The Handshake!

Published December 8, 2016 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hi Guys

Been listening since the first episode, love your podcasts. I have tried many others but yours is the only one I have stuck with all the way. I have a question about your theme music, is it The Ecstacy of the gold? I am wondering if you just like that song or are some/all of you Metallica Fans? They play that song before every show and even did a cover of it at one point. Along those lines, I suggest you have a listen to a song from their new album called Spit out the bone – it could have easily been a theme song to the implied slaughter at the end of the finale.

Looking forward to your next show, and I wanted to suggest for a future edition of Shat the movies that you have a look at The Prestige, I think although not as old as the films you normally do I’d love to hear a Westworld-style deep dive from your perspectives. Also, Roger, I love your carry on and candor but I have to say you are so wrong about the Leftovers… Give it another go! That whole show in general and especially the second season is some of the best TV I have seen.

Anyway, I was surprised that in your Instacast no one mentioned the handshake between Dr. Ford and Bernard. This was for me an amazing scene and I think very important to tying the whole show together and also progressing onto the second season. In the first episode, Dr. Ford says to Bernard (I’m paraphrasing) that the early hosts could be given away as robots by a simple handshake. In the finale he shakes Bernard’s hand only one episode after making him shoot himself in the face (all part of his plan with Maeve) which I think signifies both a passing of the baton, and finally a respect for Bernard that he hasn’t had before – Bernard has gotten to the point where Dr. Ford feels he is ready to be sentient and take over the park.

This tie is amazingly with some of the early theories that Dr. Ford was, in fact, a host, in the second season I think we will see Host Bernard, unknown to most as a host (including currently missing Stubbs and Elsie) running the park and facing off with Lee Sizemore (ok, I love Lee and I just hope that happens). ANYWAY. The main point of what I am saying is that the Handshake scene on top of the above could also be Dr. Ford’s way of showing Bernard that he is also a host, Bernard gives a confused look after the Handshake, and they really zoomed in on it.

If we do have Host Ford, he is hiding as a host to fake his death, give control of the park to someone else (who isn’t in any photos, except as a human employee maybe, and no one knew he had died) but still be in control the same way he effortlessly controls the hosts now. This would make an amazing long con that could certainly draw out over a few seasons. A lot of people are talking about whether or not Dolores was in control when she shot Dr. Ford or if he had tasked her with shooting him and I think either could be plausible. He most certainly left the gun for her and continued on as if he knew and had planned what was gong to happen all along.

Also, even if it was her choice and she decided not to kill him (unlikely) he could have easily been killed in the ensuing slaughter anyway. I have felt for a while that Dr. Ford’s control is absolute, and anything Arnold is seemingly responsible for is actually Dr. Ford all along using the host’s relationship with Arnold as a way to get right in their heads without editing their programming too much (via the bicameral mind system).

Thanks, and look forward to what comes next

Daniel

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