Imagine an immersive theme park where guests can live out Wild West stories, creating their own adventures. They can spend the entire time in the saloon if they want, or they can venture into the desert hunting outlaws.

They can give in to their dark desires and do things that are illegal outside the park. This is possible because the entire place is populated by characters played by androids sporting advanced AI.

Now imagine that the AI characters are showing more and more independence, not always acting the way they’re expected to. The park becomes unpredictable and unsafe. Some of the human guests revel in the dangerous atmosphere.

This is the premise of “Westworld,” a sci-fi series loosely based on a 1973 film of the same name.

There are so many things I love about this show. The android characters, known as Hosts, are programmed to behave in certain ways and never actually harm the human guests.

As they begin to violate their programming, the park becomes increasingly dangerous. Guests go missing out in the desert. Staff struggle to regain control.

The Hosts are relatable and sympathetic, each with their own struggles. Human or AI, everyone’s motives are questionable. I found that I cared about the stories playing out in the park as well as the meta-story. Over time, these threads become more entangled.

The park itself is an amazing setting. It’s huge and elaborate, utilizing the environment to the fullest. The technology behind it is advanced, but all the guests see is a lavish recreation of the old west. Viewers get to peek into both parts of the world, learning more about it in bits and pieces.

If you love theorizing and poring over details and clues, this show is for you. It gave me the same feeling I had watching shows like “Lost” and “Twin Peaks.” My husband and I loved discussing each episode and geeking out about it.

You can sign up for a free library card here. If you are new to our eResources, check out these tutorial videos on how to get started.

Looking for a good book, album, movie or TV show? We’re happy to recommend them to you! Use this Personalized Recommendations form to send us some information about what you like and we’ll curate a list just for you.

If you have any additional questions, you can contact a librarian through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. You can also call us at 412.622.3114 or email us at info@carnegielibrary.org.