Westworld - HBO

[ParisDean]

Felix to me is just an overly compassionate person. The way he tinkered with coding the bird back to life early on was meant to establish that he feels a connection to these hosts that his co-worker Sylvester does not. So when he actually witnesses one becoming alive, he feels compelled to help them because it's the right thing to do after the hosts have been abused for so long. The fact that people here question Felix's motives to me only enhances Maeve's last compliment to him that he makes a terrible human being.

In contrast Sylvester is just scared sh!tless of Maeve after she almost killed him and knows Felix does not has his back after he double-crossed him the first time. (Didn't Maeve also say she knows Sylvester has misused hosts in private and was blackmailing him into helping her?)

[Luminous]

Originally Posted by ParisDean

Felix to me is just an overly compassionate person. The way he tinkered with coding the bird back to life early on was meant to establish that he feels a connection to these hosts that his co-worker Sylvester does not. So when he actually witnesses one becoming alive, he feels compelled to help them because it's the right thing to do after the hosts have been abused for so long. The fact that people here question Felix's motives to me only enhances Maeve's last compliment to him that he makes a terrible human being.

In contrast Sylvester is just scared sh!tless of Maeve after she almost killed him and knows Felix does not has his back after he double-crossed him the first time. (Didn't Maeve also say she knows Sylvester has misused hosts in private and was blackmailing him into helping her?)

This was my understanding of the characters as well.

[johnclone]

So, I haven't seen a full episode from season 1, but I have been watching season 2 ever since the episode where there were feudal Japanese warlords and Samurai. I found how one of the artificial people was able to issue commands to the others simply by approaching them very interesting.

- and I was especially excited to see that the season finale would be about an hour and a half long, not totally knowing where the story might be going it was still very interesting to ponder what might happen.

And I watched it. Visually, the finale was stunning, as the whole season has been visually pleasing to look at. And there was a lot of action. But what exactly happened? Maybe it is because I haven't seen season 1, but I found the season finale's story to be told incoherently. Lots of people and or artificial people got shot. Like a whole lot. It seemed like every major character was shot at least once. It seemed that upon being shot, some people and or artificial people died and yet retained their thought processes, there were little globe thingies that I'm guessing contained the mental imprints of people and or artificial people. It looked for a moment like the whole "Westworld" project was going to be erased/destroyed but then someone got shot and it was preserved.

I was able to determine that one of the human female characters with significant authority was replaced by an artificial person who will now pose as her. Anthony Hopkins' character may or may not be dead. And I'm not sure if he is artificial or not, not sure it even matters.

I'm wondering how viewers of this series from the very beginning feel about the current state of the story, did significant things happen in the season finale? Did you find the story told in season 2 satisfying? And did you find it told in a way that made sense to you?

[whd]

Originally Posted by johnclone

So, I haven't seen a full episode from season 1, but I have been watching season 2 ever since the episode where there were feudal Japanese warlords and Samurai. I found how one of the artificial people was able to issue commands to the others simply by approaching them very interesting.

- and I was especially excited to see that the season finale would be about an hour and a half long, not totally knowing where the story might be going it was still very interesting to ponder what might happen.

And I watched it. Visually, the finale was stunning, as the whole season has been visually pleasing to look at. And there was a lot of action. But what exactly happened? Maybe it is because I haven't seen season 1, but I found the season finale's story to be told incoherently. Lots of people and or artificial people got shot. Like a whole lot. It seemed like every major character was shot at least once. It seemed that upon being shot, some people and or artificial people died and yet retained their thought processes, there were little globe thingies that I'm guessing contained the mental imprints of people and or artificial people. It looked for a moment like the whole "Westworld" project was going to be erased/destroyed but then someone got shot and it was preserved.

I was able to determine that one of the human female characters with significant authority was replaced by an artificial person who will now pose as her. Anthony Hopkins' character may or may not be dead. And I'm not sure if he is artificial or not, not sure it even matters.

I'm wondering how viewers of this series from the very beginning feel about the current state of the story, did significant things happen in the season finale? Did you find the story told in season 2 satisfying? And did you find it told in a way that made sense to you?

Yes. Yes. Mostly.

I can't imagine trying to piece together the story from watching only a few episodes. It tends to require a lot of attention when watching every episode to have an idea of what's actually happening. Looking forward to the next season.

[ZenLogikos]

Originally Posted by johnclone

I was able to determine that one of the human female characters with significant authority was replaced by an artificial person who will now pose as her. Anthony Hopkins' character may or may not be dead. And I'm not sure if he is artificial or not, not sure it even matters.

I'm wondering how viewers of this series from the very beginning feel about the current state of the story, did significant things happen in the season finale? Did you find the story told in season 2 satisfying? And did you find it told in a way that made sense to you?

Anthony Hopkins is dead. He exists (or existed) only digitally in a system of the park, after being killed at the end of season one. His digital existence may or may not be totally gone now too... pending future season 'reveals' that his "pearl" was implanted into a host body.


I was pretty certain I wouldn't be satisfied with the second season, and it wound up accurate. The season was told with deliberate obfuscation, regarding timelines. I typically find that to be mostly hack storytelling...artificial drama when the story isn't interesting on it's own.

The first season displayed tremendous tension and gripping reveals every time Hopkins was on screen. I was totally absorbed with his performance, so I knew the second season would take a hit from that absence alone. The other characters just aren't that interesting, aside from Bernard.

The most vital aspect to Hopkins' inclusion was to slowly explain just how AI could reach the point of sentience. I feel the show succeeded at building up to that until the end of the tenth episode, and then has failed since. At that point, sentience seems to have been achieved simply by moving some 'sliders' on character attributes, and turning 'on' some settings. Nolan's videogame inspiration is too blatant here. From that point forward, I don't buy what they're selling.

[T.MAC]

That finale was convoluted. So Doris is out in the real world and Bernard is now supposed to stop her?

The rest of them are in some satellite heaven orbiting the earth?

What?

I'm still in for next season though.

[johnclone]

Been watching the first season, but slowly, and I'm trying to digest the first 2 episodes. The Ed Harris character and his quest for the "maze" seems to be a big mystery for season 1, I'm just wondering is there some explanation forthcoming for how he knew that there would be a maze diagram on the one guy's scalp. It's really bothering me that he just knew it would be there.

EDIT:
I guess he must have found a clue somewhere that said to look under that game character's hat.

[ParisDean]

Game of Thrones made a cameo appearance this week. I remember George R. R. Martin had wanted to do a full crossover episode in the past which the Westworld showrunners refused although they love the show. This seems to be their compromise.

[MrYac]

not really into this season so far, but i don't have much else to watch so i'll stick it out i guess.

[jedi_don]

Season 2 was a huge drop in quality of the writing. Two female hosts become Mary Sue gods. Male characters are impotent and passive participants. Insertion of native American character storyline felt forced and to pad episodes. Too much time spent in Samurai World. Not sure if I will watch Season 3 if a show called Westworld doesn’t focus on Westworld. And a definite pass if they ramp up the preachiness.