tv review
Reviewing insightful and thought provoking science fiction TV and technology.
Review of 'Westworld' 2.5
There were two big shockers in Westworld 2.5 last night, at least one of them totally game-changing. Let's start with that. Maeve has the telepathic power to voicelessly command hosts—both individually and a whole army of them, as in an army of Samurai warriors. This is an extraordinary power that instantly ups the science fictional ante of the whole series. Till now, that ante was to what extent androids could break free of their programming—wake up, to use the current parlance—and go their own way, which could and does include killing guests and programmers who get in their way. But Maeve can do much more—she can get presumably order an unlimited number of hosts to do her bidding.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Crossing' 1.7
On the heels of ABC's announcement that it would not be picking up The Crossing for a second season, it posted a strangely satisfying and important episode. Of course, that's just a coincidence, since the episode was written and produced long before the cancellation, but it somehow seems significant nonetheless.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Westworld' 2.4
We already knew that the AI technology used to construct hosts could construct a host-like version — an android — of a human being who once was alive. That, after all, is what Bernard is. But in Westworld 2.4, we get a poignant and telling exposition of how this figures (or figured) in the life of William, whose older self, apparently obtained through just natural aging (though, who knows), is The Man in Black.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Crossing' 1.6
The most intriguing aspect of The Crossing 1.6 last night was Sophie's thought that Reece's Apex antibodies might be life-saving not just for Reece's daughter, but humans suffering from all kinds of otherwise fatal illnesses—including, it turns out, Sophie herself.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Westworld' 2.3
A rip-roaring episode 2.3 of Westworld last night, in which hell — i.e., hosts take their destiny into their own violent hands — starts to break loose in more than one park, and we have about the best battle we've seen so far in Westworld.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
'Timeless' 2.8
A really excellent Timeless 2.8 last night, in which a mission to save Reagan from being killed by Hinckley (not badly wounded) turns into a mission to save Denise — had she been killed, or even diverted from later joining the FBI and then Homeland security, there would have been no Timeless as we know it.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Timeless' 2.7
Timeless is nicely mixing it up this session, putting villains on the team with our heroes, where they so far have performed remarkably well. Flynn is now almost admired, if not yet quite trusted by everyone except Wyatt, and in 2.7, Emma joins our team.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Westworld' 2.2
One of my favorite of Marshall McLuhan’s concepts (he called them “probes”) for exploring our relationship with media is “Narcissus Narcosis”: the Greek youth Narcissus was so in love with his own reflection that all he wanted to do all was stare at in a lake, wanting to reach out and embrace it, having no idea it was him. This, McLuhan noted in Understanding Media back in 1964, was us, we humans, looking at television. And this is what William said to young Delores last night in the sparkling city in episode 2.2 of Westworld: “You’re not even a thing, you’re a reflection” of me—i.e. William—who goes on to note that everyone loves their reflections. Clearly William, i.e. the writers of Westworld, know their McLuhan.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Crossing' 1.4
Well, episode 1.4 of The Crossing was moving along pretty predictably until about a few minutes to the end, when "Hofstra" was mentioned, and everything suddenly changed for the better — for the narrative, if not for one of the major characters.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Timeless' 2.6
As has been hinted at and gradually gaining momentum—ironically, after Wyatt was re-united with Jessica, ironically after he and Lucy had made love for the first time—Lucy and Flynn finally get together at the end of Timeless 2.6. Or, at very least, Lucy comes into Flynn's room at night with a nice bottle of vodka. Their being together of course changes everything, and it will be fun to see in the weeks ahead how this plays out.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
