Plagued by production issues, storyline kept under wraps, and growing anticipation by fans of the original books and movie, HBO’s ten-episode Westworld will finally arrive on October 2nd.
Based on the Michael Crichton book, and the 1973 movie adaptation starring Yul Brenner and directed by Crichton, Westworld tells the story of amusement park robots that malfunction and start killing visitors. Updated for a modern audience, and hopefully fleshing out the tale Crichton set forth, the ten-episode season stars Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Jimmi Simpson, Rodrigo Santoro, Shannon Woodward, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Ben Barnes, Simon Quarterman, Angela Sarafyan, Luke Hemsworth And Clifton Collins, Jr.
In a press release, HBO shared descriptions of the characters from the series.
Among WESTWORLD’s main players are: Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins), the brilliant, taciturn and complicated creative director, chief programmer and founder of Westworld, who has an uncompromising creative vision for the park. The Man in Black (Ed Harris) is the distillation of pure villainy into one man. Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood) is a provincial, beautiful and kind rancher’s daughter, who begins to discover that her entire idyllic existence is an elaborately constructed lie.
Teddy Flood (James Marsden), a new arrival to a small frontier town, quickly proves both his charm and talent with a revolver. Beautiful, razor-sharp madam Maeve Millay (Thandie Newton) has a genius for reading people and a knack for survival, but her seen-it-all-before worldview is about to be challenged. Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright) is the brilliant and quixotic head of the park’s Programming Division, whose keen observation of human nature provides him with boundless inspiration for his life’s work: creating artificial people.
Charlotte Hale (Tessa Thompson) is a mysterious and savvy provocateur with a unique perspective on Westworld. Theresa Cullen (Sidse Babett Knudsen), Westworld’s head of Quality Assurance, is responsible for keeping the park from sliding into unscripted chaos. A first-time visitor, William (Jimmi Simpson) is initially wary of the park’s more lascivious attractions, but slowly uncovers a deeper meaning.
Hector Escaton (Rodrigo Santoro), Westworld’s perennial “most wanted” bandit, subscribes to the theory that the West is a wild place, and the only way to survive is to embrace the role of predator. Elsie Hughes (Shannon Woodward), a sardonic rising star in the Behavior Department, is charged with diagnosing the odd quirks of behavior in the park’s hosts. Armistice (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal) is a savage fighter and brutal bandit, whose ruthlessness is surpassed only by her abiding loyalty to her fellow outlaws.
Logan (Ben Barnes) is a veteran guest whose hedonistic romp through the park is equally motivated by self-indulgence and a desire to help his friend, William. Lee Sizemore (Simon Quarterman) is the head of Narrative, whose storylines tantalize the guests, while his temperament grates on his colleagues. Clementine Pennyfeather (Angela Sarafyan), one of Westworld’s most popular attractions, is perfectly beguiling, by design.
Stubbs (Luke Hemsworth) is the no-nonsense head of Security, charged with monitoring host and human interactions and ensuring the safety of the guests. Lawrence (Clifton Collins, Jr.), a charming but lethal outlaw, has a knack for maneuvering and negotiating the various criminal elements of Westworld.
Each episode will run one hour, and I can’t wait to see this series that, from what I hear, is on a paid subscription channel for a reason…
‘Welcome to Westworld’ Teaser Trailer | Westworld | Season 1
In a world catered to your indulgences, are consequences forfeit? Catch up on Westworld Season 1 now on HBO. Starring Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, and E…
As a kid, I remember seeing this several times as a young lad, and was terrified of the idea that unrelenting robots would stalk their creators – unstoppable killing machines. More than a few nights were spent pondering who among my friends were secretly robots in disguise, but not THOSE Robots in Disguise. I also wonder how much of an influence Westworld had on the Terminator concept.
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I’ve just finished watching the first episode free online via HBO’s website and firstly I have to say the show is beautiful, so much so in fact that it has led me, a person who is either so adamantly against commenting on forums and websites that I have actually never done this before, or (truth be told) and just far too lazy to take the time to type out my thoughts on any subject. That being said this show has made me want to reach out and share my thoughts and opinions and hear what others had to say about it.
It is absolutely beautifully filmed and the acting is top notch, leaving no doubt as to why it’s on HBO as a paid subscription. The burning thought that prompted this uncharacteristic desire to write my personal thoughts about a television show is the character Ed Harris portrays, the man in black. Upon doing some research and reading about the show on various different websites, i’ve read many different theories about the show in general but also specifically about the men in black. Who is he? What does he want? Is he human or host?
I believe, and please understand this is coming from only having watched the first episode and not having seen the movie in many a year, that the man in black portrayed in this 2016 HBO West World Series is none other than the original man in black as brought to life on the screen by Yuel Brenner many years ago.
This, the HBO series has already established that the events 30 years ago that the original movie depicted, are cannon and the technological advancements to the park and robots themselves are in direct response to the tragedy that happened in the movie that started this all.
My theory, is that for some reason, over the last 30 years, the man in black has been “in hiding” or “off the grid” in some form or another. I feel as though, since this new park has opened, he has been coming back, under the guise of a guest and performing reconnaissance of a sort. I feel as though he is “out for revenge” against his maker and the “management”. If I’m correct, through his reconnaissance, he has found this family with the father and Dolores being able to be exploited in some fashion or another.
I haven’t worked out his endgame yet, this is all just speculation and beginning theory. Also there’s the fact that they’ve stated that Dolores is one of the oldest working hosts in the park, which leads me to wonder if perhaps under a different build of hers, under a different host role, the two of them knew each other.
Reading back over what I’ve written has made me again remember why I don’t write my thoughts out in public forums. I have no idea why anyone would want to read this drivel I’ve written. But I’ve committed myself to it and I love the major spoilers network and have been wanting to write something, anything so that I can feel a part of the major spoiler’s family.
So gentlemen and ladies, there you have it my nonsensical and utterly meaningless ramblings on a theory about a character in a TV show that I’ve only watched one episode of. I’ve wasted everyone’s time long enough keep up the good work guys you have no idea what your shows have meant to me and in many ways have quite literally saved my life. I’ve put my life through the proverbial ringer over the last few years and if it wasn’t for you guys and all of your many wonderful shows to take my mind off of my own personal pity party at times, I don’t know where I’d be now.
Long live Torq
JP
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, JP! Some of your ideas may hold merit, though some of that may change after you see episode 2. I still think everyone (including the guests and the “creators”) are robots, though after episode 2, I’m having my doubts that will play out at the end.