But I'm not sure I entirely agree with the critique, either, at least specifically in regards to Westworld. The scene in last night's premiere — which, for the record, consists of moments leading into up to an implied rape — for better and worse, tells us a lot about this world. It is not ancillary to the plot: It IS the plot. And while that may not make the visuals of a woman being dragged by her hair toward an impending assault any less horrifying, it is not violence for the sake of violence so much as it is violence for the sake of creating empathy for a character. The scene shows us who she is, what she has survived, and what she is up against.And though I would never make a case for using rape as a tool for building empathy, I will say this: In Dolores' case, the scene forces viewers to ask a question that seems very much central to the series. When a real human man assaults a machine that looks like a person — that seems to feel and grieve like a person — is that rape or something else entirely, though perhaps no less gruesome?Actress Evan Rachel Wood, who portrays Dolores on the series, voiced her thoughts on the subject to The Hollywood Reporter today. "I don't like gratuitous violence against women at all," she said. She also urged critics to hold off until the full context emerges. "As the show progresses, the way [violence is] being used is very much a commentary and a look at our humanity and why we find these things entertaining and why this is an epidemic, and flipping it on its head."Sexual violence on TV can go two ways: It can serve as a shameful exploitation, or it can be a conversation starter about why rape has any entertainment value in the first place. In my opinion, Westworld does the latter: Dolores' rape tells us something vital about the world she lives in and why we're right to feel so uncomfortable about the theme park's premise. Is the scene hard to watch? Yes, of course.But it's supposed to be. It's also supposed to stir up some very important questions about what falls under the umbrella of "entertainment value." That's why, for now, I'm holding off judgement — and planning to tune in again next Sunday night.