Westworld - New Show Preview

"Every Hero Has A Core"

Last Sunday, HBO premiered the new series, Westworld. The show's origins come from the movie directed and written by Michael Crichton, which released in 1973, starring Yul Brynner. This version is produced by Jonathan Nolan and J.J. Abrams. It stars Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Jeffrey Wright, Ed Harris, and Anthony Hopkins, just to name a few. The show revolves around the fictional Westworld, which is a technologically advanced Western "theme park". The catch is, there are no rides here, only highly advanced artificial intelligence, designed for one purpose, to please the visitors. Unaware of their true role in the world, these "Hosts" allow "Newcomers" to act out the fantasy of living in the Wild West.....the gun-play, the debauchery, and the adventure. The show is two parts....1. What we see inside Westworld, the ultimate vacation spot and 2. What we see outside, as we look at the individuals pulling the strings and pushing the buttons. Even though the Hosts are ultra-realistic, there is a desire for more,  by the creators, as they approach the pinnacle of technology. Will that desire for perfection come at a deadly price?

This first episode focuses on the setup of the show and a glimpse at the fictional world of Westworld. It shows the human nature in a raw sense of desire for adventure, lust, and power. As the Hosts begin to question their reality, it leaves people on edge, and uncertain about the future. This show has already pulled me in, and could be a great hit. I would like to see a bit more of the "outside world", but this episode serves as a great starting point and setup piece. I'm excited to see more in the coming weeks, and the ultimate direction of the series.

Westworld airs Sundays at 8PM CST, on HBO. The second episode is tonight, but is already available for streaming through HBO GO and HBO Now. Go catch up now and join in on the action!

-AF-