westworld

Mirroring Humans through Westworld’s Othered Artificial Intelligence
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Mirroring Humans through Westworld’s Othered Artificial Intelligence

By
 / 27 November 2018

In the fantasy world of AI-populated Westworld, unchecked humankind regresses into violence toward the "Other" -- just as we do in the chaotic real world. Is that the essence of human nature, to always reject its' self as seen in the visage of the Other?

“The Evolution of Sin” in ‘Westworld’
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“The Evolution of Sin” in ‘Westworld’

By
 / 27 November 2017

The uncanny similarity of scenes in this show to the Hollywood harassment/abuse stories -- up to and including the proposition that suffering can advance one's career -- reveals Westworld to be too content to reenact the mechanisms of systemic abuse.

Westworld’s Trompe L’Oeil Is a Placeholder Episode With a Jaw-Dropping Twist
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Westworld’s Trompe L’Oeil Is a Placeholder Episode With a Jaw-Dropping Twist

By
 / 13 February 2017
Mid-season, Westworld may be marking time, but shocks and reversals still abound.
Maeve Ascends as More ‘Westworld’ Secrets are Revealed in “The Adversary”
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Maeve Ascends as More ‘Westworld’ Secrets are Revealed in “The Adversary”

By
 / 3 February 2017
Despite the ubiquity of corporate intrigue and maze imagery, "The Adversary" delivers another fascinating episode.
‘Westworld’s “Contrapasso” Episode Suggests Dehumanization and Dante’s Nine Circles of Hell
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‘Westworld’s “Contrapasso” Episode Suggests Dehumanization and Dante’s Nine Circles of Hell

By
 / 26 January 2017
The narrative pivots and complicates the reality of Westworld in "Contrapasso". The show is about the most HBO-ized episode of an HBO drama ever produced.
“Dissonance Theory” Both Reveals and Conceals Westworld’s Purpose
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“Dissonance Theory” Both Reveals and Conceals Westworld’s Purpose

By
 / 2 December 2016
Westworld goes beyond HBO's usual visual spectacle and raunchy window dressing to offer philosophical meditations on both narrative and character.
‘Westworld’ Continues to be a Cerebral Examination of Consciousness and Story
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‘Westworld’ Continues to be a Cerebral Examination of Consciousness and Story

By
 / 28 November 2016
"The Stray" deepens the narrative as both story and characters move forward in unexpected ways.
Dualities, Glitches, and Playing God: Just Another Week in Westworld.
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Dualities, Glitches, and Playing God: Just Another Week in Westworld.

By
 / 2 November 2016
Here lies the Creator's plan for his world, overtly displayed and covertly ambiguous at the same time.
Westworld: Season 1, Episode 1 – “The Original”
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Westworld: Season 1, Episode 1 – “The Original”

By
 / 18 October 2016
Ethical conflicts between creator and created are just one aspect of Westworld's brilliant and epically ambitious first episode.
‘Westworld’ Ponders the Lives of NPCs
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‘Westworld’ Ponders the Lives of NPCs

By
 / 5 October 2016
Westworld seems less interested in examining traditional protagonists than interrogating the behaviors and abuses of a fictional world's props, its non-player characters.