Westworld

[Abagadro]

My opinion is that Harris is not the board rep.  Black hat douche mentioned that his family has a stake in the park, so I think it is more likely to be him.  Harris is a maxer who knows the game inside and out, not some stooge from corporate.

[jgsugden]

Repetitions with slightly different stimuli.

[Xanthippe]

Very much enjoying this series. Thought-provoking, as few other TV shows are.

[calapine]

. Bernard I'm not sure about yet. He is clearly trying to raise the robot's consciousness much like Arnold, and Ford knows it.

I didn't catch on on Bernarnd being a Android, but since someone mentioned it here I cant unsee it. The signs are clearly there. Willing to bet about it, even.

[calapine]

Disclaimer, Drunk Ramblings ahead:

"Bernard" reminds me I didn't have a favorite "Black" actor so far. But whoever that guy is he is very good.

The character is also really very nice, doing the "soft but strong core" very well. I can totally see why his business associate beds him. Yummy.

Antony Hopkins is also a good choice. I previously thought him overcast (as in used too much, I know that's not how you use the word) but in this he fits perfectly.

Story wise, regarding the boards deeper intentions, I could see something like that: rich asshole goes in for vacation, robo-bot-looking-like-rich-assholes comes out. Aslo possible development if bots take over, they start re-producing (factory is there, after all) an spreading without anyone knowing. Really just fan speculation but posting here so i can say "I told you say" later!

The bots being basically sentient AI could be an issue if the show goes on longer, as the implications of that would be much larger of what happens in a stupid Disney World park.

I am also afraid of a "rampaging killbots are actually the nice guys and its we humans who suck" ending. Its been years and I still haven't gotten over Battle Star Galactia season 3+. Not again, you fuckers. :(

Did I mention I really like Bernard?

[Abagadro]

Ya, Jeffrey Wright has been great in a lot of stuff for a long time.   Also one my favorite one-off Arches from Venture Brothers.

[HaemishM]

Wait, Jeffrey Wright was an arch in the Venture Bros? Which one?

[Abagadro]

Think Tank.

[Teleku]

Disclaimer, Drunk Ramblings ahead:

Story wise, regarding the boards deeper intentions, I could see something like that: rich asshole goes in for vacation, robo-bot-looking-like-rich-assholes comes out. Aslo possible development if bots take over, they start re-producing (factory is there, after all) an spreading without anyone knowing. Really just fan speculation but posting here so i can say "I told you say" later.

Well, that was literally the plot of the shitty sequel to West World (future world).  So would be keeping win the lore, if also predictable.

I am also afraid of a "rampaging killbots are actually the nice guys and its we humans who suck" ending. Its been years and I still haven't gotten over Battle Star Galactia season 3+. Not again, you fuckers. :(

Wait, how did you interpret the last half like that?  I mean, they showed that there was internal conflict within the Cylons, and a pro human faction emerged.  But they still pretty much spent most of the last half fighting off the murder bot faction (as well as their own internal issues).

[HaemishM]

Think Tank.

Ok yeah, now I remember that.

[calapine]

.

[Setanta]

Fucking Dolores out of nowhere!

This series is going places - story within story.

[Threash]

The MacPoyle being the man in black 30 years ago theory just got shot to death, Logan mentioned Arnold's death happening 30 years ago same as everyone else.

[HaemishM]

McPoyle is definitely not Arnold. I think the Man in Black's name is Flood - isn't the last name of the Wyatt character?

Anthony Hopkins showing his control is just awesome. It also makes you wonder if he isn't all human. I'm also becoming more and more sure that they are not on Earth.

[Slayerik]

Also, I don't know about the theories of people in charge of programming, Q/A, etc being 'hosts' either. Why put any power in the hands of something that may decide to start a full-on revolt because fuck humans.

[calapine]

Also, I don't know about the theories of people in charge of programming, Q/A, etc being 'hosts' either. Why put any power in the hands of something that may decide to start a full-on revolt because fuck humans.

For Bernand it makes fully sense, as Ford wants to control. For him it's not about an amesument park - he even said so directly at the Hacienda talk, paraphrased "You money men thought you were buying into a park - we (Arnold and me) had bigger plans".

Doing whatever "that is" the with the hosts against the knowledge and acceptance of the head programmer is obviously not possible, so whoever is in Bernand's position needs to be either Fords partner-in-crime or be controlled by him.

[HaemishM]

I'm not entirely sure Bernard is an AI, but I'm can see how they are heavily hinting that a lot of the people who work in the park might be. The two repair and recovery guys, for instance - the writers seem to be dropping heavy hints that each department is heavily stratified into an almost class/caste system that you do not promote out of - i.e. recovery guys don't become coders or behavior programmers, and behavior has precedence over repair. If they ARE hosts, I'm not sure they know it either.

[calapine]

It's almost if they show runners knew people would analyse this shit are and consciously playing with our expectations.  

[Setanta]

It's almost if they show runners knew people would analyse this shit are and consciously playing with our expectations.  

Could be worse, it could be POV and a baseball bat :D

[apocrypha]

It's almost if they show runners knew people would analyse this shit are and consciously playing with our expectations.  

I don't have a problem with this when the story is told well

The repeated quote about evolution and the mistake makes me wonder if someone - Ford, Bernard, Arnold (who I don't believe is fully dead), management- is trying to create true AI.

[calapine]

It's almost if they show runners knew people would analyse this shit are and consciously playing with our expectations.  

I don't have a problem with this when the story is told well

The repeated quote about evolution and the mistake makes me wonder if someone - Ford, Bernard, Arnold (who I don't believe is fully dead), management- is trying to create true AI.

Yes, my guess here is that Arnold was going into either the a) Sentient AI direction or b) related to that but bigger in scope: something Transhuman "Become one with the Park".

[HaemishM]

It's almost certain that transhumanism is a part of the goal of the park. Whether it be Ford, Arnold or "The Board" that has this as their aim, it's clear that somebody wants it.

[calapine]

I don't have a musical ear, but the closest fit to the "Voice" inside the hosts head is the one of 'The Cowbow Robot in Cold Storage'.

[Abagadro]

My favorite ep so far.  Even had Yul in there as a background, out of focus Easter egg.

[Setanta]

So I watched TWD first abd was pleasantly surprised that it was a good episode.

Then I watched this and was blown away. Every week it get better and better. Yul reference was great, Maeve was fucking awesome, all the characters are developing beautifully and the story and filming makes drags me right in. But the music is amazing - so perfect throughout - I want to go out and buy the soundtrack.

[HaemishM]

My favorite ep so far.  Even had Yul in there as a background, out of focus Easter egg.

I saw that and was cheering loudly. That is just so awesome. This has become my favorite TV show. For the first time, I watched it the night it aired. I don't usually watch anything the night of except for sports.

Right before Yul showed up, I was musing to myself how it doesn't really make sense that all that old office space and storage space is kept in such a state of ruin while they just build on top of it. That still doesn't make sense to me just logistically speaking. Wouldn't it be cheaper to refurb that space instead of letting it go to pot and building on top of it? Especially considering that the whole thing is just crumbling - isn't that unsafe? Seeing as how they take great pains with every detail of the show, I can't believe that doesn't mean something. I'm guessing it's either 1) the rule of cool (builds atmosphere and tension to have flickering lights and ruins), 2) is done to illustrate that there's something wrong in Denmark, rotten to the very core as it were, or 3) it's just a big red herring like the numbers on the hatch in Lost.

Also, never go anywhere alone when investigating some shady shit.

[apocrypha]

I missed the Yul reference! Must rewatch.

Loved the scene with Thandie Newton being led around upstairs with Motion Picture Soundtrack playing. Great stuff.

[Abagadro]

It's when Bernard goes downstairs.

[apocrypha]

Ahh I did see that but I didn't do the Yul maths. Thanks, very awesome 

[Amarr HM]

Loved the scene with Thandie Newton being led around upstairs with Motion Picture Soundtrack playing. Great stuff.

That was amazing, pianola renditions of Radiohead songs littered throughout, captivating.

[Bunk]

Well damn. Now how do I tell people who gave up on this after a couple episodes to come back, without spoiling anything...

[Setanta]

I so want to click that spoiler... must watch tonight

[Slayerik]

Damn.

[Threash]

The spoiler means nothing out of context, but holy shit when it happens.

[HaemishM]

The spoiler means nothing out of context, but holy shit when it happens.

Yeah, I stopped and rewound that part and was like "BRILLIANT!"

This show is currently one of my favorites on TV right now. I have taken to just watching it the night of on the DVR instead of waiting a few days. I hate getting spoilers and I just really look forward to watching it.