HBO PROJECT: Westworld (2016) | Big Little Lies (2017)

The distant future. The year 2052. Western-themed LARPing has inexplicably become a recreational pursuit for the world's wealthy elite. Willing to spend thousands, and risk almost certain personal injury and/or death, the degenerates of the upper crust indulge in their most depraved and violent delights at Westworld, an amusement park where nothing can possib-lie go wrong. Based on Michael Crichton's 1973 film of the same name, Westworld (2016) is an incoherent mess, but boasts a phenomenal cast and glossy production. (13:53 - 1:49:50) ... Somebody's dead in the premiere of Big Little Lies (2017), a pulpy mystery set in the community of Monterey, California. Before we learn the identity of the victim, we rewind to the first day of orientation at Otter Bay Elementary when Ziggy, son of Jane No Middle Name Chapman, is publicly accused of choking a little girl. Battle lines are drawn amongst rich, helicopter parents, and soon the hostilities and secrets buried within this affluent enclave will be brought to the surface. ... Also, The White Lotus, The Gilded Age, Six Feet Under, Michael Kenneth Williams, The Many Saints of Newark, and The Last of Us. (0 - 13:52) Special thanks to this episode's guest, Steven! | Send feedback to hooplecast@gmail.com. Find our recording schedule, show notes, discussion threads, and more at hooplecast.com. | Recorded December 12, 2021. Released February 20, 2022. [Warning: Explicit Language.]