早在《西部世界》首播前，该剧的主创人员及评论家们已经就如何描述女性暴力行为这一话题展开了探讨。 本剧最新的预告片中，坚强的女性领导者们，梅芙(Maeve)(桑迪·牛顿饰演)与德洛丽丝(埃文·蕾切尔·伍德饰)所展现出的自我意识、反抗迫害以及维权活动已超出了仿人工智能的边界。

　　在电视评论家协会的夏季媒体见面会上，本剧的联合主创兼执行制片人丽莎·乔伊(Lisa Joy)谈到了上述问题的严肃性，并阐述了剧中人物内涵的重要性。

　　“《西部世界》是一部反映人性优劣的剧作，充斥着暴力与性暴，”她说道。“‘强奸劫掠’是我们的一种本性。”

　　该剧设定了一个黄沙遍天的西部世界背景，融合了人工智能、奇幻色彩以及人伦道德等方面的沉重主题，更像是科幻片撞上了《黑客帝国》、《阿凡达》与《盗梦空间》，虚拟与现实的界线已然模糊。

　　《西部世界》将于10月2日本周日在美国东部时间晚9:00首播，用户们可以在HBO电台上观看每周一集(共10集)的内容，或订阅HBO NOW与HBO GO流媒体来追剧。老戏骨安东尼·霍普金斯、艾德·哈里斯及詹姆斯·麦斯登加盟该剧。

　　Even before the series premiere of “Westworld,” the issue of how to depict violence toward women has been discussed by the show’s creators and critics. In a new promo for the series, strong female leads, Maeve (Thandie Newton) and Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) show signs of self-awareness, defiance and movement beyond the boundaries of humanoid intelligence.

　　At the Television Critics Association summer press tour, co-creator and executive producer Lisa Joy addressed the serious nature of these issues and explained the importance of their inclusion in the show.

　　“[‘Westworld’] is about the best parts of human nature, but also the basest parts of human nature and that includes violence and sexual violence,” she said. “[Rape] has been a part of our nature since the beginning.”

　　The series takes a gritty western backdrop and mixes in heavy themes of artificial intelligence, fantasy and human ethics. Much like sci-fi hits “The Matrix,” “Avatar” and “Inception,” the lines between fantasy and reality are blurred to a point of near invisibility.

　　“Westworld” premieres on Sunday Oct. 2 at 9pm EST — subscribers can watch all 10 weekly episodes on HBO or catch the stream on HBO NOW and HBO GO. The series also stars Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and James Marsden.

（编辑：何莹莹）