I'm still running off the high that this episode gave me. The setup of the past two episodes has more than paid off and then some. The Man in Black's character arc is unfolding in perhaps one of the most satisfying arcs in the storyline. The many character reveals keep up the trend set by Season 1, while developing new and interesting storylines. Wow.
48 Reviews
One of the strongest episodes to date!
mcrowe-8842414 May 2018
These first few episodes were just setup, you can really see that the season two story arcs truly begin here. While only a few of the main characters appeared, this episode persisted with phenomenal writing, visuals, and the first major twist of season two!
Best of Season 2 by FAR!!
osorio_gabriel1714 May 2018
Every time I watch Westworld I have to retrace my steps just to try and understand the damn thing; however, after watching this brilliant master piece of an episode, I couldn't keep my eyes off of the thrilling, uplifting and climatic events for one second. It's by far the best episode of Season 2 and MAYBE even the best episode of the series (probably behind Season 1 Finale). This specific episode was easier to follow and understand while keeping its unique intellect intact throughout its memorable scenes and acting. THE ENDING IS AMAZING!!! Kept pausing the show just to see how much time was left on the episode, because I did not want it to END!
BEST EPISODE YET
mattcave-0738614 May 2018
BEST EPISODE SO FAR
willthacker-9713514 May 2018
So that's what William was up to
XweAponX14 May 2018
And Ford 's consciousness is still floating around the park, taunting William.
Over the weekend I watched the original Westworld, Futureworld, and the first episode of "Beyond Westworld", and have to say that these ideas had been thought of slightly in the 70's, so why should not this new Westworld series take advantage of them? Because this is the year when this stuff might start happening in real life.
Last we saw: A Samurai was comin after Maeve, and Peter Abernathy had been accosted by Charlotte Hale. But not until after Bernarnold had gotten a look into his Cortical Unit. And it was refreshing to see a character come back who we believed dead. But does Hale really have Abernathy in the here-and now? What we are enjoying in season 2 is an increase in parks, from 1 to 6, an increase in host narratives that have gone haywire, and now we get to sit back and watch how they assemble it all into Ford's new narrative. We are not even sure exactly what Ford has done, his motivation was always to protect his IP from the Shareholders. But the Shareholders, and William in particular, seem to have an agenda that's at cross purposes to Ford's. All Ford wanted to do was tell his stories, but Delos came in and perverted his work horribly. So, who would you be rooting for in such a Contest? In my case, I'd root for the people and hosts trapped in the Park. But we have already seen that both Delos and Ford will do atrocious things to protect their Agendas. So, who is worse, really?
There is something new for Season 2: We got to see an actual host "Brain". So, it's not all flesh and blood, there is a hard drive inside. Western Digital or Seagate? HDD or SSD?
And we are even being shown the nature of the Park(s). Is it on an Island? And William's "secret weapon", a big hole in the ground? And we got to meet William's father-in-law. Who has great taste in Music, at least. And Whiskey.
Because of Bernarnold's disrepair, and need for Brain Juice, it is his story and perceptions that are like Delores in Season 1. Bernarnold, he's one messed up guy. And to find out that one is Ford's Puppet, doesn't help matters much. But Ford's dead, right? And no longer running Bernarnold like a Radio Controlled car? Well, that's a really good question.
We don't think Bernarnold would harm anyone, but he has. I think Bernarnold himself would not hurt anyone, But even when freed from Ford's tablet, we have to ask if he is still being manipulated. Now the question is, if he is being run, then who is running him now?
We know William has a Daughter and until now, uninvolved with this story. Until Now.
A very important episode, it reveals Delos' entire interest in the Technology.
Over the weekend I watched the original Westworld, Futureworld, and the first episode of "Beyond Westworld", and have to say that these ideas had been thought of slightly in the 70's, so why should not this new Westworld series take advantage of them? Because this is the year when this stuff might start happening in real life.
Last we saw: A Samurai was comin after Maeve, and Peter Abernathy had been accosted by Charlotte Hale. But not until after Bernarnold had gotten a look into his Cortical Unit. And it was refreshing to see a character come back who we believed dead. But does Hale really have Abernathy in the here-and now? What we are enjoying in season 2 is an increase in parks, from 1 to 6, an increase in host narratives that have gone haywire, and now we get to sit back and watch how they assemble it all into Ford's new narrative. We are not even sure exactly what Ford has done, his motivation was always to protect his IP from the Shareholders. But the Shareholders, and William in particular, seem to have an agenda that's at cross purposes to Ford's. All Ford wanted to do was tell his stories, but Delos came in and perverted his work horribly. So, who would you be rooting for in such a Contest? In my case, I'd root for the people and hosts trapped in the Park. But we have already seen that both Delos and Ford will do atrocious things to protect their Agendas. So, who is worse, really?
There is something new for Season 2: We got to see an actual host "Brain". So, it's not all flesh and blood, there is a hard drive inside. Western Digital or Seagate? HDD or SSD?
And we are even being shown the nature of the Park(s). Is it on an Island? And William's "secret weapon", a big hole in the ground? And we got to meet William's father-in-law. Who has great taste in Music, at least. And Whiskey.
Because of Bernarnold's disrepair, and need for Brain Juice, it is his story and perceptions that are like Delores in Season 1. Bernarnold, he's one messed up guy. And to find out that one is Ford's Puppet, doesn't help matters much. But Ford's dead, right? And no longer running Bernarnold like a Radio Controlled car? Well, that's a really good question.
We don't think Bernarnold would harm anyone, but he has. I think Bernarnold himself would not hurt anyone, But even when freed from Ford's tablet, we have to ask if he is still being manipulated. Now the question is, if he is being run, then who is running him now?
We know William has a Daughter and until now, uninvolved with this story. Until Now.
A very important episode, it reveals Delos' entire interest in the Technology.
A groundbreaking ride
marcoarbia16 May 2018
The payoff is huge. The satisfaction is huge. Watching this episode, starting with the remarkable long take of the camera going in circle, makes you realize immediatly that this is not just a regular episode where things just happens. Some question are answered and we get to see with more of William/the man in black, in particular his trasformation throughout time.
There's still so much i'd love to say, but there's still so much i need to process. It's enough to say that i was blown away. That's how good this show is.
"They said there were two fathers. One above, one below. They lied. There was only ever the devil. And when you look up from the bottom, it was just his reflection, laughing back down at you."
"They said there were two fathers. One above, one below. They lied. There was only ever the devil. And when you look up from the bottom, it was just his reflection, laughing back down at you."
Perhaps the BEST EPISODE of the series so far
chrisrbaxter14 May 2018
1. The dialogue between Jonathan Tucker (Craddock) and Ed Harris alone deserves an Emmy. The Man in Black's response is one of the greatest lines ever delivered on film or television.
2. Peter Mullan OWNS this entire episode as Delos. His entire delivery and body language was unreal. There are layers upon layers of symbolism for the entire show just in his scenes with William.
3. Even though it feels like so much was revealed to the audience through Bernard and Elsie's discovery in the lab, there are still so many possibilities and levels to explore.
2. Peter Mullan OWNS this entire episode as Delos. His entire delivery and body language was unreal. There are layers upon layers of symbolism for the entire show just in his scenes with William.
3. Even though it feels like so much was revealed to the audience through Bernard and Elsie's discovery in the lab, there are still so many possibilities and levels to explore.
the episode i've been waiting for
trollerbrendan14 May 2018
Just Pure Nolan Magic
cbradxl14 May 2018
One and a Half: Limping
theminorityreporter31 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Depicting people being killed and their bodies used as supports for the railway is a dumb attempt to expand on the already-lousy concept of dead bodies serving a material purpose to the living. It's illogical as well because the bodies would be too soft and structurally inconsistent to support the rails; they'd cause instability even if buried under proper railway boards because a firm ground surface is needed to support the very heavy trains that would use them. It appears to be a lame reference from the saying "He who builds on the people builds on the mud". Well, we all know what mud spelled backwards is and, ironically, that appears to be exactly what the authors believe people are.
Unsurprisingly the former prostitute, Clementine has been recast in a preposterously contradictory way as a sort of task-oriented zombie (once a sex tool, now a tool of Dolores). She clocks people and then drags them long distances while they're unconscious or semi-conscious. She's an extraordinarily low-functioning and highly efficient specialist.
Entrepreneur James Delos is refashioned as a binary entity enduring an inhuman repetitive existence after a copy of his mind-data is posthumously joined with a host body designed in his likeness. He's been engineered to this artificial existence 149 times; he goes round and round in his round test chamber, re-playing the same arranged performances like one of his tidy white vinyl records on the turntable. The trials fail repeatedly because he won't accept reality and he goes insane in a matter of days. The real-world identity of the man in black, William visits him each time to administer a needed test of authenticity (a fidelity test), and finally, AFTER YEARS AND YEARS OF THIS, he advises Delos Copy CXLIX with bitter disappointment that he believes the world is better off without him and that he's better off dead. But instead of acting on this assertion William cruelly leaves him in a state of dysfunctional tantrum, choosing NOT to terminate this instance of him as he had the others, saying to the attendant "Leave him. It might be useful to observe his degradation over the next few days". (His termination would have been accomplished by the incineration of him and the contents of his test chamber - a totally illogical destruction of materials scripted strictly for superficial visual effect). He is later discovered long after the fact by Bernard and Elsie in his test chamber which he's largely destroyed in his rage, deserted and suffering from a psychotic breakdown that's resulted in him killing the attendant and mutilating his own face terribly with a shard of broken glass. Digging another deep and bloody laceration into his face, he pays service to the dismal theme of falling down: "I'm all the way down now. I can see all the way to the bottom." ENTERTAINING.
The man in black appears to feel bad about a bartender having his hand explosively shot off while being made to balance a shot glass of nitro glycerin. He then plays the 'hero' to the woman he previously killed and her husband, Lawrence when he makes their enemy drink nitro glycerin so he'll explode when Lawrence shoots him. But all display of new sentiment on the part of the man in black is just a transient conceit; an attempt to legitimize heinous violence via a superficial show of righting past wrongs and freeing victims from oppression (a very common conceit in this show - the disappointing reality of the authors' alleged purpose). All of it is then explained away by his assertion to the un-child information tool that he's just playing the game to the fullest (insultingly, the un-child then gives him the worthless clue to the pointless 'Game' that if he's looking forward he's looking in the wrong direction). These scenes do nothing at all to advance the plot but the contradictory attitude of the man in black does serve a purpose, which is to nudge the audience toward a capacity for viewing him a bit differently. It can only lead to disappointment. Disappointment is what he's about.
Unsurprisingly the former prostitute, Clementine has been recast in a preposterously contradictory way as a sort of task-oriented zombie (once a sex tool, now a tool of Dolores). She clocks people and then drags them long distances while they're unconscious or semi-conscious. She's an extraordinarily low-functioning and highly efficient specialist.
Entrepreneur James Delos is refashioned as a binary entity enduring an inhuman repetitive existence after a copy of his mind-data is posthumously joined with a host body designed in his likeness. He's been engineered to this artificial existence 149 times; he goes round and round in his round test chamber, re-playing the same arranged performances like one of his tidy white vinyl records on the turntable. The trials fail repeatedly because he won't accept reality and he goes insane in a matter of days. The real-world identity of the man in black, William visits him each time to administer a needed test of authenticity (a fidelity test), and finally, AFTER YEARS AND YEARS OF THIS, he advises Delos Copy CXLIX with bitter disappointment that he believes the world is better off without him and that he's better off dead. But instead of acting on this assertion William cruelly leaves him in a state of dysfunctional tantrum, choosing NOT to terminate this instance of him as he had the others, saying to the attendant "Leave him. It might be useful to observe his degradation over the next few days". (His termination would have been accomplished by the incineration of him and the contents of his test chamber - a totally illogical destruction of materials scripted strictly for superficial visual effect). He is later discovered long after the fact by Bernard and Elsie in his test chamber which he's largely destroyed in his rage, deserted and suffering from a psychotic breakdown that's resulted in him killing the attendant and mutilating his own face terribly with a shard of broken glass. Digging another deep and bloody laceration into his face, he pays service to the dismal theme of falling down: "I'm all the way down now. I can see all the way to the bottom." ENTERTAINING.
The man in black appears to feel bad about a bartender having his hand explosively shot off while being made to balance a shot glass of nitro glycerin. He then plays the 'hero' to the woman he previously killed and her husband, Lawrence when he makes their enemy drink nitro glycerin so he'll explode when Lawrence shoots him. But all display of new sentiment on the part of the man in black is just a transient conceit; an attempt to legitimize heinous violence via a superficial show of righting past wrongs and freeing victims from oppression (a very common conceit in this show - the disappointing reality of the authors' alleged purpose). All of it is then explained away by his assertion to the un-child information tool that he's just playing the game to the fullest (insultingly, the un-child then gives him the worthless clue to the pointless 'Game' that if he's looking forward he's looking in the wrong direction). These scenes do nothing at all to advance the plot but the contradictory attitude of the man in black does serve a purpose, which is to nudge the audience toward a capacity for viewing him a bit differently. It can only lead to disappointment. Disappointment is what he's about.
Catch up Elsie!!!
aboethius16 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Catch up Elsie! Bernard is a host. Catch up Elsie! To even your own analysis. His "brain" is messed up. You just told him that so why are you asking "what is wrong with you". Catch up Elsie! There is a hidden facility here, but she asks, "what the hell is that". CATCH TF UP!!! It obviously opens a door to the hidden facility. SMH, these scenes are unwatchable and unforgivable. It is like watching TV with an annoying person who is lost and constantly interrupting. It is so weird though that it is coming from an "actor" from within the show. I guess I can't blame the actor 100% - this is terrible directing and writing. What is the viewer supposed to feel during these unwatchable scenes but annoyed. Her annoying questions take away any of the mystery or suspense there could be. Next she says, "this is control unit printer, what are they doing with this". SMH. Let me take a wild guess - PRINTING!!!
I really want to give this episode a 4 because of that. But the scenes with William and Lawrence are great.
I really want to give this episode a 4 because of that. But the scenes with William and Lawrence are great.
Meh
filmobsession9417 December 2018
This show has taken a serious plunge with season 2. Apart from the twist at the end (and even that was a bit "whatever") this episode was so boring. Don't really care to see any of the other parks from what we've gotten so far.
"This is as good as we are going to get"
thomasluijkman14 May 2018
I must admit, when, on the "Previously on..." segment, Ford talked about calling forth Lazarus from his cave, I thought we were going to get a glimpse at the host version of Ford. I thought THAT was what all the hype was about.
Instead, I got what has been the second best, if not the best, episode of the entire show. Stellar acting, a great story that could have been a movie on its own and some really cool reveals, explanations about Bernard's weird seizures and the real motivations of Delos' investment in the park really closed the deal on why this is an absolutely amazing episode.
Oh and I am still on the hype train on seeing Host Ford. It was teased pretty heavily in this episode so I am SURE that it's going to happen.
Instead, I got what has been the second best, if not the best, episode of the entire show. Stellar acting, a great story that could have been a movie on its own and some really cool reveals, explanations about Bernard's weird seizures and the real motivations of Delos' investment in the park really closed the deal on why this is an absolutely amazing episode.
Oh and I am still on the hype train on seeing Host Ford. It was teased pretty heavily in this episode so I am SURE that it's going to happen.
Oh hi Lisa
ansimionescu14 May 2018
Finally!
lucafantasticini14 May 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Like season 1, episode 4 is the moment when things start to click. Maybe this time Joy's work directing did the trick.
- MiB's scenes with Lawrence were pretty powerful, even though I wouldn't want him to be redeemed just yet (or ever?)
- I read a comment about Grace's identity, but the revelation struck me either way. They're both survivors, they both don't want to leave and they both appreciate the narratives.
- The James Delos plot only confirmed what we already knew about Delos trying to replicate humans, but it was all very well executed.
- The long awaited return of Elsie! So her survival was all Ford's doing. What was his purpose though for letting her live? To help Bernard in his endeavor?
Westworld is back
goldmail14 May 2018
It's fascinating how they have so much to surprise you
s-shashank101215 May 2018
Straight off the bat, this is one of the best episodes Westworld has had yet and arguably one of the most well-thought out 70 minutes of television in a very long time.
Every thing from the new developments, brilliant writing, excellent character dynamics, to payoffs taunted as back as the first couple of episodes of the series. And Gosh! What a gem of a director Lisa Joy will turn out to be in the future. From the score to editing, the astounding production design and the breath-taking cinematography; the rainfall sequence, setting sun and one involving Mr. Delos (which I am not gonna spoil for you). 'Riddle of the Sphinx' proves why the wait for almost a year and a half was well worth.
Man in Black's ark is turning out to be one of the most fleshed out aspect of the series and it would really be interesting to explore his conflicts in the coming episodes. Mr. Delos was played to perfection by Peter Mullan in a performance that will remind you somewhat of what you might have felt when the first season started. And his conversations with William, Priceless!
So many payoffs all at once (even the ones we never knew we wanted). It feels good as a viewer when a show looks like it has a definite plan going forward, they set up things to pay it off down the line and the makers want to indulge the audience, than to simply make a buck load of money. 'Breaking Bad' did so and so has 'Rick and Morty'. And it looks like 'Westworld' might just turn out to be considered amongst the Must-Watch in the years to come.
Kudos!
Every thing from the new developments, brilliant writing, excellent character dynamics, to payoffs taunted as back as the first couple of episodes of the series. And Gosh! What a gem of a director Lisa Joy will turn out to be in the future. From the score to editing, the astounding production design and the breath-taking cinematography; the rainfall sequence, setting sun and one involving Mr. Delos (which I am not gonna spoil for you). 'Riddle of the Sphinx' proves why the wait for almost a year and a half was well worth.
Man in Black's ark is turning out to be one of the most fleshed out aspect of the series and it would really be interesting to explore his conflicts in the coming episodes. Mr. Delos was played to perfection by Peter Mullan in a performance that will remind you somewhat of what you might have felt when the first season started. And his conversations with William, Priceless!
So many payoffs all at once (even the ones we never knew we wanted). It feels good as a viewer when a show looks like it has a definite plan going forward, they set up things to pay it off down the line and the makers want to indulge the audience, than to simply make a buck load of money. 'Breaking Bad' did so and so has 'Rick and Morty'. And it looks like 'Westworld' might just turn out to be considered amongst the Must-Watch in the years to come.
Kudos!
First good episode this season.
ohcheap116 May 2018
Getting even better
millendrai16 May 2018
Another mind numbing exercise in tediousness
snake-9661514 May 2018
Random shoot em-ups. Nonsensical claptrap. Terrible writing. Characters that nobody on the planet cares about and horrific directing makes this one of the worst episodes in the history of television I've ever seen. Throwing in the towel here with this abomination. The perfect 10's listed here come from obviously, seriously deranged individuals and possibly a danger to society. There's no way to follow anything that's going on with the haphazard storytelling. Anyone saying so is an outright liar. I expect viewers will continue to drop. Total trash.
Both strong storylines
jwwalrath-227-8548715 May 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Wow, these last two episodes have been killing it! Newton and Wood got to show off their acting skills last time around and now Wood and Wright show off their superb acting skills.
After all this waiting, it is so great to finally see Elsie back, and she's as entertaining as ever. Felt she and Bernard had great chemistry together. Although we all saw it coming that Delos was trying to create immortality, I thought the fidelity testing sequences were well done, both sympathetic and creepy at times. The drone massacre and the big fight with James Delos have to be some of the most memorable action sequences on the show.
Although William's story-line was less flashy, It was interesting to see his morality slowly shift based on a lifetime of regrets. I loved the brief bits of imagery of his wife's suicide allowing us to infer. Also, the big gunfight at the end didn't hurt things any.
With a mystery human host out there, William's daughter meeting him, and Elsie and Bernard teaming up, I'm looking forward to what comes next.
After all this waiting, it is so great to finally see Elsie back, and she's as entertaining as ever. Felt she and Bernard had great chemistry together. Although we all saw it coming that Delos was trying to create immortality, I thought the fidelity testing sequences were well done, both sympathetic and creepy at times. The drone massacre and the big fight with James Delos have to be some of the most memorable action sequences on the show.
Although William's story-line was less flashy, It was interesting to see his morality slowly shift based on a lifetime of regrets. I loved the brief bits of imagery of his wife's suicide allowing us to infer. Also, the big gunfight at the end didn't hurt things any.
With a mystery human host out there, William's daughter meeting him, and Elsie and Bernard teaming up, I'm looking forward to what comes next.
Goosebumps
rushtonapril24 May 2018
To all the reviewers who say this season is boring, you haven't been paying attention. The build up is slow and the payoff will be big. This episode had me riveted, I barely blinked and had goosebumps at the last scene.
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