'Westworld' Past and Present

Amid all the hoopla about the HBO series, "Westworld" -- now into its second season -- we shouldn't forget it had its roots in the 1973 sc-fi movie classic of the same name. Written and directed by the brilliant Michael Crichton ("Jurassic Park," "Andromeda Strain," "Disclosure," "Congo") it featured an unforgettable performance by Yul Brynner as a robot gunslinger gone rogue.

The premise of both versions is an "anything goes" amusement park where, for those rich enough to afford it, they can live out their every fantasy with no strings attached. Of course, in both cases the androids created to serve those fantasies decided to strike back with some fantasies of their own.

Crichton's message was beware of letting greedy corporations play God. The creators of the HBO series have done a masterful job of building on that theme and weaving a complex story that careens the viewer back and forth in time with a dizzying array of plots and subplots that keep you guessing.

In fact, much like the followers of the ABC series, "Lost," a legion of devoted "Westworld" fans speculate endlessly on the Internet about every nuance of every episode, speculating on where it's going and what will be revealed. Some do a frame-by-frame analysis, looking for "Easter eggs" and subtle clues that might point to ultimate answers about what it all means.

Like the "Man in Black" looking for the Maze, we follow along, trying to track the bread crumbs the writers dispense.

While the subject matter wades into deep waters (like the consciousness conundrum), it still manages to be entertaining, as well as on one level, troubling. The technological advances that have taken place since Crichton's original in 1973 have only accelerated the possibility of a real-life Westword built on AI (artificial intelligence).

Regardless, I enjoy the show. For my money, instead of dissecting every scene for hidden meanings, I'm okay with snapping my seat belt every week and just enjoying the ride.