Westworld s3 on Sky Atlantic/HBO

[bakingdemon]

Anyone watch the start of season 3 last night? I thought it a little too convoluted, but perhaps it will all come together over the coming episodes

Just watched and now totally confused.
I'm beginning to suspect it's a world within a world ad infinitum

Who is in Charlotte Hale?

Yes they are clearly hinting at the real world being a matrix-style simulation aren't they.

And why did Dolores let Bernard out (was one of the marbles she carried out in Charlotte?) but then make him go on the run?

Saw this summary on reddit which was quite good (SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED SERIES 3 EP1)
There's a machine watching everything and everyone. It has mined enough surveillance data to essentially boil people down to predictable variables: their job prospects are determined by this - which ultimately herds people like cattle especially in the criminal arena (as the Rico app is likely also managed by this system). This machine is so accurately able to keep track of people and predict their behaviours that it has an expected prediction of how events in the world should turn out - but because of this, unknown variables like the hosts - Dolores, Hale and Bernard - who appear for the first time in this surveillance system's radar 3 months prior are capable of creating a disruption as there is no information available on them and their behaviours are knocking other people off their game in a butteryfly effect.

Dolores wants access: she wants the man in control. She uses the son of that man's partner to get closer until she can find a name. She wants to operate undetected and recreated Bernard to take the fall for what happened in Westworld so that while everyone is hunting for him (and thinking he's human), her existence and actions can occur under cover.

Caleb is a grunt disatisfied with his lot in life. He talks to a "therapy AI" that takes on the voice of a dead friend. His mother has dementia or a psychiatric illness of some sort and needs to be put in a care facility. He commits crimes that aren't kidnapping or murder (personals) to make extra money. He's trying to move up in life but he can't. He's frustrated and his anger at the system makes him easier to exploit [likely Dolores already gained access to whatever therapy AI he was using and mined his data profile to better understand him and manipulated their meeting under the bridge].

Bernard, in full awareness of how he was controlled by Ford and recreated twice by Dolores, is living in a industrial meat processing/butcher farm under an assumed identity. He monitors himself regularly to make sure his code is not being manipulated or changed by external individuals and that he hasn't secretly been contacting/interacting with Dolores without his knowledge. He knows she's using him as part of her plan and that she probably made changes to him in some fashion - so he's suspicious and doing his best to maintain his sense of self. He has also made changes to himself to allow himself to fight back against threats in a way that his base personality could not - ensuring his own safety (much like Ford's overrides in season 2 but more autonomous). He leaves for Westworld when his cover is blown because he feels there's something he has to do there (or someone he needs to see) - this is TBD.

Yes, I assumed the the "anomalies detected" graphic was the arrival of Dolores, Hale and Bernard. and it became clear that Rehoboam and its controller are at the centre of something sinister.
I dropped out of Season 2 early on but Season 3 looks like a keeper.

Is it Thandie Newton's character inside Hale's body?

I loved season one of Westworld, but was so blah about season two. It looked impressive and was clever, it was just so, so confusing in parts and it got ridiculous. I'm going to tackle season three and hope my brain can keep up with it.

Is it Thandie Newton's character inside Hale's body?

My understanding of the situation is "yes", hope I haven't gotten confused this early!

@nevermorelenore totally agree, s2 was a lot weaker

Anyone else seen ep3? I really liked the tension between Hale and the host in her head (who I think now is the slightly odd looking barmaid, who seemed a bit on edge all through, is that right?). I want to know more about the sinister Frenchman and am cheering on part of Dolores's mission now - but my goodness was some of the writing clunky. Caleb's final line about "better to die trying than let them decide for me" would never have made it into s1, it was so obvious

I think its the other woman - the meet and greet host that was one of the original hosts like Delores - Angela? - why she said you're the only one I can trust or similar?

Or Armistice - the outlaw woman or dopey barmaid/prostitute - Clementine? She was far too dopey to pull it off though surely?

@Findumdum1 Clementine is the one I thought - wasn't she riding across the plans with Dolores cutting people down? Bit of a weakness for the show not to remind us...

OK, so it looks like it's deliberately unclear who's in Hale's body from this interview with the show runner: www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/westworld-season-2-finale-explained-lisa-joy-season-3-1122744

She suggests at one point that it's Dolores and at another that we'll find out. DH thinks it's Teddy

yep I've heard both that it's Teddy and that Dolores has split herself in two somehow as well :)

There i a recap floating around that does do all the reminders. I found ep 2 really confusing until I watched it.

I think Hale is either Clementine or Teddy. Don’t think it’s Delores, she’s too strong to struggle and self harm. Enjoying this season more.

Ooo glad to see some other theorising about who’s inside Hale! Our guess when watching it last night was Teddy too, or maybe Clementine.

Also wondered if there was any significance to the marks she’d made on herself - they looked like a sign of some sort?

We think Clementine or Teddy too. I want to be Delores when I grow up. And to have Bernard as my uncle.

@gothicsprout think you might be right on the markings

I keep thinking I may rewatch S1&2 to try and spot some of the clues, but I’m not sure I can cope with all the twists right now! Also I’m not sure I ever want to see that scene in S2 again where they find James Delos/his host after god knows how long...eek

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!

No spoilers.

I liked seeing our samurai friend again. But I still think it's disappeared up its own bum.

Just watched episode 5 and I think I'm now hate watching this. I will keep watching because I want to see what happens to the characters but I hate it when a series thinks it needs to broaden out to some mega conspiracy that's much bigger than the initial world. Happened to Sherlock, which was unwatchable y bad by the end. Happened to Alias in the latter half. Happened to The Blacklist around season 3. I don't think Westworld works out of the park.

Latest episode was strange, the whole drug/movie thing just was a bit cringey. Whole thing seems pared down and done on the cheap a bit. Will keep with it to see what happens. I like the idea of being out in a slightly futuristic world, just not sure on tge execution of it

I’m just more baffled and less engrossed each series. Loved the first one, thought the second one was ok, wouldn’t really care if they stopped making gather third!

At least there was more Maeve in this one. Frankly I'd be much happier seeing the entire thing set in WW2world - William would 100% be an SS officer for example. Such a waste of Vincent Cassel - I am only really interested in Dolores still for when she manages (as she surely will) to off him. At least there are only two episodes to go.

I keep being both amazed and frustrated by Charlotte Hale’s suit/cape combo. So stylish, yet so impractical.