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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
“Flies in the ointment.” Humanity tried to heal but now its wounds are slowly being eaten away, and perhaps we deserve it.
Westworld‘s fifth episode of its “The New World” season is titled “Genre.” It is directed by Anna Foerster (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, Criminal Minds, Outlander), and written by Karrie Crouse and series co-creator Jonathan Nolan.
Some spoilers ahead for those who have not yet watched the episode or seen the show, so watch the episode first then return to this article afterward!
This week’s episode of Westworld excels in its plot, development of characters, and acting styles. It delves into the background of Engerraund Serac (Vincent Cassel), the deterioration of his brother, and the demise of Liam Dempsey Sr. (Jefferson Mays). Meanwhile, Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood) begins the end of the human race by destroying what Serac built.
Serac compares himself and his brother, who both helped Dempsey create Incite, which — by providing personal private data of the people — led to individuals figuring out their pasts, presents, and futures based on an algorithm of the system and by doing so showed them their fates. Dempsey thinks he’s discovered the brothers’ ulterior motives and tells his son that the company is “strategizing the future … societal trends, stock market, a fucking oracle!” Serac narrates:
Sui generis like no other … [my brother] said there is a time to leave things behind. I said that God had abandoned us. He said that God had never existed in the first place. Humankind was hurtling towards extinction. We need a god to save us, to save the world from self-destruction, to create order out of chaos, so we came to the world with one goal … to build a god. [This comes with issues.] Building a god … is not easy.”
The first scenes of the episode present events the world has experienced. Much like colonization, humanity has traveled forward in its progression toward the evolution of technology, and we’ve created artificial intelligence. Relationships have always been founded on trust, and that’s why progression — of anything — is difficult. Humans have learned to trust, but conversely, we’ve also taught ourselves to deceive, which is why so many of us are so good at it.
The episode conveys a message on which we need to further ruminate, and critical theorist Roberto Simanowski writes about this in his final chapter of The Death Algorithm: the code written into the computer system — rather than the people — has always decided the outcome of people’s lives. In this season, we’ve seen self-driving cars and motorcycles at work, putting lives at risk, and when people come after Dolores and Caleb, those same people are killed in opposition to the lives of the latter. This algorithm is put into effect when seemingly crucial characters of this story arc are killed off, and events begin to blow up and people who are supposed to take the shots are shot.
The system within Incite that Serac works for shows that we don’t have to destroy ourselves, that we can make the decisions rather than the digital technologies of humans. He tells Dempsey, “We adapt or we die. We all die … There are little white spaces, rare moments when randomness interacts with your life. They create a truly free space where you can make a choice above all of agency.”
This Westworld episode gets its title from Caleb Nichols (Aaron Paul)’s storyline. Continuing with capturing Dempsey’s son Liam Jr. (John Gallagher Jr.), Nichols is drugged by a substance referred to as “Genre.” According to his acquaintance Giggles (Marshawn Lynch), the drug functions as “five drips in one, [and the user hallucinates as if it were a] movie marathon … watch out for that last act.”
The five genres that Nichols seems to experience are — in order — black-and-white noir, classic western thriller, a brief melodramatic romance, mid-nineteenth century action drama, and reality. The episode makes use of color and its musical score, such as a luminous fiery explosion of passion, Richard Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries,” and Iggy Pop’s “Nightclubbing.” Wagner’s music may tease something interesting in the second half of Westworld‘s fourth season. This composition “begins in the prelude to third act, building up successive layers of accompaniment until the curtain rises to reveal a mountain peak.” But who knows? The show has always been known for surprises.
Aaron Paul stands out in the episode during scenes in which his character is under the influence of Genre. In the end, the character understands that the system is responsible for the world, that is, society having gone awry. He tells Dempsey Jr., “[It’s] false hope. I would rather live in chaos than a world controlled by you.”
Overall, “Genre” offers an intriguing sample of what chaos looks like. Its use of hues, cinematography, musical scoring, along with its character development, writing, and the arc that surrounds them all prove that human beings are as stable as the innovative processes they’ve created, more or less. The title of the episode is also a reflection for the television series itself, which can be peeled away by the layers of its many genres: action, psychological techno-thriller, science fiction drama, romance. But be careful, this show is not meant for the minds of children nor is it any laughing matter. While it doesn’t too much for its recurring or guest characters, the primaries take the spotlight.
9.3/10
What do you think? Have you seen this series? If not, do you plan to binge it sometime in the near future? Let us know! For more Westworld and HBO-related news and reviews follow The Cinema Spot on Twitter (@TheCinemaSpot) and Instagram (@thecinemaspot_).
Source: “Ride of the Valkyries” via Wikipedia
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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