Westworld (HBO miniseries)

[wizfan]

Damn, this season is getting better and better. @ImTheWiseJanitor I'd advise you to give it a chance!

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

I may just wait until the whole season is over so I can binge watch it. Season 3 was a mixed bag for me, but I loved the cinematography with the city life and there were some really good moments. Cannot wait to dive in!

[marodi]

That scene with Caleb and his daughter... it was the creepiest thing I've seen in a long time. The stuff of nightmares, I say!

This season is so amazing. And I would absolutely watch a spin off show with Bernard and Stubbs.

Having to wait a week for a new episode is soooo hard!

[ImTheWiseJanitor]

Damn, this season is getting better and better. @ImTheWiseJanitor I'd advise you to give it a chance!

Alright, the new episode had some cool moments. Probably my favorite of the season so far, but I’m still not quite sold on the season as a whole. We’ll see, though.

Also, between the last couple episodes of Barry, and the ABSOLUTE over-saturation of Stranger Things on the internet, I’m getting really burnt out on Metallica suddenly showing back up in all these shows again. When the 1920s “Enter Sandman” cover started, my eyes nearly rolled back THROUGH the back of my head.. ^^’

Can we stop trying to make Metallica happen? Please?

[mfte]

So far, this season is better than season 3 but that isn't saying much.

I kept thinking about this last episode.

[wizfan]

Exactly none of the twists surprised me... *shrug*

[mfte]

Well that got really stupid really fast.

Me watching this show is what Brent DiCrescenzo must have felt like listening to The Fragile.

[wizfan]

Well that got really stupid really fast.

Me watching this show is what Brent DiCrescenzo must have felt like listening to The Fragile.

HAHAHAHAHAH. Wow... I couldn't find a better analogy if I tried. You nailed it.

[marodi]

I also did see the twists coming about a third into the latest episode. And while it is a bit disappointing to see that the show itself is stuck in its own loop, I still care enough about the characters to keep watching. And I have a pretty good idea what the deal is with "Christina".

I think it's important to remember that the core concept of Westworld is free will. That is what Dolores and Maeve were after: being able to make their own decisions for themselves. It was at the heart of Lee Sizemore's arc: he went from a super ego narcissist to someone who sacrificed his own life for someone else by choice, not because he was manipulated or because it was asked of him.

More importantly: not being in control of his choices was William's worst nightmare, which is now so incredibly ironic.

And now, it's Bernard's fight; which he chose to make. He doesn't have to help anyone and yet, he tries.

This it what I'm going to keep in mind for the rest of the season.

[marodi]

Have you given up? Because I sure haven't.

Poor Caleb; he certainly did not deserve to be trapped into this kafkaesque nightmare.

Did Maeve put herself back together alone? How? New powers?

Only two episodes left...

[Kodiak33]

I haven't started this season yet...I've been worried since I absolutely hated season 3. Should I avoid?

[marodi]

I haven't started this season yet...I've been worried since I absolutely hated season 3. Should I avoid?

I guess it depends on why you hated season 3.

I'll confess that I was disappointed with season 3, mostly because I missed the parks. But I watched it again before season 4 and I liked it a lot better on the second viewing. So much is happening in this show that it's famously hard to follow but it holds up better when binge watched.

I'd suggest watching the end of season 3 just before binge watch season 4.

[wizfan]

Did Maeve put herself back together alone? How? New powers?

I think C did it. At some point she said "I stashed it".

[Ruined]

After this year's finale, IDK, seemed like a pointless season. Had its moments; but, overall this show seems to be an endless loop a that this point.

[stankeybearlover]

This season felt like they were trying to cram 12 episodes worth of story in 8 episodes and that halfway through production they had to retool things under the realization that it's quite possible that the planned 5th season might not happen after all.

I still enjoyed it, but it doesn't hold a candle to the first two seasons. And it's a shame that there was never even a mention of Spoiler: Christina basically being Dolores trapped in what used to be Rehoboam's role. Like they were intentionally trying to make season 3 seem like a distant memory.

I also don't get the criticism Tessa Thompson seems to be getting over her portrayal of Charlotte this season. I thought her performance was one of the best of the season.

[wizfan]

It was a good season finale. And it did feel like a series finale in many ways. This season was not bad, overall. It wasn't without its problems (especially some lazy writing and corny dialogue), but it made up for many of Season 3's mistakes. If Season 5 does happen, I'm optimistic about it.

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

Just finished episode 5 and I'm loving every minute of this season. The twist in episode 4 had me floored, even though there were hints throughout the earlier episodes like the fixtures being small models of the tower, it showing up on the screen when Maeve ups the frequency in the bottom level, along with Christina's Peter problem. Don't think this is stupid whatsoever since this is pretty much what S3 was setting up, and now we're seeing just that.

Charlotte really plays a great villain, and damn I felt so bad for Caleb when he realized what was really going on. I left all of my expectations at the door and didn't deep dive into any episodes; just going with the flow and enjoying it a lot. Me and my girl should finish by tomorrow, hopefully. Liking this much more than season 3.

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

SPOILERS


There could have been at least 2 more episodes to let it breath a bit more, since the last two episodes were balls to the wall, but they stuck the landing here imo.

There are tons of Easter eggs and callbacks in this season and executed very well. Also, the episodes title "Que Será, Será" (Whatever will be, will be) I absolutely love, and is the song Caleb sings to young Frankie... Oh, poor Caleb .

- The killing of the fly when we are briefly revisited by Rebus, loops back around to when we see Delores do this in S1.

- The tower layout, is the maze along with when Charlotte breaks the city sim to get Delores' pearl, with the cracks in the floor also representing the maze pattern.

-The parallel with Charlotte getting a new body like Delores in S3 against Maeve, respectfully.

- Delores and Teddy walking past Stubbs and Frankie unseen, since her world was a mirror of what was really happening. Subtle, but great stuff there.

- The return of the tree scenes where almost every important scene regarding Delores is near one, also the image Bernard saw of the burning tree. The use of black and white as well throughout the series and season is a nice little touch.

- The "I see the beauty in this world" line that calls back to Delores saying this in S1.

-Delores dropped the line that Akecheta says and one of my favorite quotes: "Humanity will only live as long as the last person who remembers you."

I cannot get over the similarities though with Endgame and WandaVision in this season, lol.

After watching S3 again, I feel it gets a lot of slack and isn't fully warranted sometimes. Season 1&2 go together, like 3&4 as great companion pieces, and I respect it much more now after S4's end. Rehoboam was correct all along when they show it predicting the extinction and mass world event which ultimately happens. The hints are all littered throughout the seasons for you to pick up on.

Charlotte coming around was a nice arc, and showed how crazy William really was wanting everything to burn down. Her offing herself shows this perfectly, even if it was hard to sort of root for her in the end after masterfully playing the villain all season.

Crazy to think that this could all just be a test inside of a simulation, and if Dr. Ford comes back into the picture, my head may explode if that theory comes to fruition. I definitely want a Season 5 now. Very good season!

[october_midnight]

[marodi]

I am so disappointed right now. Now, we'll never know how it was meant to end.

This show was so mind blowing. It never felt the need to chew up everything for the viewers; instead, it counted on the viewers unraveling its plot. And as a viewer, it felt so great not to be treated like a little kid who has to be guided by hand with everything.

And all those out of this world performances...

Very, very, bitterly disappointed.

[Wretchedest]

Wild that True Detective will outlive this show.

Guess the biggest twist of all is no ending

[wizfan]

This sucks, but, at least, Nolan and Joy will come back in the Fallout show.

[stankeybearlover]

I gotta say imo the last two seasons didn't hold a candle to the first two. I think I would have preferred it if they had intercut the respective narratives of the final two seasons by showing them parallel to each other. Kind of like a continuation of the storytelling style of the first two seasons. On their own season 3 feels disconnected from the first two and season 4 at first glance seems like an after-the-fact attempt to tie season 3 to the previous seasons. But taken together they could've been a double season arc on par with season 1.

Westworld is to me about the relationship between choice and conviction (i.e the understanding and experience of the interplay between structure and agency) against the backdrop of seemingly omnipresent normalized exploitative dehumanization. They handled it quite elegantly in seasons 1 and 2, but damn did they miss the mark by simplifying the final two seasons the way they have.

[burnmotherfucker!]

I gotta say imo the last two seasons didn't hold a candle to the first two. I think I would have preferred it if they had intercut the respective narratives of the final two seasons by showing them parallel to each other. Kind of like a continuation of the storytelling style of the first two seasons. On their own season 3 feels disconnected from the first two and season 4 at first glance seems like an after-the-fact attempt to tie season 3 to the previous seasons. But taken together they could've been a double season arc on par with season 1.

Westworld is to me about the relationship between choice and conviction (i.e the understanding and experience of the interplay between structure and agency) against the backdrop of seemingly omnipresent normalized exploitative dehumanization. They handled it quite elegantly in seasons 1 and 2, but damn did they miss the mark by simplifying the final two seasons the way they have.

That's an interesting take. To me it was about free will and how it doesn't exist except as an illusion. No matter how many levels up you go, you never reach anything resembling libertarian freedom. Structure effects agency for sure, but the total package is always out of reach.

I've yet to bother with season 4. Season 1 was the truly essential season for me. 2 was kind of ok. Season 3 was very forgettable. Probably should have stayed at 1 or 2.

[chuckrh]

Sad to see it end prematurely. I think a big problem was you had to actually pay attention to know what was going on, especially the last 2 seasons.

[Jord]

Sad to see it cancelled, S1 & S2 are some of the best TV I've watched in recent years, captivating stuff. I really fell off with S3 but it's still a damn shame.

[elevenism]

Sad to see it end prematurely. I think a big problem was you had to actually pay attention to know what was going on, especially the last 2 seasons.

Yeah this fucking blows.

No more The Westworld.

I'm so infuriated when shows like this are cancelled, because it was SUCH a slow burn, it OBVIOUSLY HAD a fucking ending (probably in S05), and we'll never find out what the ultimate message is.

This comes on the heels of the cancellation of Raised by Wolves, which pissed me off even MORE.

It was religion/magic vs technology, RBW, but it was SO goddamn mysterious.

[allegate]

Not just cancelled:

[elevenism]

Not just cancelled:

Does this diminish the likelihood of a Firefly-style movie ending in the future?

[Wretchedest]

Just feels like something is really broken when everything going on with this merger is good business sense