SciFiNow-August2018

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SEASON TWO PUTS HUMANS

IN THE PICTURE

While Season One saw humans examining and

trying to understand hosts, Season Two fl ipped that

on its head, ending with the System telling Dolores

that humans are actually not very complex at all. “In

the fi rst season we were looking at the host’s agency

and how [humans] were tracking their behaviour,”

Joy says, “and in the second season there’s a

paradigm shift, the humans are in their own little

fi shbowl, being observed, only to fi nd that they too

can be reduced to some rather elementary building

blocks.” Joy points out that her own loop of working,

eating and putting the kids to bed is far narrower

than any of the host’s loops.

FREE WILL IS AN ILLUSION

“Basically, as far as we can tell, free will is an

illusion,” Nolan declares. He describes a study that

asked people to perform a simple task involving

making a basic choice. “What they found is that

about a millisecond or so before you make the

conscious choice to press the button, something

else makes that decision for you... the name of

the [Season Two fi nale] is ‘The Passenger’, in part

because there is this other thing really at the wheel –

our subconscious.”

THE END IS IN SIGHT

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

of the Westworld process and haven’t deviated from that. But the stuff in the middle is

more malleable. “Part of this season is a cautionary tale about hubris and as a writer

you never want to tempt the smiting of the TV gods, so I’d never venture to guess how

many seasons we will live for. But I do think that there are tentpole moments that we’re

trying to move towards and hopefully we’ll reach our ending in the time that we have.”

THE CAST

DON’T ALWAYS

KNOW WHAT’S

GOING ON

“In the fi rst season

with Jeffrey [Wright,

who plays Bernard]

we had to explain to

him his character’s

arc after the pilot

because he had to

play at least two

different characters,

so it was only

fair for him to be

able to craft that

performance,” says

Nolan. “We didn’t

really tell Evan

[Rachel Wood,

who plays Dolores]

anything because

we wanted her to be

so stranded in her

character’s situation,

guessing what her

larger story was. This

season Evan knew

everything, we laid

out the season for

her, but Jeffrey, we

explained we weren’t

telling him anything.”

EVEN THE

FILM STOCK

CONTRIBUTES

TO THE

PUZZLES OF

WESTWORLD

Westworld is shot on

fi lm, but for certain

sequences in Season

Two they switched

to an anamorphic

format – ie that

distinctive widescreen

look that Westworld

shifted to from time to

time. “It has a totally

beautiful, different

texture to it,” Nolan

explains, “which we

thought would gently,

suggest that there

was something about

those sequences

that wasn’t quite

right. In these later

episodes, six, seven

and the fi nale, you

understand that that’s

our gentle way of

putting you into a

virtual space.”

HOT NEWS

Westworld Secrets

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SEASON TWO PUTS HUMANS

IN THE PICTURE

While Season One saw humans examining and

trying to understand hosts, Season Two fl ipped that

While Season One saw humans examining and

trying to understand hosts, Season Two fl ipped that

While Season One saw humans examining and

on its head, ending with the System telling Dolores

trying to understand hosts, Season Two fl ipped that

on its head, ending with the System telling Dolores

trying to understand hosts, Season Two fl ipped that

that humans are actually not very complex at all. “In

on its head, ending with the System telling Dolores

that humans are actually not very complex at all. “In

on its head, ending with the System telling Dolores

the fi rst season we were looking at the host’s agency

that humans are actually not very complex at all. “In

the fi rst season we were looking at the host’s agency

that humans are actually not very complex at all. “In

and how [humans] were tracking their behaviour,”

the fi rst season we were looking at the host’s agency

and how [humans] were tracking their behaviour,”

the fi rst season we were looking at the host’s agency

Joy says, “and in the second season there’s a

and how [humans] were tracking their behaviour,”

Joy says, “and in the second season there’s a

and how [humans] were tracking their behaviour,”

paradigm shift, the humans are in their own little

Joy says, “and in the second season there’s a

paradigm shift, the humans are in their own little

Joy says, “and in the second season there’s a

fi shbowl, being observed, only to fi nd that they too

paradigm shift, the humans are in their own little

fi shbowl, being observed, only to fi nd that they too

paradigm shift, the humans are in their own little

can be reduced to some rather elementary building

fi shbowl, being observed, only to fi nd that they too

can be reduced to some rather elementary building

fi shbowl, being observed, only to fi nd that they too

blocks.” Joy points out that her own loop of working,

can be reduced to some rather elementary building

blocks.” Joy points out that her own loop of working,

can be reduced to some rather elementary building

eating and putting the kids to bed is far narrower

blocks.” Joy points out that her own loop of working,

eating and putting the kids to bed is far narrower

blocks.” Joy points out that her own loop of working,

than any of the host’s loops.

eating and putting the kids to bed is far narrower

than any of the host’s loops.

eating and putting the kids to bed is far narrower

THE END IS IN SIGHT

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

of the

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

of the

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

Westworld

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

Westworld

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

process and haven’t deviated from that. But the stuff in the middle is

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

process and haven’t deviated from that. But the stuff in the middle is

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

WestworldWestworld process and haven’t deviated from that. But the stuff in the middle is

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

Westworld

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

process and haven’t deviated from that. But the stuff in the middle is

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

Westworld

Lisa Joy confi rms they have an ending in mind that they conceived at the beginning

more malleable. “Part of this season is a cautionary tale about hubris and as a writer

process and haven’t deviated from that. But the stuff in the middle is

more malleable. “Part of this season is a cautionary tale about hubris and as a writer

process and haven’t deviated from that. But the stuff in the middle is

you never want to tempt the smiting of the TV gods, so I’d never venture to guess how

more malleable. “Part of this season is a cautionary tale about hubris and as a writer

you never want to tempt the smiting of the TV gods, so I’d never venture to guess how

more malleable. “Part of this season is a cautionary tale about hubris and as a writer

many seasons we will live for. But I do think that there are tentpole moments that we’re

you never want to tempt the smiting of the TV gods, so I’d never venture to guess how

many seasons we will live for. But I do think that there are tentpole moments that we’re

you never want to tempt the smiting of the TV gods, so I’d never venture to guess how

trying to move towards and hopefully we’ll reach our ending in the time that we have.”

many seasons we will live for. But I do think that there are tentpole moments that we’re

trying to move towards and hopefully we’ll reach our ending in the time that we have.”

many seasons we will live for. But I do think that there are tentpole moments that we’re

THE CAST

DON’T ALWAYS

KNOW WHAT’S

GOING ON

“In the fi rst season

with Jeffrey [Wright,

who plays Bernard]

with Jeffrey [Wright,

who plays Bernard]

with Jeffrey [Wright,

we had to explain to

who plays Bernard]

we had to explain to

who plays Bernard]

him his character’s

we had to explain to

him his character’s

we had to explain to

arc after the pilot

because he had to

arc after the pilot

because he had to

arc after the pilot

play at least two

different characters,

play at least two

different characters,

play at least two

so it was only

fair for him to be

so it was only

fair for him to be

so it was only

able to craft that

performance,” says

Nolan. “We didn’t

performance,” says

Nolan. “We didn’t

performance,” says

really tell Evan

[Rachel Wood,

really tell Evan

[Rachel Wood,

really tell Evan

who plays Dolores]

[Rachel Wood,

who plays Dolores]

[Rachel Wood,

anything because

who plays Dolores]

anything because

who plays Dolores]

we wanted her to be

anything because

we wanted her to be

anything because

so stranded in her

character’s situation,

guessing what her

larger story was. This

guessing what her

larger story was. This

guessing what her

season Evan knew

larger story was. This

season Evan knew

larger story was. This

everything, we laid

out the season for

everything, we laid

out the season for

everything, we laid

her, but Jeffrey, we

explained we weren’t

her, but Jeffrey, we

explained we weren’t

her, but Jeffrey, we

telling him anything.”

explained we weren’t

telling him anything.”

explained we weren’t

EVEN THE

FILM STOCK

CONTRIBUTES

TO THE

PUZZLES OF

WESTWORLD

WestworldWestworldWestworld is shot on is shot on

fi lm, but for certain

sequences in Season

Two they switched

sequences in Season

Two they switched

sequences in Season

to an anamorphic

Two they switched

to an anamorphic

Two they switched

format – ie that

to an anamorphic

format – ie that

to an anamorphic

distinctive widescreen

look that Westworld

shifted to from time to

time. “It has a totally

beautiful, different

time. “It has a totally

beautiful, different

time. “It has a totally

texture to it,” Nolan

explains, “which we

thought would gently,

explains, “which we

thought would gently,

explains, “which we

suggest that there

thought would gently,

suggest that there

thought would gently,

was something about

suggest that there

was something about

suggest that there

those sequences

was something about

those sequences

was something about

that wasn’t quite

those sequences

that wasn’t quite

those sequences

right. In these later

that wasn’t quite

right. In these later

that wasn’t quite

episodes, six, seven

right. In these later

episodes, six, seven

right. In these later

and the fi nale, you

episodes, six, seven

and the fi nale, you

episodes, six, seven

understand that that’s

and the fi nale, you

understand that that’s

and the fi nale, you

our gentle way of

putting you into a

virtual space.”

putting you into a

virtual space.”

putting you into a