The Elite
BOSS
It was $1000 a day in the original film.
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Westworld - Live in Your World, Play in Ours - Sundays on HBO
- Thread starter RatskyWatsky
- Start date
It was $1000 a day in the original film.
schadenfood
Member
I assume they were both guests (even though the courtesan used that "barely have any rind on you" line on Teddy in the pilot). As others have mentioned, I like how the show doesn't go out of its way to tell you who's a guest and who's a host--keeps things interesting and will probably be used to clever effect down the line.
Yes, they're both guests. They weren't there in the previous versions of those "scenarios" that have played out.
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
You don't have to spoiler tag speculation or stuff that has already aired.
They both appeared to be guests. Teddy didn't demand the woman go back to town, he went along with her staying to fight because that's what she wanted. The slimeball didn't want to get into a gun fight, so the other guys pushed him towards something less intense. The power dynamic sorta gives it away.
Things don't reset every day. They reset at the end of "narrative loops", which haven't been hard-specified but I think were suggested to be several-week blocks.
ah okay that makes sense.
The "resets" can be made to just look like routine. Like Dolores is just coming into town for that can of whatever everyday (or whatever interval) but it wouldn't neccessarily be too distracting for anyone.
And we know of at least one story (the robbery of the whorehouse) that's meant to play over roughly a 2 week timeframe.
And we know of at least one story (the robbery of the whorehouse) that's meant to play over roughly a 2 week timeframe.
badcrumble
Member
So it's pretty clear that Dolores is blacking out and doing things, yes? She rediscovered the gun in her dresser, had a flashback to the barn, and moved it to the barn because she had a premonition that there is danger there.
Given the discussion about bicameral consciousness, I wonder if the "kill him!" voice is also, technically, her own brain telling her what to do.
Given the discussion about bicameral consciousness, I wonder if the "kill him!" voice is also, technically, her own brain telling her what to do.
I like how everyone assumed Dolores had been raped in that first episode because, well HBO. In reality it was just her head being cut open. It's that slow reveal of new information that shines light on previous assumptions of scenes that makes the show work well right now IMO
To the person wondering how people could maintain a park like this: it's very similar to Disneyland or any theme park. They have tons of staff to maintain these things and I don't see how this would be logistically any different. They probably do have a few hosts helping out similar to the host playing the piano in fords office, but it's unimportant so they don't focus on this
The focus on the host narratives is important so we can understand things they have felt in the past, since the show is all about how those memories affect them in the long run. Hosts get raped and killed not just by guests but by other hosts in their "stories", which is important considering they focus on the idea of a host having resentment towards all the hosts that have killed them.
To the person wondering how people could maintain a park like this: it's very similar to Disneyland or any theme park. They have tons of staff to maintain these things and I don't see how this would be logistically any different. They probably do have a few hosts helping out similar to the host playing the piano in fords office, but it's unimportant so they don't focus on this
The focus on the host narratives is important so we can understand things they have felt in the past, since the show is all about how those memories affect them in the long run. Hosts get raped and killed not just by guests but by other hosts in their "stories", which is important considering they focus on the idea of a host having resentment towards all the hosts that have killed them.
andythinkpad
Member
These robots are not designed to work unattended 24x7 like an replicant/synth or other AI who have enough brain to create their intelligence. They are basically mannequins who are programed to act like humans in a 2-7 day span. Why would the park spending extra money to give these robots enough brain to generate their own intelligence. It's much cheaper to create limited dialogue trees for them to follow ala a RPG NPC. This is where the conflict of hard sci-fi and soft sci-fi come in again.
An I don't see how you can call them "species" if they need to rely on human to reproduce themselves. For example, the Tesla car #8 of tomorrow can go haywire one day and crash themselve against humans wishes, I wouldn't call them "species".
Godzilla has camp. This show doesn't have camp or interesting action. It need to make up with smart plot.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
But they're not. This episode opens with Dolores recognizing an abstract theme among literary passages she's been presented! They are so very clearly beyond just spouting dialogue trees, they have advanced cognition.
Didn't they actually address this exact point with the flashback to Arnold and the "simple" robots with limited improv. Arnold wasn't satisfied with RPG npc (and frankly neither is neogaf. Everyone wants the AI to seem more believable and capable of near sentience)
karmaforgotme
Member
I normally don't judge shows like this until the end of the season, because it is telling a season long arch. Still I have very few issues with it. It isn't on the level of a Mad Men or The Sopranos, but I still feel pretty positive about it. I just find it fun television, which is exactly what I wanted from this show.
Evan Rachel Wood has acted circles around everyone on the show (even Sir Anthony Hopkins). I remember how great she was in Thirteen, but haven't seen much of her since (she did show up on True Blood for a little while).
To be fair Lindelof is doing a great job with The Leftovers. Season 2 was one of the best things I've seen in HBO is quiet awhile.
Edit: Also I think that Dr. Ford is lying when it comes to Arnold. That Ford is more the Arnold he described than the actually Arnold.
Evan Rachel Wood has acted circles around everyone on the show (even Sir Anthony Hopkins). I remember how great she was in Thirteen, but haven't seen much of her since (she did show up on True Blood for a little while).
To be fair Lindelof is doing a great job with The Leftovers. Season 2 was one of the best things I've seen in HBO is quiet awhile.
Edit: Also I think that Dr. Ford is lying when it comes to Arnold. That Ford is more the Arnold he described than the actually Arnold.
I think some of them do reset every day though, in certain circumstances. Like, I'm pretty sure in a "vanilla" day with no intervention, every day Dolores goes into town, gets accosted by those assholes, buys supplies, drops the can, meets Teddy, they go riding, return home and bandits attack her family. This storyline repeating every day then gives multiple guests the chance to experience it. Of course things can dynamically change a bit due to guest activity, like Teddy going on the bandit hunt leaving Dolores to return home by herself. Or a guest picking up the can instead of Teddy, and Teddy defaulting to some other routine and the guest returning home with her to save the day, etc. (or a guest hooking up with the bad guys, or MiB doing shit).
That is exactly what they are designed to do though. They carry on their storylines and routines whether a guest is around or not, so at any point a guest can happen upon them doing something. They have scripted dialog to service storylines, and also the ability to react to things on the spot so they can interact naturally with guests, as we saw very clearly when Bernard turned off all of Dolores' scripted responses in this last episode. The head writer even suggested they pull back on these "features" to make it simpler and easier for the guests to disassociate it all from reality, something Ford and Bernard obviously aren't interested in.
More_Badass
Member
1) That's the core of the story
2) Okay, so then Blade Runner or Alien or District 9 or even Hunger Games or countless other sci-fi stories. The hard or soft aspects of the sci-fi are secondary to using the freedom and differences from modern everyday life that sci-fi allows for thematic purposes
Cornballer
Member
A few more items:
- A Host Self Sabotages (youtube)
- Warming Glow review
- Thrillist interview with the VFX supervisor
More_Badass
Member
There is. Some more than others
I enjoyed last nights episode as it followed a pair of guests with Teddy. It showed how the narratives would change based on the guests desires and how the hosts would take the L as needed. After they get up into the mountains the chickenshit guest wants out which prompts the deputy (?) into talking to the sheriff and then taking the guest back to town while the lady continues on. The Sheriff followed to take the hit and then Teddy gives the girl an out as they were about to be surround. It felt like a video game guest that was an advanced quest or requires x amount of real players to complete. I'm sure if the MiB did the quest he could mow everyone down or slice them up, but the girl was inexperienced so she gets an item and runs off safely.
Next weeks episode should be interesting especially how last night ended. I guess the guy from park security won't be getting crap for walking around with a gun anymore.
Next weeks episode should be interesting especially how last night ended. I guess the guy from park security won't be getting crap for walking around with a gun anymore.
Pace slow? I don't know how you could describe the pace as slow. Shit is blowing up all over the place. And 'slow' is not a criticism in itself either. Personally I'd like it even slower, get even more of the daily life of the park.
Evan Rachel Wood killed it in the conversation with Bernard.
Evan Rachel Wood killed it in the conversation with Bernard.
Hasphat'sAnts
Member
I had no idea Evan Rachel Wood could be this creepy, but she's on fire in this show.
When she had a gun in the barn, it was because she took it from the bandit's holster. He looks down and realizes it is gone.
This is the same gun she uncovers in the field right?
More_Badass
Member
I forgot who said that, but if it was hosts, I blame that on the Rockstar influence. NPCs got to have comments to make the world seem alive
It was Elsie and the QA guy when they went to investigate the stray. I think her dialogue in general is probably more cringy than others.
Rentahamster
Rodent Whores
You're really overthinking this, dude. There's already adequate explanations for this without having to resort to the show spell it out with a laundry list of explanatory shots.
Rentahamster
Rodent Whores
Blacking out is what they're programmed to do every time their narrative loop ends.
It's still alive and kicking, believe it or not
Ampersands
Member
It's weird, this problem seems constrained to the lesser employees. They were probably the last characters conceived for the show and were just put there to make everything have a sense of flow.
Even worse. It was banter between the security guard and the programmer.
If they're going to take a calculated risk by dramatically changing the setting for the viewer, as in leaving the "park" and going back to the corporate side of things, the dialogue can't be so dreadful.
Bingo.
No, it's the attackers gun that she grabs. It's obvious to me the gun that she uncovers in the field will end up being a REAL gun that someone will end up using on a visitor.
ShemhazaiX
Member
Nope. Different gun. It was her attackers gun. Hence he didn't just shoot her as soon as she pulled a gun on him.
Cornballer
Member
A few more items from today:
- Vanity Fair review
- Salon interview: Westworld is a lot tamer than video games: Putting graphic TV violence in context
- EW podcast: Westworld Analysis Mode-Episode 3- "The Stray"
- Vanity Fair review
- Salon interview: Westworld is a lot tamer than video games: Putting graphic TV violence in context
- EW podcast: Westworld Analysis Mode-Episode 3- "The Stray"
DarkChronic
Member
I'm with you. Loving the show, but some of the dialogue leaves so much to be desired. Feels like a major network TV show at times.
Harlock
Member
Ok so what was with the gun in her dresser? It was like there and then it wasn't there, right in the same scene? Need to rewatch that scene. And before someone says she moved it to the barn, I dont think that was the same gun, it fell off her attacker / she pulled it off him, that's why he didn't just shoot her when she was pointing a gun at him.
Is like her perception glitching out, like she sees it there but it shouldn't be there so her programming forces here to not even see it?
Would that not be something that their monitoring teams would catch? Like a forced programming correction would seemingly be a red flag alert in their systems, or it should be.
Is like her perception glitching out, like she sees it there but it shouldn't be there so her programming forces here to not even see it?
Would that not be something that their monitoring teams would catch? Like a forced programming correction would seemingly be a red flag alert in their systems, or it should be.
I went back a few pages and now I'm a believer. lol
The logo evidence is too much to be argued with.
No it isn't. Why can't there be 2 logos? Lol. They don't have to remove all the old logos in the park. The end of ep 3 is way stronger evidence that it the same timeline than an old logo being in the park/lounge entrance area of the park.
I think the inference is we are seeing her memories of past loops. Same thing happened later when she leaves the barn after shooting the one guy, and is then shot in the stomach by the guy on the porch.
More_Badass
Member
The old logo appearing in a distinct flashback isn't strong evidence, especially when the same logo appeared in the long abandoned facilities used as cold storage?
The old logo is a distinct element that has only been present in plot points dealing with older times in the park.
Sorry that's not what I meant. I was wondering if she buried the gun after this interaction and then dug back up later on and kept in her drawer.
Ah yeah ok that makes sense, but it is sort of a glitch, like hmm this gun being here is weird, then the looped memory kicks in of there not being a gun there like every other time.
The getting shot was the reverse, the looped memory happening before it actually happened, and then she course corrected to avoid that happening.
Her leaving unscathed I think will put her out of her loop, and Bernard will have to somehow cover for it happening that way without guest interference, or maybe the clean up team will assume she's off with a guest. I suppose if she doesn't get killed her script is to eventually return home and go to sleep and restart her loop.