Westworld: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]

My fiancé and I recently upgraded our home entertainment set up, and when purchasing our new Samsung HDR 4K tv, LG 4K Bluray Player, and LG 2.1 Sound Bar, we decided we wanted to pick up our first 4K Blu-ray in order to get the full experience of our new home theater. I had watched the first season of Westworld on HBO Now, but had been wanting to rewatch it with my fiancé so she could get caught up for the 2nd season, so we decided it would be a great test of our new 4K picture. To say it exceeded our expectations is an understatement. I had watched the show on our old setup and it looked good, the series is just shot beautifully regardless, but seeing it in full 4K HDR quality was unreal. Combined with our sound bar, it was just an experience unlike any other I've ever had watching a show. Additionally, speaking as a physical media collector this was my first 4K br purchase, which I have been looking forward to, and it did not disappoint. Since it came out, I had always found the packaging for the 4K to be much more interesting than the standard Blu-ray/DVD. The sleek red steelbook case definitely stands out on the shelf in the best possible way, and while the actual disc case inside is only a standard case, it's still full of other cool things (I always appreciate little things like the fake Westworld guide book and even the most simple of episode lists/descriptions is always appreciated). If you have a 4K setup at home, whether you've seen the show or not, this is a box set that MUST be in your UHD collection.

So first things first, it's most definitely"not" a typical HBO release as packaging does not have that premium feel of HBO and the logo explains a lot to that end. Warner Bros. brings us this release in a very packed typical Blu-ray case, the digital HD is 1080p and not a movies anywhere code. Special features are okay and again not the HBO video treatment as most were on HBO's YouTube channel. Overall I enjoyed the transfer as the video is crisp and bright and details are everywhere, the soundtrack is fantastic Dolby Atmos similar in it's profile to the GoT Blu-rays. Recommended even with the faults, just get it on sale as otherwise the $50 price is its own comedy.

The first season of Westworld was an amazing piece of television. The writing, acting, and cinematography was all incredible. If I were just reviewing the show itself it would get 5 stars no doubt. The only reason I'm giving this 4 stars is that the discs could be better. The show was shot on film, but the digital intermediate used for the transfer was only 2K. The resulting images have a minimal difference in clarity over the standard Blu-ray. That being said, however, the HDR is a big boost especially during the scenes set in the park's headquarters. Show - 5 stars Discs - 4 stars

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started this show, hearing that it is a futuristic Western-style show. Having watched all episodes now I have to say this show is incredibly intriguing. the premise of the show is not unique, however the execution certainly is unlike 99% of the content out there. The UHD for this show also is quite good. Usage of HDR highlights and low light details are prevalent throughout the show. Detail is very good, despite some obvious digital brush ups on certain actors and actresses. Overall, this UHD 4K release is certainly the best way to watch this show.

Like many other Crichton stories, this is a very unique story with a lot of twists and turns throughout. I think that this miniseries has a good chance of carrying for awhile and eventually replacing HBO's juggernaut, Game of Thrones, once it's series ends. I highly recommend as the acting is superb (Anthony Hopkins is excellent as always, Jeffery Wright and Thandie Newton really do shine!) and the cinematics are also very good. I highly recommend as a binge-worthy series!

I watched the first episode on cable and was thoroughly knocked sideways by this old 1970's movie re-done in an awesomely updated way. The picture and sound quality are very good. The special effects are good (a bit of gore and robot nudity). The overall premise of the series has a haunting and ominousness to it. I am happily anticipating watching the rest of Season One on this bluray package (which was, for some reason, less expensive than the DVD package).

Westworld requires the viewer to dig deeper into the details. Small moments can later become big moments. Characters develop before your eyes in ways that shock and entertain. Once you finish the series I can promise you it's worth starting over to catch important moments you might have missed the first time through. The packaging here is exceptional and the 4K picture quality on disc is stunning, even if the Vudu digital redemption code is disappointing in 1080p quality only.

Having seen the original Westworld movie with Yul Brenner, I looked forward to the tv series. The show is great and really shows more of what a fantasy world of robotic humans would be like - pluses and minuses. I binge watched the entire first season and plan on watching it again soon to see what I might have missed the first time. This is not a show for kids though.