# HBO, Bad Robot, Westworld!



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/westworld-hbo-series-jj-abrams-pilot/

Could be interesting. It's a shame Abrams' record is so spotty...hopefully this will be one of the Good Ones.


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

I love Westworld (and even like Futureworld) but how do you turn that into a weekly series? You can't have the robots go nuts every week, it would defy suspension of disbelief that people would still go to the resort. If you use it for a backdrop for other kinds of stories, then you have the problem of making a "holodeck series" where nothing is real.

To have recurring characters you care for, you have to focus on the people behind the scenes, rather than the guests. I supposed you could do a bit of "Fantasy Island" with a few staff you care about and the fantasy stories of the guests being the point of the series, with most of the guests discovering their fantasies aren't as fun to live out as they are to fantasize about but I think that would get old pretty fast.

You have to admit, though, the idea of a production company named "Bad Robot" doing a series about quite literally bad robots, is somewhat amusing.


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## caslu (Jun 24, 2003)

Ereth said:


> I love Westworld (and even like Futureworld) but how do you turn that into a weekly series?


Obviously it didn't work, but I present exhibit A... Beyond Westworld


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## Eddief66 (Oct 24, 2009)

Are they going to make a Yul Brynner robot to play the Yul Brynner robot?


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

I hope they at least give Richard Benjamin a cameo in the pilot. I love that guy!


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Ereth said:


> I love Westworld (and even like Futureworld) but how do you turn that into a weekly series? You can't have the robots go nuts every week, it would defy suspension of disbelief that people would still go to the resort. If you use it for a backdrop for other kinds of stories, then you have the problem of making a "holodeck series" where nothing is real.
> 
> To have recurring characters you care for, you have to focus on the people behind the scenes, rather than the guests. I supposed you could do a bit of "Fantasy Island" with a few staff you care about and the fantasy stories of the guests being the point of the series, with most of the guests discovering their fantasies aren't as fun to live out as they are to fantasize about but I think that would get old pretty fast.


One thing that Abrams is undeniably good at is unexpected twists on high concepts. (It's the execution that sometimes falls short.) So I assume that HBO didn't just throw a ton of money at him and say "Let's see what you can do with Westworld!", but rather, he came to them with an idea for Westworld that surprised them enough with its doability that they decided to throw a ton of money at him.

And since it seems that he will not be directly running the show, perhaps we'll get the best of both worlds...an Abrams concept which somebody else will take and run with.


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## Idearat (Nov 26, 2000)

I'm picturing a show like Fantasy Island. New people come every week to experience the place with a hidden dark side to what's going on. Maybe an employee or two "disappears" at first, then the guests start getting killed.

How do you hide the fact that guests or workers are dying? Create an android clone of them, send them home and have them die away from the park. Eventually some reporter will notice that previous guests of Westworld have been dying in single-car accidents or suicides at a way above average rate, usually with their bodies burnt or otherwise damaged almost beyond recognition.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Idearat said:


> ...with a hidden dark side to what's going on.


And I think that's the key. The people behind Westworld are Up To Something, and Westworld is where they're testing their methods up. Our Heroes have to figure out what's going on (with lots of false leads and red herrings along the way, of course), and as the Big Picture comes into focus, figure out how to stop it.

I'm not sure how big a part the Special Guest Stars will or should play. Focusing too much on that aspect will give the show a campier, more 70s feel to it which I'm not sure would play well to today's audience.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I hope this is good since it will be on HBO. They keep getting shows that make me subscribe to them to watch.

I didn't realize WestWorld had come out on BD. I think I will pick it up sometime next month. I remember watching it back in the early 70's.


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## DVC California (Jun 4, 2004)

They evolved. They rebelled. There are many copies. And they have a plan.


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## PotentiallyCoherent (Jul 25, 2002)

DVC California said:


> They evolved. They rebelled. There are many copies. And they have a plan.


That could have been better written, but it's still funny!


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

aaronwt said:


> I didn't realize WestWorld had come out on BD. I think I will pick it up sometime next month. I remember watching it back in the early 70's.


You need to pay closer attention to the Amazon addiction thread. 

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=9751188#post9751188


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## Idearat (Nov 26, 2000)

DVC California said:


> They evolved. They rebelled. There are many copies. And they have a plan.


Some look like robots. Some look just like people, you could call them skin jobs.

Next thing you know they're attacking your planet and starting a new religion.


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

Abrams + Crichton, a match made in Hell.


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## Graymalkin (Mar 20, 2001)

Behind the scenes, Westworld will be (1) building a time machine, (2) cloning dinosaur DNA, and (3) building a satellite to retrieve mysterious space-borne viruses.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

dswallow said:


> You need to pay closer attention to the Amazon addiction thread.
> 
> http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=9751188#post9751188


Crap!! I forgot Amazon started charging tax today in Virginia. I might as well just order it from BestBuy to count toward the Reward Zone dollars.


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## aintnosin (Jun 25, 2003)

Does anyone else think it's perfect that _Westworld_ is going to be a "Bad Robot" production?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

aintnosin said:


> Does anyone else think it's perfect that _Westworld_ is going to be a "Bad Robot" production?


Who would ever say such a thing?


Ereth said:


> You have to admit, though, the idea of a production company named "Bad Robot" doing a series about quite literally bad robots, is somewhat amusing.


Oh.


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## aintnosin (Jun 25, 2003)

Oops.


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## bruab (Nov 16, 2001)

caslu said:


> Obviously it didn't work, but I present exhibit A... Beyond Westworld


Wow cool.

Youtube has everything!






(It looks like the whole episodes are up there too!)


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## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

I'm beginning to dislike JJ Abrams... I hope his only involvement will be his name..

Jonathan Nolan (The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Person of Interest) will be directing, and co-writing the pilot with Lisa Joy

Nolan's name on this project is more exciting than JJ Abrams, IMO..


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

bump

hbo released a teaser trailer:


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## retrodog (Feb 7, 2002)

Idearat said:


> I'm picturing a show like Fantasy Island. New people come every week to experience the place with a hidden dark side to what's going on. Maybe an employee or two "disappears" at first, then the guests start getting killed.
> 
> How do you hide the fact that guests or workers are dying? Create an android clone of them, send them home and have them die away from the park. Eventually some reporter will notice that previous guests of Westworld have been dying in single-car accidents or suicides at a way above average rate, usually with their bodies burnt or otherwise damaged almost beyond recognition.


Who says they have to die. Let them keep expanding and eventually take over. Didn't you watch Futureworld? Not too far of a stretch, I'm thinkin.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

NorthAlabama said:


> bump
> 
> hbo released a teaser trailer:


I forgot about this show. Now I'll need to make sure I subscribe to HBO again. I need to this fall for "The Leftovers". And once that is finished I will cancel. But then I'll need to subscribe again next year for Westworld.


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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)

Bump......


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Any idea when it's back?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Probably sometime in 2018. Like fourth quarter.


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## philw1776 (Jan 19, 2002)

Malcontent said:


> Bump......


Doesn't look like anything to me


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

Steveknj said:


> Any idea when it's back?


they were still in the writing stages for season 2 last march, when reddit users correctly predicted the 3rd episode twist, so they decided to go back and re-write the episode (more delays).


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

aaronwt said:


> Probably sometime in 2018. Like fourth quarter.


Long stretch between seasons, but I guess not as long as CYE


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

NorthAlabama said:


> they were still in the writing stages for season 2 last march, when reddit users correctly predicted the 3rd episode twist, so they decided to go back and re-write the episode (more delays).


Can you provide any support for that? Last March (2016) the show hadn't even aired yet and wasn't yet renewed for Season 2, so why would they be writing S2 at that time?

Also, can you refresh my memory as to what the twist was in episode 3? And why that would affect the writing of Season 2?


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

DevdogAZ said:


> Can you provide any support for that? Last March (2016) the show hadn't even aired yet and wasn't yet renewed for Season 2, so why would they be writing S2 at that time?
> 
> Also, can you refresh my memory as to what the twist was in episode 3? And why that would affect the writing of Season 2?


i was referring to march 2017 (4 months ago). i searched for the revealed twist, to no avail, but there are many online references to the revelation, and subsequent re-writing.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

NorthAlabama said:


> i was referring to march 2017 (4 months ago). i searched for the revealed twist, to no avail, but there are many online references to the revelation, and subsequent re-writing.


Then I'm confused. Why would the fact that the internet guessed the twist of an episode shown in October 2016 require a rewrite of S2 in March 2017? Off to google.

Edit: AAAAAAHHH. Your post wasn't clear. Reddit users guessed what would happen in Season 2 of Westworld (not yet aired), requiring the writers to make changes. That makes much more sense.

Westworld writers change Season 2 after fan correctly guesses twist


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

DevdogAZ said:


> Then I'm confused. Why would the fact that the internet guessed the twist of an episode shown in October 2016 require a rewrite of S2 in March 2017? Off to google.
> 
> Edit: AAAAAAHHH. Your post wasn't clear. Reddit users guessed what would happen in Season 2 of Westworld (not yet aired), requiring the writers to make changes. That makes much more sense.
> 
> Westworld writers change Season 2 after fan correctly guesses twist


did you find which twist was revealed? i looked for a while, but gave up when i couldn't quickly find it.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Was it ever revealed what twist was spoiled? Jonathan Nolan said: "Reddit has already figured out the third episode twist. So we’re changing that right now." But he didn't say what the twist was. I suspect there are thousands of speculations on Reddit, so I don't know if there's any way to know which one he was referring to.


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

DevdogAZ said:


> Was it ever revealed what twist was spoiled? Jonathan Nolan said: "Reddit has already figured out the third episode twist. So we're changing that right now." But he didn't say what the twist was. I suspect there are thousands of speculations on Reddit, so I don't know if there's any way to know which one he was referring to.


That was my take as well.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

since it was reddit, after hearing of the re-write, i was at least hoping for a combined list of possibilities.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

NorthAlabama said:


> they were still in the writing stages for season 2 last march...




DevdogAZ said:


> ...Last March (2016) the show hadn't even aired yet...


not to belabor the point, but i'm curious...wouldn't march 2016 be march _before_ last?


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

NorthAlabama said:


> ​not to belabor the point, but i'm curious...wouldn't march 2016 be march _before_ last?


Probably, but since it was so recent, I don't think of it as "last." Just like I don't think of yesterday as "last Monday." For some reason, I feel like you have to get some kind of distance in order to call something "last." For days, it probably has to be in the previous week. For years, it probably has to be in the previous year. Although if it's October and you say last January, I'm probably going to assume you're talking about the one 9 months ago rather than 21 months ago. So basically, I don't really know.

All I know is that when I read your post, my mind immediately went to the March from last year. I think it was partly due to your reference to Episode 3. Since S2 hasn't even been produced yet, let alone aired, I didn't think anyone could be referring to the specific content and twists of individual episodes, so that automatically made me think you were talking about Episode 3 of S1.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

DevdogAZ said:


> Probably, but since it was so recent, I don't think of it as "last." Just like I don't think of yesterday as "last Monday." For some reason, I feel like you have to get some kind of distance in order to call something "last." For days, it probably has to be in the previous week. For years, it probably has to be in the previous year. Although if it's October and you say last January, I'm probably going to assume you're talking about the one 9 months ago rather than 21 months ago. So basically, I don't really know.
> 
> All I know is that when I read your post, my mind immediately went to the March from last year. I think it was partly due to your reference to Episode 3. Since S2 hasn't even been produced yet, let alone aired, I didn't think anyone could be referring to the specific content and twists of individual episodes, so that automatically made me think you were talking about Episode 3 of S1.


got it, it's good to get feedback when someone's confused. i still want a list of potential se2 plot twists from reddit, too, but i'm sure i'll survive without it, and i'm not reading the threads.


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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)

Westworld Season 2 halts filming after cast member's medical emergency



> Production on part of Westworld's second season has been halted after one of its crew experienced a medical emergency away from the set.
> 
> "Due to a medical emergency involving a performer in a recurring role on season 2 of Westworld, filming on one of the two units has been temporarily suspended," HBO said in a statement to SYFY WIRE. "The cast member was not on set when this occurred, and out of respect for the performer's privacy, we have no additional details to share, other than that everyone at Westworld sincerely hopes for a quick recovery."
> 
> TMZ was the first to break the story, which cited a "source close to production" who claimed that the emergency was a head injury sustained by a male cast member at his home.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Whoever it is, I home he gets better soon.


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## markb (Jul 24, 2002)

TMZ is now reporting that it was Zahn McClarnon. IMDb doesn't have him listed in the cast, though.


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## series5orpremier (Jul 6, 2013)

They never do until a week or two after an actor’s first episode airs.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

The 4K is on sale at Amazon for $32.99 for Prime members only...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073R1T9F8/


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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)




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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)

Season 2, premiering April 22, 2018 at 9pm on HBO.


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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)




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## TriBruin (Dec 10, 2003)

Lot of Westworld news in the past few days. Most interestingly, the producers have threatened offered to release a summary of all the spoilers from S2 to prevent the internet from releasing their own spoilers (or publishing spoilers as "speculation".)

WESTWORLD Showrunners Threaten to Spoil All of Season 2 | Nerdist

I didn't think this was serious, until the following video was released. Watch at your risk...

(First spoiler is a video, second spoiler is a summary)



Spoiler













Spoiler



They Rickrolled us!


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## gossamer88 (Jul 27, 2005)

I'm not watching. I think they're hoping those with knowledge of what will happen in S2 will keep it a secret ala GoT book readers.


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

gossamer88 said:


> I'm not watching. I think they're hoping those with knowledge of what will happen in S2 will keep it a secret ala GoT book readers.


Good idea, I watched it and immediately regretted it. Especially the part about the dog playing a piano.

On another note, I love the symphonic heart shaped box cover in the other video. Reminds me of how much I loved the music covers in the show.


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## Tony_T (Nov 2, 2017)

I thought that the Netflix, release all episodes at once, was a bad idea, but this is worse. 
Seems the writers are just pissed that their 'twists' weren't really that well done, why else re-write an episode because people on reddit figured out what will happen in advance.
I'll watch on HBO when each episode is released.


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## markb (Jul 24, 2002)

Tony_T said:


> I thought that the Netflix, release all episodes at once, was a bad idea, but this is worse.
> Seems the writers are just pissed that their 'twists' weren't really that well done, why else re-write an episode because people on reddit figured out what will happen in advance.
> I'll watch on HBO when each episode is released.


Just read TriBruin's second spoiler!


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Heard a podcast with TV critic Tim Goodman talking about what he's seen of S2. He says that S2E1 is very clunky with exposition as it tries to catch people up, and he was a little worried about S2 as he watched, but then he said subsequent episodes are great and they are moving things forward at a very rapid pace.

So just temper your expectations for the first episode back and then things should get good.


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## gossamer88 (Jul 27, 2005)

vertigo235 said:


> Good idea, I watched it and immediately regretted it. Especially the part about the dog playing a piano.
> 
> On another note, I love the symphonic heart shaped box cover in the other video. Reminds me of how much I loved the music covers in the show.


BTW, turns out the video...



Spoiler



was a Rick Roll.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

DevdogAZ said:


> Heard a podcast with TV critic Tim Goodman talking about what he's seen of S2. He says that S2E1 is very clunky with exposition as it tries to catch people up, and he was a little worried about S2 as he watched, but then he said subsequent episodes are great and they are moving things forward at a very rapid pace.
> 
> So just temper your expectations for the first episode back and then things should get good.


I think the first season was just like that too. I was going to stop watching after a couple of episodes, and then it got good.


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## Jeeters (Feb 25, 2003)

DevdogAZ said:


> Heard a podcast with TV critic Tim Goodman talking about what he's seen of S2. He says that S2E1 is very clunky with exposition as it tries to catch people up, and he was a little worried about S2 as he watched, but then he said subsequent episodes are great and they are moving things forward at a very rapid pace.


Yeah, I just listened to that podcast this morning. He said the pacing of the subsequent episodes reminded him of recent Game of Thrones episodes. The episodes supposedly really move things along.


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## Saturn_V (Jun 2, 2007)

This is a really good recap of Season 1. It even breaks it down chronologically instead of all the non-linear story telling in show.


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

Saturn_V said:


> This is a really good recap of Season 1. It even breaks it down chronologically instead of all the non-linear story telling in show.


Does that have any references to season 2 at all? I want to go into season 2 with as little speculation/rumors/etc. as possible.


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## Saturn_V (Jun 2, 2007)

No season 2 stuff. Season 1 only.


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## tlc (May 30, 2002)

Saturn_V said:


> This is a really good recap of Season 1. It even breaks it down chronologically instead of all the non-linear story telling in show.


That was very good. And I needed it after so long.


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## gossamer88 (Jul 27, 2005)

I did a rewatch this week. And it is needed. Like GoT, so many things that I missed or forgot, that a one viewing is not enough. Can't wait for tonight!


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

Yeah, I'm regretting not rewatching season 1. I did like the recap Saturn_V posted... Definitely helps!


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## Tony_T (Nov 2, 2017)

Rewatched ep 8&9, and I'll watch 10 and the re-cap (above) before S2


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## RGM1138 (Oct 6, 1999)

Tony_T said:


> Rewatched ep 8&9, and I'll watch 10 and the re-cap (above) before S2


You only have 3 1/2 hours.


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## tivotvaddict (Aug 11, 2005)

Even on a re-watch it's still the fastest moving hour in television. Just started re-watching "The Adversary" about 10 minutes ago and all of a sudden it's done. Wait, what? Apparently 50 minutes have already passed. Now that's good story-telling.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

i've been watching most of the day...


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## Allanon (Nov 2, 2005)

I liked this video that explains season 1:


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## cherry ghost (Sep 13, 2005)

Allanon said:


> I liked this video that explains season 1:


Those guys do a great job. Their Game of Thrones videos are really good.


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

The last summary video wasn’t bad but the narration of one of the promo scenes was spoilerish.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

I just watched S1E10. That was all I needed to watch to remind me of what happened end of last season. Will probably watch S2E1 tonight so I can join in the discussion. Otherwise this might have been the type of show i'd binge.


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## DouglasPHill (Feb 10, 2005)

I stumbled on the binge of season 1 over the weekend. Watched episodes 5,6,7 and 8. 5,6,7 I enjoyed but 8 was just too weird. I probably would have liked 1,2,3 and 4 but they had already been shown when I saw it. I could watch Maeve 24/7 
Not sure I will continue.


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## DouglasPHill (Feb 10, 2005)

Well I did finish up season 1. Very confusing and weird season finale. Much less gratuitous nudity, darn it. I'll record season 2 when they binge show it before season 3. I probably would have liked the series had I seen the first 4 episodes but the eps I did watch were less "Westworld" than I was expecting and more "they're alive" focused. And trying to keep track of "when" things were happening was a failure on the director because he/she was trying to be confusing with it.


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## tlc (May 30, 2002)

I rewatched too and just got through the new episode. I rewatched #9 twice in a row!


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

HBO renews 'Westworld' for a third season


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## Saturn_V (Jun 2, 2007)

Season Three: now with double the timelines.


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## RGM1138 (Oct 6, 1999)

Saturn_V said:


> Season Three: now with double the timelines.


How long before that hits, 2052?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Ereth said:


> I love Westworld (and even like Futureworld) but how do you turn that into a weekly series? You can't have the robots go nuts every week, it would defy suspension of disbelief that people would still go to the resort. If you use it for a backdrop for other kinds of stories, then you have the problem of making a "holodeck series" where nothing is real.
> 
> To have recurring characters you care for, you have to focus on the people behind the scenes, rather than the guests. I supposed you could do a bit of "Fantasy Island" with a few staff you care about and the fantasy stories of the guests being the point of the series, with most of the guests discovering their fantasies aren't as fun to live out as they are to fantasize about but I think that would get old pretty fast.
> 
> You have to admit, though, the idea of a production company named "Bad Robot" doing a series about quite literally bad robots, is somewhat amusing.


By no means am I picking on Ereth, but I was looking at the first post in this thread to check on something and saw this, the second (and those following). It's interesting how different expectations were from the eventual reality!


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## Saturn_V (Jun 2, 2007)

I made the mistake of buying the 1973 movie before season 1 aired and hated every second of it. Thin dialog, thin characters, and a story that can be loosely described as The Terminator meets Jurassic Park. So I went in very very low expectations for the series.I still think there are other shows/movies that handle the nascent AI thing a little better. (Humans, Ex Machina) but I've been pleasantly surprised with WW. 

But it tries too hard to be deep when it's not drowning in spectacle. (violence and sex) This is the first show where I've depended on YT creators to clarify, interpret and make sense of what I just watched.


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> By no means am I picking on Ereth, but I was looking at the first post in this thread to check on something and saw this, the second (and those following). It's interesting how different expectations were from the eventual reality!


Yeah, I definitely got it wrong. Good thing, too. It's a much better show than I had imagined.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Ereth said:


> Yeah, I definitely got it wrong. Good thing, too. It's a much better show than I had imagined.


Looking at my own posts, it's interesting how my thoughts about what may happen were marred by my assumption that the show would have "heroes." It's interesting that it doesn't...usually, you need that kind of focus, but there are no heroes here, or even really protagonists...just a wide array of characters each pursuing their own objectives, and frequently coming into conflict. It's unusual to have a show built so thoroughly around ideas and not characters be so involving.


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

I suspect that we will eventually realize that the robots were the "heroes" all along. Certainly the farmers daughter and Mave. They just did a spectacular misdirect by making us think it was the man in black or the young finance guy (whose name escapes me at the moment).


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## RGM1138 (Oct 6, 1999)

Ereth said:


> I suspect that we will eventually realize that the robots were the "heroes" all along. Certainly the farmers daughter and Mave. They just did a spectacular misdirect by making us think it was the man in black or the young finance guy (whose name escapes me at the moment).


I don't know. We're seeing the hosts take on the worst aspects of the human guests. 
You could call it rebellion with the hosts achieving their freedom, I guess. But, Delores has done some deplorable things in her quest to be free.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Yeah, they may end up being technically the protagonists. But I wouldn't be surprised if we eventually meet some humans who are less despicable than most we've seen to date, who will come into conflict with the hosts and divide our loyalties...

I don't think, however, that it will ever be entirely clear who we are supposed to be rooting for...and given the central themes of the show, that's entirely appropriate.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Looking at my own posts, it's interesting how my thoughts about what may happen were marred by my assumption that the show would have "heroes." It's interesting that it doesn't...usually, you need that kind of focus, but there are no heroes here, or even really protagonists...just a wide array of characters each pursuing their own objectives, and frequently coming into conflict. It's unusual to have a show built so thoroughly around ideas and not characters be so involving.


I think it's been pretty clear from early in S1 that we're supposed to view the hosts as the protagonists. And especially now that they're rising up, we're supposed to sympathize with Dolores and Maeve.


Ereth said:


> I suspect that we will eventually realize that the robots were the "heroes" all along. Certainly the farmers daughter and Mave. They just did a spectacular misdirect by making us think it was the man in black or the young finance guy (whose name escapes me at the moment).


Who is the young finance guy you're talking about? Logan? If so, I don't see how anyone could have ever viewed him as a protagonist.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

DevdogAZ said:


> I think it's been pretty clear from early in S1 that we're supposed to view the hosts as the protagonists. And especially now that they're rising up, we're supposed to sympathize with Dolores and Maeve.


Except they're turning out to be pretty terrible people. Well, Dolores, anyway...Maeve was always pretty terrible, although she's getting a little better.

I don't think this is a show that ever wants us to feel too comfortable sympathizing with anybody, at least not for long!


DevdogAZ said:


> Who is the young finance guy you're talking about? Logan? If so, I don't see how anyone could have ever viewed him as a protagonist.


Maybe William? Apparently there are still people who haven't figured out he and the Man in Black are the same person...


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe William? Apparently there are still people who haven't figured out he and the Man in Black are the same person...


Well, I was very surprised to find that out in the thread for this week's episode. But I didn't think Ereth would be one of those.


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## David Platt (Dec 13, 2001)

Can we keep the spoilers out of this thread, please? There are threads for the S2 episodes.


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

DevdogAZ said:


> Well, I was very surprised to find that out in the thread for this week's episode. But I didn't think Ereth would be one of those.


I'm not, but as far as I'm concerned, from a storytelling point of view, they are different characters. The audience was, to me, set up to like William (is that his name? I am awful at names), the guy who came in and chose the White Hat and wasn't so horrible that he just wanted to do awful things to the robots because he could. The transition from that to the truly dark character of the man in black is really the major arc, in much the same way as Walter Whites change from simple, polite, chemistry teacher to Scarface was the overall arc of Breaking Bad.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

David Platt said:


> Can we keep the spoilers out of this thread, please? There are threads for the S2 episodes.


Good point. I kinda forgot this wasn't an actual thread for discussing the show itself.


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## mooseAndSquirrel (Aug 31, 2001)

In fairness to Dolores and Maeve, if you were a rape, torture and murder plaything being constantly revived, and then became sentient, you might have issues too.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

'Westworld' Location at Paramount Ranch Burns Down

Hopefully they'll be able to rebuild it before they start filming Season 3!


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> 'Westworld' Location at Paramount Ranch Burns Down
> 
> Hopefully they'll be able to rebuild it before they start filming Season 3!


wow, it'd been there since 1927 - never knew so many shows filmed there:


> HBO said in a statement, "Paramount Ranch was one of the locations used during seasons one and two of Westworld, in addition to the primary location at Melody Ranch in Santa Clarita. Westworld is not currently in production, and as the area has been evacuated, we do not yet know the extent of the damage to any structures remaining there."
> 
> Now part of the National Park Service and open to the public, the ranch has been the site of numerous productions throughout the years and was first started by Paramount Pictures in 1927. Among the films that shot at the ranch were "Caught in the Draft" with Bob Hope, "The Lake House" with Sandra Bullock, and TV shows including "The Mentalist," "Weeds" and "Quickdraw."
> 
> "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman" shot there from 1992 to 1997. Before the area was a public park, it was used for car racing in the 1950s as the Paramount Raceway, which was portrayed in the film "The Devil's Hairpin."


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

They did a flyover on ABC and it looked like there was nothing left but foundations...


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## tim1724 (Jul 3, 2007)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> 'Westworld' Location at Paramount Ranch Burns Down
> 
> Hopefully they'll be able to rebuild it before they start filming Season 3!


That was the Escalante set. I'm not sure that they would have much story left that needs to take place in Escalante unless they have more scenes that would take place before Arnold's death. But that feels played out. I think we'd be more likely to see stuff from after the park opened, which would be more likely to take place in Sweetwater (which was filmed somewhere else entirely).


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