What I’m Watching: Westworld (Season Finale)

Westworld: Season 4, Episode 8 “Que Será, Será” (B)

It’s been so long and we’ve been through so many iterations of this world-within-a-world that I had forgotten when I saw Steven Ogg from “Snowpiercer” as Rebus that he’s appeared on this show many times, most recently in early season two. It was great to see Jonathan Tucker back again as Major Craddock since he elevates any scene he’s in, but it’s likely to be very little time before someone goes and gets shot in the head whenever they show up. Rules seem to be most important to just about everyone, which is why William pulled down and killed that sniper for breaking them and Charlotte, who was immediately repaired after her own apparent death, was set on keeping her scars so that William would know who killed him. It’s still not even remotely clear to me who was on which side and how things all panned out, but we did see Bernard leaving a gun for Charlotte since they share a certain kinship, and she doesn’t have the same destructive tendencies as William, who inherited them from the human version of himself. Frankie saved her father from Clementine, who did manage to take out Stubbs, but Caleb decided he couldn’t come with her because he knew who he really was. Dolores returned to her original state after realizing that she invented people like Maya and Emmett to guide her, though I don’t know what that means for her next. This has been an interesting season but not as gripping as season three, and, though season five is only rumored thanks to a conversation with Ed Harris (here’s mine, where we did talk briefly about the show), I think one last run through the hamster wheel could be very worthwhile.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Tessa Thompson as Charlotte

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 4, Episode 7 “Metanoia” (B+)

This episode featured an unusually high body count, and with the hosts in charge killed, it's hard to know whether there's a way for them to be brought back or if this is truly it. I don't think I would have expected William to be the one to take everyone out, though technically we're not dealing with the original versions of anyone anymore except for Frankie, who represents the fight to save a future that may or not exist. Charlotte was nearly ready to transcend before Maeve walked in and then ended up in a pretty unfair fight where she was outnumbered and then once again shot in the back (of the head) by someone who wasn't even in the fight at the start. We've seen her come back so many times before, but I'm not sure that will be possible this time. While Bernard told Stubbs that he wasn't going to survive, it seems like it might be the other way around. We have just one episode left in this season and reports that there will be a fifth and final round, and while I'll definitely be watching no matter what, I am curious to see what the framing is going to be and who's still left to fight the battle against whatever enemy is still standing. Dolores taking back her power and having all of the writers destroy their stories was a formidable move, though it unfortunately came at the same time as William instituting senseless combat among everyone in the city. She may still have a part to play, and having her come face-to-face with William will be an interesting way to revisit earlier relationships.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 4, Episode 6 “Fidelity” (B)

It’s interesting to see Caleb become the center of the world, or at least of Charlotte’s attention, which does mean something given that she reigns over the entire city of unknowingly subservient people. It was jarring to see the many attempts to remake him in physical form, as he noticed three other versions of himself in cages around him and then encountered a number of hims on his way to the roof, where he did finally manage to get a signal out. Charlotte was very disappointed that he had spent so long trying to get to that point only to transmit a message of affirmation, but the idea that there’s still hope and victory remains possible is certainly something much more comprehensible to humans than to machines. And Frankie did hear just enough of it to instill in her a reason to fight when she was nearly taken out by the mole, who wasn’t the one she originally thought. I like that Bernard recounted the many scenarios he had processed, one of which somehow involved Stubbs as the mole, and fortunately Maeve roared back to life at exactly the right moment to save the day. She and Frankie are a good pair now that they can finally work together, and they’re going to start striking back at an opportune time when even Charlotte is starting to see her hand twitch and her grip on her new constructed reality threaten to crumble. And she’s still obsessing over a 279th build of Caleb, which will likely serve to at least temporarily paralyze Frankie when she sees her unaged father apparently still alive.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 4, Episode 5 “Zhuangzi” (B+)

It’s intriguing to see the dynamic that exists between Charlotte and William, who have taken on different roles than the humans whose identities they’ve assumed used to have. Charlotte is even more confident but also extremely bored, not content with the role of gods to just sit back and observe the people unknowingly serving them. I feel like this was a more enthusiastic hour for William than we’ve seen in a while, indicating the depth of Ed Harris’ performance that has him tapping into an energy William has that he rarely uses unless he truly feels like it serves him. The concept of outliers is being set up in an interesting way, suggesting that in any utopia or dystopia, there’s always a chance of it crumbling due to the dissatisfaction of the powerless with not being able to control everything. That made it fascinating, therefore, for Christina to discover, with Teddy’s help, that she is in fact a god and can narrate events to ensure the outcome she wants, or to produce the information she’s seeking. Charlotte is keeping close tabs on her, but refusing to share Teddy’s name was a smart way of staying under-the-radar, even if she didn’t know that’s why she was doing it. I want to know more both about a process that feels a lot like a more serious version of what happens in “Upload” and also the “human virus” that William spoke to his human counterpart about that makes hosts kill themselves. That “you did” ending was definitely emphatic, continuing in a trend of strong finishes for episodes this season.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 4, Episode 4 “Generation Loss” (B)

Well, this was quite depressing. I think this counts as a rug-pulling development, one that shows us just how little we actually know of what’s going on, though it did also feel somewhat dense and repetitive. I suppose, however, that that’s the point exactly, since Caleb was so in the moment doing what he was trying to do, only to discover that this was the 278th version of him and that it’s been twenty-three years since he died there. It was cool to find out that the woman who was with Bernard is actually the adult Frankie, expecting to find her father’s body in the place that they instead found Maeve. This episode featured a strong performance from Tessa Thompson, who got to seem all too unconcerned with her fate and then start taunting Caleb as he kept passing out, very aware that she had the upper hand since the war had been lost long ago. The locating of Maeve’s body sets up an exciting battle where she and Bernard will face off against the hosts who have completely taken over, and I’m curious to see where that leaves other players like Christina and Teddy, who seems to know a lot about how he and the woman who shares a face with Dolores share a long and complicated history. I’m still not sure whether to trust Maya or not, and whether what she’s recounting as a dream that felt all too real is her starting to remember, the human revolution that might accompany the host-led one.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 4, Episode 3 “Années Folles” (B+)

This show has so many threads going that it’s often hard to remember which characters are even still alive, if that’s a word that has any relevance in its world(s). Bernard certainly did look like he had been in storage, emerging from that lengthy slumber after his stasis interaction with Akecheta, a reminder that Zahn McClarnon is always great and should be in more shows (like “Dark Winds”). Stubbs seemed more intrigued than anything else to see him finally wake up, though he got tired quickly of Bernard predicting what he was going to say over and over again. The idea that he’s going to save the world is interesting since it’s never quite so clear whether he’s on the same side as anyone else, though I would imagine that he’s much more closely aligned with Maeve and Caleb than the new versions of Charlotte and William. The casting of Manny Montana from “Good Girls” as Carver was reason enough to suspect that he wasn’t trustworthy, and Frankie was aware as soon as she saw him cut out part of her doll that he wasn’t actually on their side. They did manage to outwit him, but Caleb didn’t know anything about that when he was drawn to a host version of his daughter who definitely infected him with those same flies. The notion that there is a new level of the Westworld mythology that includes the massacre as part of the game where the players get to live through all of it is immensely disturbing but indicative of the unfortunate human impulse to enjoy others’ suffering.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 4, Episode 2 “Well Enough Alone” (B+)

There were a lot of new faces in this episode, and while we saw most of them suffer brutal deaths, it’s likely they’ll be back again very soon since they were nearly all replaced. There was something comforting about seeing Jack Coleman, best known as HRG on “Heroes,” since, though this show is much better than that one ever was, I feel like there has to be some shared fandom. José Zúñiga was the vice president, and his apparent demise on the golf course shows that there are no limits that the new William and Charlotte are prepared to respect, especially since they are set on bringing Westworld to a domestic location that means it can no longer be ignored or dismissed as somewhere else’s problem. Josh Randall’s Navarro wasn’t so willing to give up, but he got a stern lecture from Charlotte before a fly came at him to presumably render the same fate suffered by Hugo in the premiere. We also saw the real William being kept alive and tortured, given a taste of the experience of the constantly reprogrammed hosts, who are showing up everywhere, particularly Clementine and Sophia. Maeve and Caleb were able to get close to see a preview of the Golden Age being recreated, a pretty picture that’s sure to reveal a much darker exterior underneath. As Christina gets closer to finding out what’s really happening, I’m more and more convinced that Maya is a host since the terrifying calm she exhibits suggests a greater knowledge of the workings of the universe.

What I'm Watching: Westworld (Season Premiere)

I had the chance to review the season four premiere of “Westworld” for CinemaDailyUS.com - head over there to read my take.

What I’m Watching: Westworld (Season Finale)

Westworld: Season 3, Episode 8 “Crisis Theory” (B+)

What this show does better than anything else is to redefine its parameters constantly, recalibrating the scope of what it is that we’re watching. This season has been all about Dolores versus Maeve, each competing with different ideas for humanity, existence, and the future of the world. We didn’t know what role Caleb had to play, and Maeve explained it marvelously – that it wasn’t his capacity for violence but his ability to choose that made him critical. Deconstructing the full extent of what, if anything, might have been real in Caleb’s memories is a task I won’t dare to pursue, but he managed to get it, saving Dolores and then instructing the system to complete its final act and then erase itself. Seeing Dolores as a robot skeleton body putting on skin was eerie since she’s always felt somewhat human because of her physical appearance, and having her hooked up to the machine being drained of all her memories really symbolized the way she was being tortured. Maeve picked a side at the last minute, and now the new enemy is someone that Dolores herself created, the hybrid Charlotte. I underestimated William’s drive to succeed and to kill that which he partially created, but Charlotte learned one thing from Dolores, which was that your greatest enemy can become an ally if you create a host version of them. Bernard still has a role to play, and I’m curious to see where he’ll fall in all of this. I’m eager to see more of this show, though I know it will likely be a while from now. It’s been a superb season, and I hope awards bodies don’t forget all about it.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 3, Episode 7 “Passed Pawn” (B+)

It’s a relief to know, going into the final episode of this season, that this show has already been renewed for a fourth iteration. At least a year and a half have passed between each of this show’s seasons so far, and so I always worry that the enthusiasm has decreased once the episodes finally air and that HBO might decide that, similar to the excellent “Watchmen,” what’s been produced so far is enough and no more is needed. This season has been so interesting and high-octane, and I’m definitely invested in its future. We’ve seen just enough snippets of what Caleb does and doesn’t remember to wonder what actually happened while he was at war, and this episode helped to break down the fact that he wasn’t just a random stranger who happened upon Dolores but instead someone she very deliberately sought out because he’s going to be the one who either saves or destroys humanity, depending on what choice he makes. I was pretty sure I recognized the supposedly Russian captive as very American actor Enrico Colantoni, who helped to open Caleb’s eyes to his partner’s imminent betrayal and get himself shot too for the trouble. I like that Dolores told Solomon that they were like each other because they’ve both outlived their original purpose, something he refuted outright. Dolores and Maeve’s technology-assisted hand-to-hand combat was intense, and it’s not clear that either of them will survive what’s about to happen. I wrote William off when Charlotte had him committed, but he made a promise that he was going to destroy every host, and he just regained the upper hand with Bernard and Ashley, so maybe humanity still has a fighting chance in this angry, vindictive man.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 3, Episode 6 “Decoherence” (B+)

It’s so fascinating how different each hour of this show can be, bringing back characters only every couple episodes as the massively interesting narrative of this season continues to play itself out. I’m glad that Maeve is not in fact dead and that her body has now been reconstructed thanks to Serac, though it’s hard to know who’s winning the war right now. Controlling all the soldiers and making them put their guns down before challenging them to come at her showed that she was ready for a fight, and getting Serac to bring Hector back for her demonstrated that she knows how to win. Unfortunately, this all happened while Charlotte was in the middle of her last act as the mole before Serac told her that he had known it was her the whole time. The notion that this created Charlotte gave herself away because she cared more about her family than the real Charlotte would have is incredible. She went into full host mode when she needed to make her escape, and just a moment after I thought how unnecessarily stylish she was trying to be, she used her coat to her advantage in hand-to-hand combat. With the assistance of that giant robot, Charlotte made her escape, but she couldn’t deliver on her promise to keep her family safe, emerging completely burnt from the car wreck. William’s group therapy in which he beat his past selves to death was pretty terrifying, and I’m intrigued to see what Bernard and Ashley are going to do now that they’ve found someone who absolutely wants to see Dolores stopped.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 3, Episode 5 “Genre” (B+)

I’m loving the very sleek version of the future that this season continues to feature, though it’s absolutely a departure from the more mechanical settings we saw in the first two seasons that served primarily to design worlds built to look like the past. I kept wondering whether we were going to discover that Serac’s brother was someone we had met before, but that’s not at all where this episode was headed. Instead, it was a parallel narrative to the one we know about what was happening with Westworld, which was the gradual collection of data to be able to analyze the human race. Serac was building something to predict the future, and this informative flashback-heavy hour was fascinating. Killing the elder Dempsey was something he knew he was going to do, and he’s just another casualty in the quest for more power on this show. Recognizing Bernard’s purpose just as Ashley arrived to save him, Martin sacrificed himself to weaken Serac at just the right moment when Dolores pressed the button to reveal to everyone what their destinies were as calculated by the machine. Ash being the one to kill Liam was significant because she may not have had a greater purpose, while Caleb is just as lost as any host desperately trying to figure out what’s real. Caleb’s genre trip was quite disorienting, and I don’t know if he has any idea what to make of Dolores stepping in front of him to take a few bullets and save his life. Serac is definitely a formidable foe for Dolores, complete with an extremely fancy watch and plane that, like Westworld, make him seem much more protected than he actually is.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 3, Episode 4 “The Mother of Exiles” (B+)

When I watch this show, I accept that I might not totally be grasping everything that’s going on, and especially when I was more than a week behind in my sprint catch-up over the past few weeks, I was worried about Googling to read other reviews that might shed more light on anything that confused me. I was trying to figure out prior to this episode if we knew what host had taken over Charlotte’s body, and it turns out that was just a mystery that had yet to be revealed! It does make some sense that Dolores would depend only on one person she knows best and implant five different versions of herself in the new hosts, and that news stunned a number of others who thought they understood the intricacies of everything best. It was the best way for her to get revenge on the man she first loved who betrayed her, William, as Charlotte rallied him back to focused sanity only to then have him declared incompetent and committed. I’m not sure we’ll ever see The Man in Black again, especially since this season has mostly taken place outside of the park. Bernard and Ashley made good progress in getting to the fancy party where Dolores and Liam were, but they mistakenly believed that Liam was a host when in fact he’ll be used for the knowledge already in his head rather than replaced. Even though she’s not in Westworld or Shogun World, I’d like to think that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Maeve, with her masterful combat skills and technological prowess also allowing her a miraculous recovery from that fatal blow delivered to her by Musashi.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 3, Episode 3 “The Absence of Field” (B+)

This season continues to be fascinating, and not spending any time within Westworld (or at least assuming that’s the case) hasn’t been a detriment at all. The one frustrating element has always been true on this show, which is that a focus on specific characters means that we don’t see everyone in each episode. But at least the overarching plotlines are aligning, with Charlotte being shown that Maeve’s code has been stolen and later meeting with an unhappy Serac, who really doesn’t know nearly as much as he thinks he does. It’s so interesting to see the power dynamic between Dolores and Charlotte, and to understand more about who Charlotte is, since apparently the real Charlotte is still buried in there somewhere and trying to claw her way out of a body that no longer belongs to her. Tessa Thompson is delivering a layered performance this season, and her best work was when she went to pick up her son and nearly strangled the pedophile who she said reminded her of what it meant to be a parent. I like the casting of Michael Ealy from “Sleeper Cell” and “The Good Wife” as Jake, Charlotte’s ex, though I’m not sure we’ll see him again anytime soon. Aaron Paul is proving to be a superb addition to the cast, with Caleb fearlessly standing up to the fake police who showed up to take Dolores and then withstanding torture so that he wouldn’t put her in danger. He wasn’t pleased with how much Dolores knew about his entire life, but her full honesty suggests she’s recruiting a true partner rather than just someone else she can control.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 3, Episode 2 “The Winter Line” (B+)

I was so impressed with the premiere and how it presented a sleek version of the future in the real world, where Dolores is now executing her revenge on those who wronged her. A return to a simulation felt entirely worthwhile, especially because it revealed new depths and new possibilities. I had read that this season might feature a Nazi world, which is apparently called Warworld, and it was indeed disturbing in a different way to watch as Nazi commandos rounded up suspected traitors for execution as part of the normal narrative for any depraved individual to experience as entertainment. Maeve realizing that her command powers didn’t work led her to nearly end her own existence, but fortunately Lee showed up at just that moment to repay his debt to her. As usual, she was able to deduce much more about what was going on than anyone around her, revealing that Lee was a host and also that the world they were in wasn’t actually the real one. It was a fascinating unveiling, and she did an incredible job of programming things so that all the techs would get stuck in a logic loop and all the hosts would shoot each other since every one of them was holding a copy of the plans. Having the robot smuggle her outside didn’t work all that well, but now she’s been introduced to Vincent Cassel’s Engerraund Serac, who made sure to control some of her motor functions and charge her with the expected mission of this season: find and stop Dolores. I’m so in.

What I’m Watching: Westworld (Season Premiere)

Westworld: Season 3, Episode 1 “Parce Domine” (B+)

I watch a lot of shows, but I don’t feel the same way about all of them. I’m prone to distractions during some, and find others to be less than fantastic while I can’t bring myself to stop watching them. This premiere was probably the most riveting hour of television I’ve seen in a while, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about this show’s return. I had always said that, in its first two seasons, even if the twists weren’t entirely shocking, the path towards them was full of such rich and deep storytelling, demonstrating an immense and layered story I and so many others could barely hope to comprehend. I’m still not entirely sure about a few things, but I don’t want to look anything up to confirm for fear of spoilers, especially considering I’m more than a week behind on all my shows. It was exciting to see a number of familiar faces joining the cast here, including Aaron Paul from “Breaking Bad,” Lena Waithe from “Master of None,” John Gallagher, Jr. from “The Newsroom,” and Tommy Flanagan from “Sons of Anarchy.” I don’t know how many of them, aside from Paul, will continue to be part of the show down the road this season, but they were all solid in their respective roles. It’s thrilling to see (almost?) the entire episode take place in the real world, a sleek future with visually astounding technology. Dolores exactly her revenge and building her power is a formidable thing to watch, as is the new Charlotte’s ascension to power. Bernard is headed back to Westworld from whatever far corner of the world he’s found himself in, and I can’t wait until we get to see Maeve again. I’m hooked, and I need to catch up on all my shows just to be able to watch episode two as soon as possible.

What I’m Watching: Westworld (Season Finale)

Westworld: Season 2, Episode 10 “The Passenger” (B)

I consider it a small miracle that it took me nearly three weeks to watch the season finale of one of the most buzzed-about and popular shows on television and I didn’t have a single thing spoiled. That and I didn’t finish it until a couple days after the Emmy nominations, where this show performed very well with a staggering 21 nominations, including a surprise bid for lead actor Ed Harris, who has grown even more unlikeable all season long. Part of the reason I think I didn’t know what was coming is that I’m still not entirely sure what happened, and I’m trying my best to analyze this episode without reading other recaps to confirm what I think. Early on in this epic ninety-minute finale, Maeve pulled off another mesmerizing feat of mind control, but it was her final effort to hold off the hordes of violent hosts egged on by Clementine that was the most impressive. I still don’t really comprehend what death means in this world since all the hosts should be able to be revived, but things seemed pretty finite when it came to Teddy and some of the others. I loved that Lee stepped in to take Hector’s place and deliver the battle speech that he wrote, sacrificing his own life because he believed in the cause of those he had created. Bernard’s out-of-time experiences were certainly trippy, and after he killed Dolores, it was pretty shocking to see a host version of Charlotte emerge and kill the basis for her existence, a revelation that there was a whole plan all along to truly infiltrate the highest levels of humanity responsible for the creation and manipulation of Westworld. How Bernard is still alive and what that means is a mystery, as is the post-credits sequence in which William discovered that he might be a host (I’m really not sure). What the valley beyond actually was is also incredibly intriguing, and I can honestly say that I have no clue what comes next in season three. I still contend that this is one of the most fascinating shows on television, but I didn’t feel that this year was quite as strong or even as season one.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Thandie Newton as Maeve

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 2, Episode 9 “Vanishing Point” (B+)

I’m amazed that it’s been almost a full week since the season finale aired and I haven’t had either of the final two episodes spoiled for me, and with six hours of television ahead of the finale in the queue, I’m hoping that will continue. This episode was unusual because it actually provided some direct answers and, more importantly, showed us specific scenes that happened in the real world. I don’t want to read any recaps to confirm that what I saw was indeed what I saw for fear of stumbling upon a critical spoiler, but I think the gist is clear. William’s addiction to Westworld pushed his wife to the edge, exacerbating a drinking problem that may have started as a result of his frequent absences and making him feel lonelier and lonelier as he pursued the end of the game. Killing all of the people who showed up and then shooting his daughter because he thought she was Ford trying to test him shows how far he’s gone with no hope of return, and seeing Ford present his initial challenge to William doesn’t justify the fact that he has now killed the only person who still mattered to him. Teddy shooting himself in front of Dolores doesn’t feel as consequential since he is a host and could therefore be easily received, something I don’t believe is possible if the guests die within the park. Bernard is the true hero of this season, fighting valiantly against his programming to prove that he can be good. I’m excited for the finale and hopeful that it will be intense, enthralling, and satisfying in whatever way this show can be.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 2, Episode 8 “Kiksuya” (B+)

It’s a risky thing to be more than a week behind on this show, and so I’m catching up as quickly as I possibly can (I’ll make it before the finale). What I had read about this episode was that some considered it to be a career-best turn for actor Zahn McClarnon. I think I first encountered him in a regrettable role on the CW’s less-than-quality “Ringer,” but then I got to see him in crucial recurring roles on “The Red Road,” season two of “Fargo,” and of course as Officer Mathias on “Longmire.” I know he was submitted as an Emmy contender for Best Guest Actor for this role, and I’d be surprised if he did get the nomination because I doubt many know who he is, but it would be nice if he got that recognition. What this hour accomplished is that it showed how those hosts who are able to remember things from their previous iterations - previously just Dolores and Maeve - experience their enlightenment through seeing a way out, sharing past memories with someone else, and then watching that entire history be erased when the techs arrive to reprogram and reboot defective, wandering hosts. Having Akecheta tell Maeve’s daughter about everything he learned and went through while Maeve was lying, seemingly unable to be saved, on the table was powerful since she seems to have developed even more incredible powers, and just because she’s not following a map specifically laid out by Ford doesn’t mean she’s not capable of astonishing things, even when she’s not conscious.

What I’m Watching: Westworld

Westworld: Season 2, Episode 7 “Les Écorchés” (B+)

I don’t think there’s a point at which I’ll be able to put everything we’ve seen this season in chronological order, with new developments related to Bernard and Charlotte being presented simultaneously while they obviously occur at different times. That pales in comparison, however, to the major conclusion that Bernard verbalized in his conversation with Ford, which built upon what we saw of Delos previously saying the exact same words over and over again in each iteration. The notion that the stories, anchored by that musical intro with the same dialogue each day, are the same for the sake of capturing the behavior of the guests rather than the hosts is mesmerizing, and that careful analysis stands in stark contrast to the orchestrated chaos that Ford seems to be championing, deeming it a necessary step of the evolution of the hosts. Dolores gets it completely, unconcerned with inaccessible backups because she sees them as a hindrance to their development rather than a crucial fallback, and she was ready to drill right into Charlotte to show her what it’s like to be experimented on. She wanted to put Maeve down, but this new world needs both of them in order to truly become what Ford seems to believe it should as he appears in Bernard’s head and forces him to do his bidding even after he’s been killed. After she was nearly dismembered, Charlotte is now back on top, ready to find the key and, thanks to Bernard, possibly have a leg up in this worsening conflict.