But I met my mom and dad.
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Westworld - Live in Your World, Play in Ours - Sundays on HBO
- Thread starter RatskyWatsky
- Start date
But I met my mom and dad.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
That is something I wondered too. For the guns, obviously there's a failsafe that prevents them from shooting harmful bullets at humans, but knifes and large rocks and such? Hanging people? And what about rape? How does a guest know they're raping a robot and not another guest?
Lasthope106
Member
The first episode is probably one of the strongest starts to a tv series I've seen in my day. Loved the way is the shot, the setting, the premise, the music, and how all the characters were introduced. Especially the badass cowboy Hector. Pretty much went in blind not knowing what to expect and I was blown away. It could even stand as its own thing if the rest of the series suck. Will definitely keep watching.
So 40k a day. 1440 guests in ep1. That's 57.6 million per day on what we assume is a good day. Factor in inflation, and the question is, how much does it cost to run Westworld? It's worth considering that they might be operating at a loss, as an attraction!
More_Badass
Member
It really could. Dolores' contrasting behavior toward the fly bookending the episode is practically a self-confined character arc in its own right, and combined with the budding sentience in the father, could act as a thought-provoking end for a movie.
Unless they're receiving funding from other sources to study and experiment towards those other purposes that management is concerned about
Sure, I mean they have lasted for decades so it's obviously not running them into the ground. There's money coming from somewhere. But the attraction itself being run at a loss is worth considering!
darkwing-buck
Member
I know it's a stretch, but I hope we see more of Peter Abernathy. Dude was a force when confronted with Hopkins.
I was really impressed with the first episode.
I hope they give some of these human characters some real depth. That is my only concern right now. Anthony Hopkins and Jeffrey Wright seem to be giving a shit and it would be a shame if they don't give them both some good writing to chew on.
I hope they give some of these human characters some real depth. That is my only concern right now. Anthony Hopkins and Jeffrey Wright seem to be giving a shit and it would be a shame if they don't give them both some good writing to chew on.
SynthFetish
Member
Did anyone else notice the player piano was plying black hole sun?
Alot of people instinctively consider Disneyland, Disneyworld, et al. loss leaders but they actually make up a healthy chunk of Disney's yearly profits. The fact that Westworld seems to keep even very old models in service as featured characters via soffware upgrades seems to suggest that they have their costs under control.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
This opening episode reminds of the opener for Quarry:
They both feel like a dark, self-contained film hinting at a larger, stranger, scarier world... And then we get to see that world.
They both feel like a dark, self-contained film hinting at a larger, stranger, scarier world... And then we get to see that world.
Discotheque
Banned
Quarry burning a hole on my dvr right now. I should get on that
And bless up to these guys for giving Hopkins and Ed Harris something decent to play. Two of our finest actors and they've been squandered in the last few years
And bless up to these guys for giving Hopkins and Ed Harris something decent to play. Two of our finest actors and they've been squandered in the last few years
Right, and I think, as viewers, we would like to think we're better than that. That we can hold sympathy for the hosts because, well, that's all right and good. But deep down, a lot of us are also probably capable of committing those very same acts that are designed to make us uncomfortable as an audience. Even if you can't directly feel anything for the host characters, they are essential in holding up that mirror and, thus, essential to the plot of Westworld. And if you don't feel any sympathy for them at all then, maybe, you belong there.
More_Badass
Member
We do it all the time in video games. It's just code and pixels. And Westworld is basicslly a real-life open world sandbox/RPG, complete with quests, random NPC encounters, and Bethesda glitches.Right, and I think, as viewers, we would like to think we're better than that. That we can hold sympathy for the hosts because, well, that's all right and good. But deep down, a lot of us are also probably capable of committing those very same acts that are designed to make us uncomfortable as an audience. Even if you can't directly feel anything for the host characters, they are essential in holding up that mirror and, thus, essential to the plot of Westworld. And if you don't feel any sympathy for them at all then, maybe, you belong there.
More_Badass
Member
Sounds like I need to check out Quarry
WhiteRabbitEXE
Member
Absolutely.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Just finished it. I won't say I loved it, but I really liked it. It helps that it's using two of my favorite things (sci-fi and Westerns) and bringing them together. Hope the next parts are even better.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Never actually seen the original film so I think I might just do that tomorrow.
I mean I *could* be a drug kingpin or a pirate captain. But without literally achieving those things, I could easily run a small business based on victimizing or exploiting people, so a story about either of those professions has a clear analog to the real world. Or I could know or interact with someone in that position. A story about a "last captain" is easily a general story about being a Jew or a Navajo.
Some concepts, like leadership or responsibility, are universal, whatever the skin you put on it. "But what if we're all brains in jars living manufactured memories" isn't actionable. And it's not falsifiable.
DorkLord54
Member
Great first episode, and it had a nice creepy vibe to it, even with the unoriginal premise. And as others have said, I enjoyed reversing the Gunslinger's role from being one of the animatronics who's taking its programming to the extreme to making him a human taking our own humanity to its extreme (though I was extremely disappointed he didn't ask about the numbers and what they meant, though he'd risk being replaced by Michael Keaton in S2 if he did that).
Watched the episode a second time. A few things I noticed.
Is that a woman riding into battle? Dolores?
This may have already been pointed out, but did anyone notice that the person interviewing Dolores at the beginning isn't the same as the one interviewing her at the end? In the beginning its Bernard revealing the truth of her reality, and at the end its the security guard doing a safety check and asking about her father and the photo.
I get the feeling that after the security guard's interview Bernard's character sneaks in to tell Dolores all those things, and some of that information lingers, fundamentally changing her (accessible through the reveries), which is why she is able to swat the fly the following day.
And of course, he whispered something to her father before he went into cold storage, so he's up to something.
And he was looking at that picture of the boy, who I assume is his deceased son. He also made a comment to the defective host about envying his ability to completely forget memories. He'd be motivated to make the hosts absolutely perfect, before resurrecting his son.
Also, the theory about this being on a terraformed Mars is probably disproved by Ford's comment about "life on this planet" being a series of trillions of mistakes. Doesn't necessarily rule it out completely, but I think it's far less likely.
Last thought/observation. It's interesting that they refer to them as "hosts". I presume they intend this in terms of "hosting" the guests who come to visit, but perhaps it's meant as a double meaning? Could it also be meant as "hosts" for consciousness? Perhaps that's what Theresa and Lee alluded to in terms of Management's big picture plans for Westworld? The next phase of their business is to provide new vessels for consciousness to reside in, so that guests can truly role-play a character. Imagine owning the bodies of millions of paying customers. And they can still play the game without consequences. If their hired body is destroyed, they wake up in their original body.
Is that a woman riding into battle? Dolores?
This may have already been pointed out, but did anyone notice that the person interviewing Dolores at the beginning isn't the same as the one interviewing her at the end? In the beginning its Bernard revealing the truth of her reality, and at the end its the security guard doing a safety check and asking about her father and the photo.
I get the feeling that after the security guard's interview Bernard's character sneaks in to tell Dolores all those things, and some of that information lingers, fundamentally changing her (accessible through the reveries), which is why she is able to swat the fly the following day.
And of course, he whispered something to her father before he went into cold storage, so he's up to something.
And he was looking at that picture of the boy, who I assume is his deceased son. He also made a comment to the defective host about envying his ability to completely forget memories. He'd be motivated to make the hosts absolutely perfect, before resurrecting his son.
Also, the theory about this being on a terraformed Mars is probably disproved by Ford's comment about "life on this planet" being a series of trillions of mistakes. Doesn't necessarily rule it out completely, but I think it's far less likely.
Last thought/observation. It's interesting that they refer to them as "hosts". I presume they intend this in terms of "hosting" the guests who come to visit, but perhaps it's meant as a double meaning? Could it also be meant as "hosts" for consciousness? Perhaps that's what Theresa and Lee alluded to in terms of Management's big picture plans for Westworld? The next phase of their business is to provide new vessels for consciousness to reside in, so that guests can truly role-play a character. Imagine owning the bodies of millions of paying customers. And they can still play the game without consequences. If their hired body is destroyed, they wake up in their original body.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
newtypepilot
Member
next level VR
or it would be like that Bruce Willis movie, where humans go outside using remote control androids.
More_Badass
Member
I have to agree. Sure the premise may be done before, but I haven't felt such a sense of unease and eerieness in any other similar story. Ex Machina had a sense of dread but that was more from the claustrophobic setting and Isaac's character. Terminator, the tension comes from the notion of Skynet and the nature of the Terminator
But this, it reminds me of how I felt playing SOMA. The unease comes from the haunting themes and scenarios. The false sense of hope the hosts have within their endless cycle of existence. The detached disposable treatment of the hosts. The father's chilling proclamation and imagery of cold storage. The uncanny valley behavior of the hosts.
Oh yes, I dug that. Can't wait to see how this develops. Westworld ('73) + Dollhouse + I, Robot
Flipping the nature of the Man in Black is a really neat spin that I didn't anticipate. I'm very intrigued by his role, and what he's up to and how he's even operating in the park.
I feel like I'm glad Miranda Otto was replaced by Sidse Babett Knudsen. I think she's a stronger fit for the character type. I think I would have been really annoyed by Otto here.
Curious to see how Ford's agenda is revealed. Sure doesn't seem like the business interests are his top concerns. The question is, is he knowingly enabling these changes in the hosts or is he simply curious about the unintended consequences?
Flipping the nature of the Man in Black is a really neat spin that I didn't anticipate. I'm very intrigued by his role, and what he's up to and how he's even operating in the park.
I feel like I'm glad Miranda Otto was replaced by Sidse Babett Knudsen. I think she's a stronger fit for the character type. I think I would have been really annoyed by Otto here.
Curious to see how Ford's agenda is revealed. Sure doesn't seem like the business interests are his top concerns. The question is, is he knowingly enabling these changes in the hosts or is he simply curious about the unintended consequences?
Haha.
Surrogates. That's basically what I'm imagining.
Majority of the human population waltzing around in new bodies. Expand the scope of the park to include an entire planet/moon (terraformed Mars, Venus, Luna, Ganymede etc.) and you've got a pretty big picture vision for Management.
DietRob
i've been begging for over 5 years.
Really enjoyed the first episode. I think this might be a show I've waited for my entire life. Western meets sci-fi meets Jurassic Park with a little video game aspect sprinkled into it.
The possibilities for story telling are nearly endless. This could wind up being great. Hopefully the writing stays consistent.
The possibilities for story telling are nearly endless. This could wind up being great. Hopefully the writing stays consistent.
More_Badass
Member
Looking at Wikipedia, there are quite a few writers who worked on PoI, and an episode written by Ed Brubaker. On the director side, there's Neil Marshall, Vincenzo Natali, and Michelle MacLaren. A lot of promising talent this season
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
Watched the episode a second time. A few things I noticed.
Is that a woman riding into battle? Dolores?
The woman aside, I assumed that the horse was a reference to the first film ever made, which is a running horse. Kind of a way to show both the 3D printing process of these machines and that it's happening in the film space of illusion of movement.
Pretty sure those images fall heavily on Lisa Joy Nolan since she also worked on Pushing Daisies. No offense to Jonathan Nolan, but I don't quite believe he's on that level of mixing image and metaphor, going by other work. Maybe I'm completely mistaken about that though.
Visually speaking in general, this thing is a powerhouse. Its influences (Kubrick) are somewhat worn on its shoulders, but it is its own thing. I did not have much trouble storywise, but the lack of a clear distinction between human guests and andy hosts was somewhat confusing at first. Also, that sphere was very familiar, and not just from the original movie (though there is also a terrible sequel called Futureworld), but because I think they used that image in the video game Portal 2 as well.
It will be difficult for the show to maintain the same level as this pilot though. But then I doubt this many big screen actors would work on a show that couldn't, so it's going to be interesting at least where this goes.
Kenzodielocke
Banned
I mean, they could sell those hosts to households, no?
Edit: And how long are the coming episodes ? Is it GoT like 50 ish minutes?
Edit: And how long are the coming episodes ? Is it GoT like 50 ish minutes?
Oooh, I hope he got to do some horror-tinged sequences.
boneyjangles
Member
I'm not sure I can see there being a Roman World or Medieval World, maybe they are just going to streamline it to match the title.
But I loved the little treats for viewers of the original. The Ed Harris surprise was special.
But I loved the little treats for viewers of the original. The Ed Harris surprise was special.
According to HBO's listing every other episode is at least 57 minutes long, with the majority being 59 minutes long. No listing for the finale yet.
True, but most video games don't actively try to hold up the mirror, either. There is also an implied physicality to Westworld that we are only now sort of approaching with VR, even if we are watching it on our 2d screens. Interactions with the hosts *should* mean more to the visitors than a bunch of pixels because they can touch and feel and engage on levels that video games still cannot. Nonetheless, I got the same impression. This version of Westworld is undoubtedly influenced by the ideas of open world RPGs and MMOS. All the hallmarks are there, as you pointed out.
They spared no expense.
More_Badass
Member
The park being around for 30+ years has likely dulled that aversion and mindset, going by how callous the guests are. Any meaning has probably been lessened by decades of seeing the hosts as mechanical props
I think it also depends on the guest. Newcomers will have a different perspective, as will children. So for example the adults tend to take it all for granted, but the kid approaching Dolores was actually very curious and impressed by how real she looked, because it was all new to him.
More_Badass
Member
Would it really? VR offers a visual stimuli but it's not the same as being able to physically interact with a person, to shoot and actually pull the trigger, the smells and sounds and stinging dust and the whole presentation of it all. Remember it's not merely visiting a Wild West town; it's meant to be an experience. Physically transporting you to another era in its totality, starting with the build-up of the train ride in.
Like playing a VR corn maze horror game versus being in the claustrophobic flashlight-lit shadows of a nighttime corn maze in the chill of an October night, footsteps crunching over dirt and fallen stalks as kids scream in the distance when their parents scare them in the dark
orthodoxy1095
Banned
I don't understand this argument and how it makes Westworld remotely superfluous. VR is a simple audio-visual experience.
Westworld is a completely tactile, auditory, visual, olfactory and gustatory experience. That's a completely different experience than what VR provides. Even if VR is "more practical and efficient," what about Westworld gives you the idea that it's trying to be either of those things? It's a luxury park for rich people, not entertainment for the poor masses.
DorkLord54
Member
*insert obligatory "Life, uh, finds a way" gif*
Both of these posts rely on the assumption that VR is now what VR will be ~100 years from now, and the assumption that future generations will place the same value on physical spatial interaction that an increasingly small number us do now. I mean there's always going to be nature oriented people, but as the populace increasingly turns to the digital realm for all their vices...I really don't see the concept of "wow, you actually go there!" to be that novel to the future of humanity. As a concept from what the '80s thought would be a cool idea for the future, written by a dude born in 1942? Much more believable.
While there is something to be said about the continuity of experience, I think that is something equally as solvable in VR through the usage of some kind of anesthetic that removes the memory of you ever booting up in the first place.
Also, I really don't get the "for the masses!" argument either. As production values ramp up and usage becomes more normalized, there will be a VR market for the 1% willing to pay insane amounts to experience a top end production just like there is now for people with Titan XPs.
Quote
Member
The law?