tv review
Reviewing insightful and thought provoking science fiction TV and technology.
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 Levinson8 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 Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
Review of Twin Peaks: The Return 1.10
Twin Peaks: The Return 1.10 last night ended with a better than usual song, which is saying a lot, since those concluding songs are often the best part of the episode. Last night's song, sung by Rebekah Del Rio—who, I don't know, reminds me a little of Monica Lewinsky—was entitled "No Stars," a nice touch, since the episode has even more stars than usual, but who's counting.
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Futurism
Review of Westworld 1.1
If you're talking about AI science fiction—robots or androids programmed to convincingly think and act like humans, or almost like humans, or more than humans—you've got to start with Isaac Asimov and his three laws of robotics: (1) a robot can never harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow injury to befall a human, (2) a robot must follow all orders given to it by a human, except if such orders conflict with the first law, and (3) a robot should always act to preserve its own existence, except when following this third law would conflict with the first two. Thus, a robot ordered by a human to dismantle itself must follow that order, unless the robot knows that the human giving such as order was set to commit suicide, a suicide which the robot not dismantled could prevent. (This is not an exact quotation of Asimov's presentation of the three laws, but my own statement of them, with an explanatory example.)
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Futurism
Review of Twin Peaks: The Return 1.9
That was the best line in Twin Peaks: The Return 1.9 last night—"I Don't See No Hidden Buttons" (said by the sheriff)—because, of course, he sees no hidden buttons, how could he, if they're hidden, and somehow that deeply obvious statement about what can't be seen is symptomatic of the entire Twin Peaks: The Return story, right?
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Futurism
Top 10 Sci-Fi Anime Recommendations
Sci-fi can fit into multiple anime genres, whether it be horror, action, comedy… hell, even romance. Come on… who hasn’t had a “thing” for some cybernetic human from the future with the capabilities of mass destruction? Be honest…
By Kelly Hawks9 years ago in Futurism
Doctor Who: The Doctor Falls Review
Warning: Potential spoilers for the episode below. In the review I wrote a week ago for World Enough And Time, I praised that episode but wondered at the end of the day if showrunner Steven Moffat would actually be able to deliver on its promise in the actual finale. There have been times in the past where finales failed to lived up to expectations after a strong build-up (Wedding Of River Song in Matt Smith's era and especially last season's Hell Bent which followed the instant classic Heaven Sent). What would Moffat do with his final finale episode given he had two versions of the Master, a companion who had been turned into a Cybermen, and a Doctor preparing to exit the series? Would he deliver or would The Doctor Falls turn into “Moffat Fails (Again)”?
By Matthew Kresal9 years ago in Futurism
Rewatching... Doctor Who: The Evil Of The Daleks - Part 7
"A Dalek questioned an order." Saturday 1 July 1967 Colour television began today on BBC2 with the Wimbledon coverage. This is the first colour television service in Europe. According to The Times we will get a number of programmes in colour throughout the week; 40 hours of programming including The Virginian and Late Night Line-Up. They have helpfully marked all the colour programmes with a "C" in their listings. On BBC1 however we still have to make do with black and white, so that's how tonight's Doctor Who was viewed. Except by me of course; I can't see it at all, apart from a number of still images. I can hear it clearly enough however, and it sounds fab.
By Nick Brown9 years ago in Futurism
Rewatching... Doctor Who: The Evil Of The Daleks - Part 6
"ALL DALEKS RETURN TO SKARO!" Saturday 24 June 1967 Things are hotting up. The story began as a sort of urban thriller starting at Gatwick and taking in warehouses, alleyways, antique shops and trendy coffee bars. Then it moved both time and location to a Victorian manor house, with servants, a wealthy philanthropist, ticking clocks, creaking wood-panelled corridors. Now in the third and final act, we get yet another location: Skaro! This has turned out to be quite an epic.
By Nick Brown9 years ago in Futurism
Review of Twin Peaks: The Return 1.8
Anyone who doubted that Twin Peaks is one bizarre science fiction horror story of a story got their answer tonight in episode 1.8: it is, with a vengeance, spun of gut-wrenching, stomach-churning, searingly mind-blowing wordless narrative the likes of which you don't often see on any television, unless you're maybe watching Donnie Darko someplace the 20th time.
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Futurism
