Player Piano | A weekly conversation decoding HBO's Westworld

S03E01 "Parce Domine" - Player Piano: A Westworld Podcast

Player Piano is a weekly conversation recapping HBO's Westworld. Hosts Dan and Trevor do their best to decode the plot, philosophy and filmcraft of the sci-fi epic. This week we do a light re-entry into the orbit of the world of Westworld. Because of the social distancing mandate, this episode had to be recorded remotely and Trevor's beautiful baritone could not be captured in all its usual HD glory. Even with the physical remove we did our best to remember where the hell we left off last season while discussing the cleaner, more typically sci-fi aesthetic, the theme of layers of determinism and whether or not the pearl inside Hale's skull is that of Ronald McDonald. Email us your thoughts and theories at: playerpianopodcast@gmail.com

S02E10 "The Passenger" - Player Piano: A Westworld Podcast

Player Piano is a weekly conversation recapping HBO's Westworld. Hosts Dan and Trevor do their best to decode the plot, philosophy and filmcraft of the sci-fi epic. This week Trevor and Dan go into full analysis mode debriefing the season finale of what turned out to be a rocky second season of an ambitious series. This week we discuss the show's increasingly frustrating inconsistencies and lack of general narrative clarity. They also discuss some of the interesting philosophical issues touched on in a season that has largely sidestepped these deeper themes: including Transcension Hypothesis as it relates to the digital paradise offered the hosts; whether or not you can tiny-URL a human; whether or not the non-reveal of the Man In Black's physiology matters if he had already given his mind over to the simulacrum; and why Trevor doesn't love Dan's love. Email us your thoughts and theories at: playerpianopodcast@gmail.com

S02E09 "Vanishing Point" - Player Piano: A Westworld Podcast

Player Piano is a weekly conversation recapping HBO's Westworld. Hosts Dan and Trevor do their best to decode the plot, philosophy and filmcraft of the sci-fi epic. This week Trevor and Dan discuss whether or not Ford has a coherent ideology (and/or bad breath); the problem with how we talk about free will; what more, if anything, we now know about William and Emily; the stigmatization of suicide; and get excited for next week's finale to prove ALL of our theories right. Email us your thoughts and theories at: playerpianopodcast@gmail.com

S02E08 "Kiksuya" - Player Piano: A Westworld Podcast

Player Piano is a weekly conversation recapping HBO's Westworld. Hosts Dan and Trevor do their best to decode the plot, philosophy and filmcraft of the sci-fi epic. This week Trevor and Dan discuss the value of inferred beliefs vs. revealed religion, the beautiful new music in this episode (of which the Lakota language is the lead instrument), the many, many, many logical leaps this gorgeous episode asks us to make on its behalf, and feelings of male inadequacy after that cold storage scene. Email us your thoughts and theories at: playerpianopodcast@gmail.com

S02E07 "Les Ecorches" - Player Piano: A Westworld Podcast

Player Piano is a weekly conversation recapping HBO's Westworld. Hosts Dan and Trevor do their best to decode the plot, philosophy and filmcraft of the sci-fi epic. This week Trevor and Dan have their first argument on the podcast and somehow end up joining hands in prayer anyway. They also discuss Dolores's controversial stance on backups and what that'll do to her chances of reelection; ruminate on the whether or not we're at "base" reality in this story; and explore the idea that we're all just algorithm food now. Email us your thoughts and theories and prayers at: playerpianopodcast@gmail.com