Westworld 1.7: The Story of the Story

"I don't wanna be in a story," Dolores says to William, who later provides the best possible Westworld answer, telling Dolores the life he's been living outside is a lie, and the most truth he's ever known is in Westworld with her.  (Note that in this sentence, the italics denote the series, and the name Westworld denotes the place in the series.)

That's indeed a great storyline - both inside Westworld and outside on Westworld on HBO - but it's nothing compared to what's in store for us in and in and on Westworld at the end of this hour.

Now I can't and won't say I was totally surprised. In a previous review I said that Bernard was more predictable than Ford - which is why I liked Ford better - and now we find out why. Bernard is a sophisticated host. He's been programmed to be a programmer - nice!

Not only that, he has no problem killing guests when so commanded by Ford.  The upshot in this overthrow of Asimov's First Law: the hosts are not evolving towards sentience - Ford and/or Arnold have made them that way.

Not that Bernard killed Cullen on his own or in his own defense - he was ordered to do this by Ford, to prevent Bernard from being fired, which was not in Ford's plan.

But the fact that a host can be programmed to kill on command means that a host can be programmed to do almost anything, I'd guess, including evolve to non-programmed sentience, and that's a fine kettle ideational fish indeed.

All of that in addition to a great train robbery by former Confederates with Indians checking in make Westworld one hell of a ride of a series.

See also Westworld 1.1: Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick Served Up by Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy, and J. J. Abrams ... Westworld 1.2: Who Is the Man in Black? ... Westworld 1.3: Julian Jaynes and Arnold ... Westworld 1.4: Vacation, Connie Francis, and Kurt Vonnegut ... Westworld 1.5: The Voice Inside Dolores ... Westworld 1.6: Programmed Unprogramming

  paradoxes of AI abound