First things first lets talk gratuity. Gratuitous violence and gratuitous nudity. But we also have to add gratuitous sexual violence to the list, something that is very rampant in the Game of Thrones HBO era of television. Ok, so I don't have an issue with sex and violence on screen for a message or purpose. My concern becomes when we become pure voyeurs. Also there's nothing wrong with a little gratuity, but it becomes problematic as a systemic symptom of misogyny.
Ok, ok here's where I get concerned. To me, this show (based on a film, based on a novel) is all about voyeurism and makes a comment on our lust for violence and taking things from others violently and enjoying it. But what do we learn from this show? Does the mainstream audience get this distinction? Do we understand that as the audience we are the westworld customers? I hope mainstream audiences get that. Because we are, they are just substitutes. Instead of enjoying this show for all it's glossiness we should be disturbed that we enjoy a show with so much sexual violence. It should make us uncomfortable and conflicted about watching. But that doesn't mean it's a bad show or that we shouldn't watch it.
However, do we really need so much nudity? Ok, lets break it down. For the sake of continuity the answer is yes because all the (I like to call them) "replicants" are naked when they are being programmed and re-set. But we predominantly see female nudity. Can anyone say "free the penis"?And of course we only see female nudity of the more "minor" characters or those that HBO could afford to pay more for being naked or those women who could afford to have in their contracts that we don't see them naked because they're more famous. Ok, so lets not go into arguments about being a "real" actor and playing naked to be "serious". If women can afford and are not required to be naked thats their choice. But we shouldn't be ashamed of female nudity. But we shouldn't exploit it. Ok, maybe HBO should get a pass for this considering one of the main female leads is a replicant and is on screen so much that it requires her to be naked? But I don't think so, if they can show her from behind or use shot framing (which they often do) so that we don't always have to see her then that's great. Ask yourself does the nudity in the scene serve a purpose? Or maybe we should just be used to it as we are all human? Maybe it's to show that these "people" are dehumanised by their lack of respect by showing them naked all the time?
I don't have an issue with the sex scenes in this show, I take issue with the blatant display of misogyny in the show and the fact that as viewers we "enjoy" watching this. Characters are raped over and over and over and it's just a plot line to us as audiences. But I see this show as a story about violation and autonomy. Are these "replicants" real persons? For me as an audience member, I think about grand theft auto, what if this analogy applies to that game? What if "killing the hooker" was actually killing a "person" who had feelings? This is the aspect of the show that interests me most.
So Westworld is the Matrix, I'm not surprised. I am really disappointed (but not surprised) that we don't get to see outside of West world at the end of series 1. And I don't think we will until perhaps the last season. I did enjoy seeing the Samurai world near the end. The "park" aka West world is huge, but of course there are more "worlds". Trusting reality is an interesting theme, that I don't think it gets explored well enough, it's more of a device.
Also, it got really tedious seeing the "park" loops play out over and over, this "Groundhog day" effect got old very fast. We get it! It repeats. So much time was wasted and drawn out, it got very boring. I got the point by episode 2.
I anticipate more West world in the next season. But this show becomes more about slavery and revolution rather than humanity and reality.
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