistas, artfully constructed mysteries, and compelling stellar performances, it's money well spent. You may, however, need more than one hour to reach that conclusion. Like most premium-cable dramas, which don’t face the fast-out-of-the-gate ratings pressure that broadcast series do, Westworld takes time creating its universe. 3.5 out of 4 stars

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Like any good game, “Westworld” operates on multiple levels, and it can do so because of its outstanding cast.

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Esquire: You kind of mentioned it earlier, but I think this show connects so well to our moral choices in a realm where they wouldn't have any real-world consequences. Do you think our modern or current version of Westworld would be how we treat other people online on social medial or in video game?

Nolan: That's a great observation.

Joy: It really is. No one's actually pointed that out before, but I think it's really true. We thought about mostly with gaming, but ... the way in which technology works now is it allows a barrier between people [discussing a subject] and the subject of what's being discussed. And I think that within that you can start to feel an otherness with the person that you're dealing with, and that leads to all sorts of bad behavior.

Nolan: There's this long observed phenomenon that killing in war time is easier the more distant you are from your target. And the more automated we can make killing people, the easier it is for people to do it, right? I mean, that's long been a function of warfare, it's a well-understood phenomenon within that world. And we've taken that logic and applied it to our social interactions online. It's no wonder why Twitter becomes a fucking heaping mass of wretchedness. Then there's a real question that company's actively struggling with right now in terms of how do we prevent this from sliding into being a cesspool in which people behave in ways that they would never behave in person?

It is kind of a fascinating dehumanizing world that we're sort of stepping ever more rapidly into. But I think all of us are kind of saying, "Wait a fucking second, you know, how do we retain some level of civilization and humanity?" How do we hold onto some of that in a world that is becoming ever more confusing when it comes to our interactions with people? We've been able to take on board all of these innovations and adapt very rapidly to them. But you still fundamentally have some human attributes that don't work very well in the world that we've created, you know? Which is part of the reason why new technologies and things that social media should be a wonderful thing and is often not, because we're all broken.

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Dolores’ father cautions against the bandits in those hills, and yet he often finds his own home under attack.
AEDEN
If you’re interested in playing the hero, head to Abernathy Ranch after dark. Dolores will need you to fend off attackers and save her life.
AEDEN
Her thankfulness will know no bounds.

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Most startling of all are the bursts of feeling that bloom inside Nolan and Joy’s puzzle-box narrative structures. These, too, regard themselves with two minds. They are great TV moments but also comments on the act of watching TV, a medium whose long-form stories eventually thaw even the iciest viewers’ hearts, whether they think the show in question is good or bad, ambitious or merely pretentious.

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“Westworld” was created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, with the 1973 Michael Crichton movie as a starting point. Like some of Mr. Nolan’s past work (“Memento,” “Interstellar,” “Person of Interest&#8221, it’s strongest as an intellectual exercise, but it runs chilly.

What keeps “Westworld” interesting in its early going, despite its flat patches and flights of pretentiousness, is its willingness to think big. Is there a difference between simulated and actual consciousness? Are we pushing our entertainments to be brutal, or are those entertainments pushing us to be?

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It is the definition of a slow-burn series, a program that should be exciting rendered as kind of dull.

“Westworld” isn’t unwatchable. It foreshadows some potentially intriguing revelations and raises questions — How does this amusement park work? What year is it set in anyway? — but early on the series holds its cards close to the vest, which might frustrate viewers seeking a story with forward momentum.

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In “Westworld,” HBO again brings viewers a sprawling universe filled with unique characters, moral and ethical dilemmas, violence, sex and wide-ranging stories. What the show lacks, though, is a depth of human connection.

Which is understandable, given that most of the characters here are robots. But then they are — potentially disastrously — leaning toward consciousness, so maybe the show will warm up. Grade: B

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When it all comes together, Westworld is one of the most intriguing new series of the year and the best new science-fiction series on television. It won't be HBO's next massive hit, but for people like me -- and hopefully you -- it won't matter. You'll want to visit Westworld and never leave.

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Very brainy but thoroughly gripping sci-fi series

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Only time will tell if “Westworld” is able to live up to its own towering philosophical standards, but it’s doing almost all the little things right thus far.

Grade: A-

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Corpsepyre said:

It's rated 74 on Metacritic, with 20 reviews. Thought they'd be better, given the early praise I heard. Variety gave it a 3/10. Hah. Guess this will divide critics.

But anyway, bad site to judge a TV show from.

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ViewtifulJC said:

metacritic for TV is

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More_Badass said:

Those ratings are useless because they only tend to apply to the pilot or first few episodes. They never represent an opinion of a show on the whole

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What’s most exciting about Westworld isn’t the questions, the surprising amount of laughs, or all the violence and sex expected from HBO. In one scene, Dr. Robert Ford explains the appeal of Westworld: people come back for the fine details, not the shock and horror. Westworld‘s shock and horror are top-notch, but the subtleties are what make the first handful of episodes addictive. I’m in the midst of watching the episodes again, and on the second watch, new details flourish, especially in the pilot. The J.J. Abrams-executive-produced show has scenes, performances, and lines to be studied under a microscope. Westworld, at least at the start, is as rewarding as it is entertaining.

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State-of-the-art TV about state of the art escapism, Westworld is an amazing mirror maze that must be traversed. Grade: A-

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ViewtifulJC said:

Its ok to gather opinions on single issue products like a movie or a video game that comes complete right out the box, but TV iust...no. Same thing with RT. Different mediums, different standards. But good luck getting people to realize that.

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dead souls said:

Nah, 4 episodes of a 10 episode season is easily enough to make an informed review and let people know if something is worth checking out or not.

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dead souls said:

Nah, 4 episodes of a 10 episode season is easily enough to make an informed review and let people know if something is worth checking out or not.

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More_Badass said:

I'd disagree. That's not even the halfway point, and often in serialized shows, the back half pacing is hugely informed and often accelerated from the build-up of the early episodes, or can make those events appear in new light and perspective.

It's like reading the first few chapters of a book and then offering judgement on the book as a whole

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dead souls said:

Nah, 4 episodes of a 10 episode season is easily enough to make an informed review and let people know if something is worth checking out or not.

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"The film’s story was virtually limitless and so is television at this moment with audiences enjoying shows that break out of their traditional story structures,” said Nolan. “We definitely look to fully exploit that aspect of storytelling in Westworld.

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El Topo said:

Poor attempt made in GIMP, anyone feel free to whip up something better. I tried to somehow make it look like an eye, but I'm too lazy and/or not skilled enough for a smoother transition. 4am over here.

Text still looks janky, will have to fix that later.

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Gyrian said:

That is one fantastic looking poster!
I dug the design enough to give this one a try. Same dimensions as the banner we currently have on:

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RatskyWatsky said:

For those wondering about the possible inclusion of Medieval World and Roman World:



A bit vague, but it sounds like they're considering it!

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My problem with Westworld is a more simple-minded one that lies in its Old West setup: Having watched the four episodes HBO has made available, I found it difficult to become involved in the action of the various gunfights and sex scenes. I mean, if the guests can never die, where’s the suspense? If the hosts are programmed to be attracted to anyone who’s attracted to them, where’s the possibility of romantic allure? I know, things do and will go “wrong” as Westworld proceeds, but much of the necessary scene-setting — of happy guests arriving and discovering the joys of shooting and screwing to their hearts’ content — becomes repetitive quickly. And I say this as someone who loves westerns.

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I’ll keep watching for a little while. But even though it’s sleek, frequently thoughtful, and always cool, Westworld’s scattered self never coheres into anything.

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The best thing about the Westworld pilot is that you’ll never feel tempted to check your watch. That may read like the ultimate example of damning with faint praise, but it’s a more significant accomplishment than it sounds. It means that, from the very start, Westworld overcomes the biggest obstacle facing an ambitious cable drama in the time of Peak TV: Westworld actually earns its running time rather than struggling to fill it.

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Westworld is a gorgeous, dense, thoughtful show that demands your full attention. It’s messy and confusing at times, but its flaws are more than outweighed by its virtues. There so much to talk about and unpack that Westworld’s destined to be an obsession—at least for those people who’re willing to stick it out.

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Despite being a well acted and smartly written series, there’s no way “Westworld” will become the phenomenon that “Thrones” has become. But, it’s a very solid addition to the lineup because it can be viewed with equal bemusement on a superficial level because of the sex, sand and showdowns or on a cerebral level through the questions that bounce up against philosophical and theological walls.

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More_Badass said:

Sounds like that Yahoo review missed the point entirely IMO

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Discotheque said:

Omg. I love westerns so I'm all in for the hybrid sci fi western thing they're giving us here but I would definitely also be open to HBO digging down into the Rome well with this a season or two in

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Discotheque said:

Yeah but look at those Jessica Jones reviews. Absurd praise for a series that just consistently got worse as it continued until it's dumpster fire finale

If the season is available they should just give it all to the reviewer. But then you have the problem of leaks and spoilers I guess

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biosnake20 said:

I'm not sure why so many of the reviews are talking about the fact that this won't become as big as GoT. That's obvious, there's almost nothing in existence right now that can become as big as Thrones.

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WaffleTaco said:

Probably because the first reviews were saying exactly that. It's actually my reason for being interested in the show and I'm going to be disappointed if it's not as good as Game of Thrones.

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More_Badass said:

As big doesn't equal as good. I think most reviews were saying this could be a big hit and appeal to a wide audience like GoT, not that it's going to be as the same quality as GOT

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Kenzodielocke said:

Should I watch the movie before the show? Is this basically a remake/reboot?


Edit: To be clear, I went on blackout intentionally after reading it's premise.

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Kenzodielocke said:

Should I watch the movie before the show? Is this basically a remake/reboot?


Edit: To be clear, I went on blackout intentionally after reading it's premise.

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More_Badass said:

As big doesn't equal as good. I think most reviews were saying this could be a big hit and appeal to a wide audience like GoT, not that it's going to be as the same quality as GOT

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biosnake20 said:

I'm not sure why so many of the reviews are talking about the fact that this won't become as big as GoT. That's obvious, there's almost nothing in existence right now that can become as big as Thrones.

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