Westworld Premiere: 8 Ups And 2 Downs From 'The Original'

5. Shootout

For the most part, Westworld is a slow, mediative show. It's opening hour is mostly invested in getting us acquainted with the surroundings and the peculiar set of characters who inhabit them, taking us around Westworld and providing some examinations of the hosts. That's not to say it isn't gripping TV, but it's not an action-packed number.

However, the action does arrive at a couple of different points in the pilot, and it's totally thrilling. This being the West, the action arrives in the form of shootouts, whether it's a gunslinger taking down an opponent in a dual, or bandits tearing apart the town.

Westworld is able to ramp up the excitement and tension superbly, a scene going from nothing to exploding into life in a storm of bullets. As you might expect from HBO, it's gloriously - or perhaps gore-iously? - violent, as we get some close ups of people being shot, and some vivid blood splatters and blasted faces to go with it. It helps keeps the episode moving along, looks great, and gives us some impressive action that really feels helps give off that Western vibe.