Best TV Podcast Reviews
Westworld Episode 1 Review: “The Auguries” “Westworld” is back, and a lot has changed in the seven years since we’ve seen Maeve, Caleb, William and Dolo … err, Christina. Ash and Gene are here to dive straight into the meaning of the episode title, the changes to the “Westworld” opening...
Westworld Episode 1 Instant Take: “The Auguries” It’s quiet. Too quiet. “Westworld” Season 4 kicked off with William up to some dastardly deeds, but things quickly became muted as the story seemed to parallel parts Season 1 and parts “The Matrix Resurrections.” We also got some elements of Caleb playing...
If you’re the type of person who slows down to see a multi-car pileup, you’ll love the listener mail in this week’s Telegraph. Our 100th episode of Shat on TV: Westworld examines the link between Dolores and Mexican independence, sympathy for Serac, things the Season 3 finale did well, and reasons why viewers felt betrayed by HBO. Things get downright brutal, Big D reads the McDonald’s gourmet menu, Ashley basks in plot holes, and Gene argues that Dolores and Caleb had First World Problems.
While the Internet grumbles about the Season 3 finale, the Shat Crew gets down to business asking tough questions in an effort to find Westworld’s core: Did Dolores have a master plan? Why hide the key inside one of the world’s most wanted men? And who’s really dead? This Deep Dive, covering Episode 8, “Crisis Theory,” also rounds up plot holes, questions Rehoboam’s omniscience, puzzles over why Lawrence was selected and theorizes about why Neo-Los Angeles high-rises are exploding. We also get into characters finally getting their propers, how tiny Aaron Paul really is, Charlotte turning mega-heel, and different ways to watch “Westworld.” Plus, there’s fresh Man in Black tinfoil and an invitation to play Mortal Kombat X.
“Holy Guacamole!” cries Ashley Schafly as Westworld’s season finale kills off key characters, does some serious soul-searching, and depicts the quietest of riots. “Crisis Theory” felt more like a springboard into a distant Westworld Season 4 than an end to Season 3, but that’s not to say it wasn’t full of big answers about Serac, the Man in Black, Charlotte, Dolores, Maeve, Rehoboam, and Caleb. Plus, Bernard finally got the episode he deserved, and tons of dudes got shot in the foot.
“Westworld” Episode 7’s Telegraph has more laughs per minute than anything we’ve done this season. Listeners wrote and called in about Maeve’s story arc, the real Dolores Prime, illogical fight scenes, EMPs, passed pawns, and French accents. You guys really can’t let go of the accents. In this mailbag edition of Shat on TV, we also cover “Neuromancer,” exploding arms, minority roles in 2052, and whether Dolores and Maeve are just messing with each other. Also, Caleb takes center stage as Shat Nation points out similarities to Teddy and other clues to his purpose.
Westworld Season, 3, Episode 7, revealed a massive clue to Caleb’s true identity. If you missed it, you aren’t alone. If you want to know what it is, you’ll have to listen. This week’s Deep Dive covers Solomon’s definition of an outlier, robo smelling salts, super-crappy targeting systems, EMP blasts, Ashley’s Mortal Kombat tournament, and a long list of fascinating callbacks to previous episodes and seasons. “Passed Pawn” also led us to question which podcast host has the best Shat voice, why Maeve is getting the short end of the stick, and how to play chess like an Ash.
We wanted the scoop on Caleb Nichols’ background, and boy did we get it. Westworld Season 3, Episode 7, delivered detailed history, gave Solomon a voice, revealed the dark secrets behind Serac’s grand plan, and gave us a bloody showdown for good measure. Our instant-reaction episode also includes the Three Stooges Road Trip, security personnel shortages, and one very lonely AI. Listen now and subscribe to catch our Deep Dive on Tuesday.
WESTWORLD
GAME OF THRONES
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY
WATCHMEN
TRUE DETECTIVE
AMERICAN GODS
TABOO FX
