Paul Levinson
Bio
Novels The Silk Code & The Plot To Save Socrates; LPs Twice Upon A Rhyme & Welcome Up; nonfiction The Soft Edge & Digital McLuhan, translated into 15 languages. Best-known short story: The Chronology Protection Case; Prof, Fordham Univ.
Stories (696/0)
Review of Game of Thrones 7.3
A conversation for the ages between Jon and Daenerys on Game of Thrones 7.3 last night, with each not giving an inch, dignified and persuasive, and in the end, Daenerys agreeing more or less to help in the fight against the dead in the North.
By Paul Levinson7 years ago in Geeks
Review of Twin Peaks: The Return 1.12
A slightly subdued Twin Peaks: The Return 1.12 last night, with no song at the end. I mean, there was a three-piece band on the stage at the end, as the credits eventually rolled, and they were playing something, but it wasn't a song. It could have been the beginning of a song which never actually started (uh oh). It could have been an accompaniment to something. But I don't think it was a song. I don't think it was an instrumental—certainly no "Green Onions" or "Flying."
By Paul Levinson7 years ago in Futurism
Review of Westworld 1.8
Much revealed in this excellent episode 1.8 of Westworld. Probably the most important: there are two kinds of programs afoot in Westworld, two kinds of stories (or two kinds of kinds of stories, to be more precise): Ford's and Arnold's. Ford's we pretty much know—though not the new story he keeps talking about—and Arnold's not much or any of it at all.
By Paul Levinson7 years ago in Futurism
Review of Westworld 1.7
"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.)
By Paul Levinson7 years ago in Futurism
Review of Twin Peaks: The Return 1.11
Well, Agent Cooper finally got a piece of cherry pie in Twin Peaks: The Return 1.11 last night -- in fact, two slices! -- as well as his life being spared by Jim Belushi's character and his dream. But, alas, even this double cherry pie is not enough to rouse Cooper out of his stupor. He needs to "wake up!" as that little man from the other dimension told him now some number of episodes ago.
By Paul Levinson7 years ago in Futurism
Review of Westworld 1.6
An outstanding Westworld 1.6 -- the series gets better and better, Isaac Asimov (author of the three later four laws of robotics would've loved it) -- and in this episode jumps into some of the real paradoxes and ethical quandaries of artificial intelligence.
By Paul Levinson7 years ago in Futurism
Review of Westworld 1.4
"Vacation" — it was the name of a Connie Francis song in the early 1960s (Wikipedia says 1962, and that it was Connie's last big hit, and I remember hearing and singing it in high school), and it was probably the most important word spoken in Westworld 1.4.
By Paul Levinson7 years ago in Futurism