HBO’s latest Westworld trailer takes another step toward perfection with shots like that header photo. Anthony Hopkins’ Dr. Robert Ford recalls his Silence of the Lambs scenes as Hannibal Lecter. Is that a hint that Evan Rachel Wood’s Dolores will, like Clarice, eventually prevail? For now, she’s a seemingly helpless android, created to service the desires of wealthy patrons’ fantasies. Prostituted — not by her own choice — and slowly becoming self-aware, for now, Dolores believes she’s dreaming and she’s sharing her innermost thoughts with a certain (surely) evil-hearted man. Things can only get worse, right (but better, for us)? Set against Roy Orbison’s gorgeous crooning, Jonathan Nolan quickly flashes so many images, this teaser truly feels like a nightmare unfolding. It’s exactly like one of those haunting dreams you wake from half-groggy, desperately trying to slow the bits flying through your brain. You want to somehow replay the flashing mental snapshots, put them together like so many puzzle pieces, and to figure out what it all means.
Fantasies are good … until they aren’t.
Ed Harris’ Gunslinger being tested.
Just how strong is that hand?
Because, if you’re human, you might just want to be careful.
These artificial beings are not messing around and, one day, they’re going to truly awaken.
Born …
… killed.
Dead and … dead, again.
Only to be revived with the others for another day of play.
Dangerous games.
Wasn’t it all just a dream?
The series hasn’t even started yet, and I already feel so broken-hearted for Dolores. But, I do feel like she might just come out on top … with a little help from her friends.
Meet y’all on HBO, October 2nd.
Milk: it does a body good. Usually.
