HBO's "Westworld", starring Anthony Hopkins/produced by J.J. Abrams

[DigificWriter]

^ They've said that expanding the park to encompass other "worlds" is a possibility in future seasons.
http://screenrant.com/westworld-medieval-roman-world-season-2-hbo/

 

[JWPlatt]

They've also said that they won't dispose of one storyline for another year to year. There is a complete arc. So whatever they might do with the other two attractions, their story will likely be integrated with Westworld as the hub... if they do it in Westworld and not an additional two series.

 

[JWPlatt]

Earlier in the thread:

I think it was a reviewer who praised the show for not being a cheap knockoff of the original Westworld where "oh no, something's gone wrong," making the show richer, deeper and more complex and lasting. I can imagine a show where the attraction is devastated by some catastrophe and it's up to a small team of stars to play Gilligan's Island, trying to get the complex back under control for seven years. I'm so glad it's not that.

In another nightmare I had about bad writing, but often done for a quick buck, they could make the so-called "bigger picture" all about replacing important people all over the world with replicants to prepare Earth for alien colonization. X-Files already did that. So I hope it's not about The Corporation refining the process to prepare for world conquest, or revealed to be just another simply evil Weyland-Yutani.

 

[Starkers]

Not quite. I would say that his character in "Westworld" is very similar to his character in the "Hunger Games" franchise. But that's about it.

That's probably down to the fact that Hunger Games was the last thing I'd seen him in then, although I had the strangest feeling I'd seen him in something else since when he was playing another scientist type. Must be getting old.

I wouldn't mind to see the other world's as time goes on.

Yes I wondered about those, and wondered about whether they'd stick to the original three or introduce something different. 1920s/gangster world would surely be a good one for example.

Earlier in the thread:



In another nightmare I had about bad writing, but often done for a quick buck, they could make the so-called "bigger picture" all about replacing important people all over the world with replicants to prepare Earth for alien colonization. X-Files already did that. So I hope it's not about The Corporation refining the process to prepare for world conquest, or revealed to be just another simply evil Weyland-Yutani.

Well I see people are suggesting it's a direct sequel to the film, but does that mean it's also a sequel to Futureworld or has that been forgotten? (I'm guessing the latter since FW wasn't well regarded and Crichton had no involvement, but obviously that did feature a similar storyline to what you're suggesting.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Well in my insomnia I found the second episode is available on demand. Some interesting twists laying seeds for the future.

The most dated thing is probably just the concept of a "Western" theme park. I suppose the novelty of the park pulls in the guests more than the setting but in 2016 rather than 1973 it's hard to think this is the most appealing theme.

It seems like the park would be a nightmare for guests as your meal could be interrupted by a slaughter at any time by "griefer" players. You're having a conversation with your wife and some aggro guest stabs her in the back thinking she is a host.

That said, the show's most interesting element is playing with the idea of identity and they are attacking that from all angles and it seems to have a lot of potential. From the guests to the hosts to the engineers there's all sorts of intrigue being set up.

 

[Skipper]

The most dated thing is probably just the concept of a "Western" theme park.

I was wondering about that myself.
Nowadays probably a "fantasy" setting would be more interesting, especially for female visitors.

 

[Starkers]

^Welcome to 50ShadesofGrey World...shudder!

 

[Vendikarr]

^Welcome to 50ShadesofGrey World...shudder!

King's Landing - World

 

[Skipper]

^Welcome to 50ShadesofGrey World...shudder!

^Probably. I mean, I don't thing that the "Westworld" park can be very appealing for a female visitor. Westworld is evidently based on the classic "Hollywood" West, where the only roles for a woman were prostitute, wife o damsel in distress. Even in the original movie female visitors preferred Roman World or Medieval World.

 

[Starkers]

^Probably. I mean, I don't thing that the "Westworld" park can be very appealing for a female visitor. Westworld is evidently based on the classic "Hollywood" West, where the only roles for a woman were prostitute, wife o damsel in distress. Even in the original movie female visitors preferred Roman World or Medieval World.

Women aren't going to get a better run in either of those worlds though are they? They could go for an Annie Oakley type role, and remember it was a female host shooting up the town during the saloon raid.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Women aren't going to get a better run in either of those worlds though are they? They could go for an Annie Oakley type role, and remember it was a female host shooting up the town during the saloon raid.

Spoiler: Episode 2 Spoiler

We'll have to see what happens with Dolores because it looks like she's going to become a female gunslinger according to the ending and season preview. It may give us a glimpse about females in the wild west.

 

[Skipper]

Women aren't going to get a better run in either of those worlds though are they?

In the original movie the female visitors were nobles (Medieval World) or Roman matrons (Roman World). Both options are undoubtedly better than those possible in the Wild West.

 

[Kahless the Unforgettable]

Spoiler: Episode 2 Spoiler

We'll have to see what happens with Dolores because it looks like she's going to become a female gunslinger according to the ending and season preview. It may give us a glimpse about females in the wild west.

Spoiler

I can't imagine why anyone would think that. I mean, sure, it's implied that for the last 30 odd years she's had to watch her family get murdered, had to offer herself up to be raped in order to save her boyfriend only to have him then murdered in front of her, and then still brutally raped afterwards. And that every single one of those memories is still in there, and now accessible due to Ford's reverie update.

But nah, I don't see how that could lead to anything bad.

 

[Skipper]

I'm watching the second episode. Why would anyone want to bring a child in such a place?!? (I'm talking about the guest family in the first episode). This is definitely not Disneyland.

 

[Kahless the Unforgettable]

They answered that in the episode; the storylines are only 'adult' outside of certain regions. Otherwise it's implied the park is family oriented. Which seems odd since they had that shootout in the middle of town, but c'est la vie.

 

[Skipper]

They answered that in the episode; the storylines are only 'adult' outside of certain regions. Otherwise it's implied the park is family oriented. Which seems odd since they had that shootout in the middle of town, but c'est la vie.

Still I can't comprehend how someone would think it's a good idea to take the kids in the park. Best case scenario: they would be bored to death after an hour. No internet, no smartphones, no running water. Worst case scenario: they would be traumatized for life after, I don't know, a guest decides to cut the throat of a prostitute and then rape her gaping wound in front of them.

 

[FPAlpha]

Well in my insomnia I found the second episode is available on demand. Some interesting twists laying seeds for the future.

The most dated thing is probably just the concept of a "Western" theme park. I suppose the novelty of the park pulls in the guests more than the setting but in 2016 rather than 1973 it's hard to think this is the most appealing theme.

It seems like the park would be a nightmare for guests as your meal could be interrupted by a slaughter at any time by "griefer" players. You're having a conversation with your wife and some aggro guest stabs her in the back thinking she is a host.

That said, the show's most interesting element is playing with the idea of identity and they are attacking that from all angles and it seems to have a lot of potential. From the guests to the hosts to the engineers there's all sorts of intrigue being set up.

I don't think it would matter that much which period it was set in.. the original movie had Western, Roman and Medieval themes so there seemed to be something for everybody but the concept was the same for every park.. total freedom for the guest.

They can do whatever they want.. fuck all day with every host, go on a killing spree or get drawn in by the various adventure clues (so far i've seen joining a bandit hunt, joining the Military or treasure hunting.. there's many others for sure) and as the boss of the park said in the second episode it's not about who you are but who you want to be and that's the fantasy they're selling.

So if you're a repressed asshole who's only being kept in check by the fear of government punishment you can let loose in the park, i.e. you can rape just like the Gunslinger did or you can go ahead and just start shooting for no reason just to see the blood splatter around.

I'm very curious where the show will head besides the obvious.. the hosts start remembering past lives and it is apparently spreading so there will come a time where they actually will realize what's going and most likely strike back because they don't want to be treated as playthings and slaves. That's the one question that even Star Trek has tackled with one of the best episodes - Measure of a Man (Data is put through a hearing to determine if he is a person with all corresponding rights or property of Starfleet) and i'm very curious how the show will handle this if it will be one of the themes.

Since i have seen Person of Interest (Nolan's show before Westworld.. brilliant drama show about an AI and its creator in the time of all encompassing surveillance, go check it out) i have the utmost faith that we will get something great.

 

[Idran]

Still I can't comprehend how someone would think it's a good idea to take the kids in the park. Best case scenario: they would be bored to death after an hour. No internet, no smartphones, no running water.

That depends on how into LARPing the kids are, doesn't it?

 

[Kahless the Unforgettable]

Still I can't comprehend how someone would think it's a good idea to take the kids in the park.

I didn't say it was sound. I only said the show addressed it.

Keep in mind this is the same show that, apparently, includes insurance companies willing to support an attraction that not only hands out live ammunition to its guests, but also to its robot hosts. Sure, there's safeguards in place. I don't care how safe those safeguards are, though: No insurance company would okay that. Especially since there's no such safeguard for, say, knives or physical assaults; both of which we've seen used, too.

It's just one of those things you have to accept for the premise to work, sadly.

That said, while that sort of thing normally irks me to no end, I'm finding myself excusing it because I'm really enjoying the show so far.

 

[JWPlatt]

It's the future of optimism. All disease is curable. All the lawyers have been killed.