Without doubt one of the most eerie markers in Westworld for me was the repeated attention paid to eyes. Altering the eyes outside of what we expect introduces unease and acts like a window into the uncanny valley. Freud states in his thesis that a “focus on the eyes and seeing” is a central component of what makes an object uncanny. According to the theory of the uncanny valley, the closer an object gets to hyper-realism the more repulsed we become. This can be seen with dolls that lack naturally blinking eyes. What is different about Westworld, however, and which makes it more terrifying, is that despite having an uncanny resemblance to humans in looks and mannerisms, there are times in the show where we see the androids under analysis. In these scenes, when they are essentially dehumanized, the drastic change to their eyes lets in a sudden, revolting reminder of the artificiality of these robots. One scene caught me off guard in this respect and stayed with me for a while. It was a scene with a character, Clementine, who is a prostitute that begins malfunctioning. When normal, she has life in her eyes like a human and there is almost nothing off about her. However, when taken in for examination and put in sleep mode, her eyes become devoid of life and it sent a brief twinge that was very unsettling. As Freud discussed in his essay, the reason the eyes play such a vital role in making something uncanny is that they are the main feature we empathize with in a person. The series has many more cases where the eyes are the main focus, one such being a scene where Dolores’ eyes and face are unmoving and a fly lands on her face. The dead eyes alone are enough to send chills down my spine, but combined with voice alterations and stiff mannerisms the uncanny effect is very defined at points in the show.
Westworld contains more than enough of the elements laid out by Freud to constitute the uncanny. From the androids themselves, to repetition, to the emphasis on the eyes, it is not hard to see how Westworld can pass into the uncanny valley at times. The uncanny effect created by the androids was not always there, but when intended to be I was brought back to that familiar apprehension of something not being as it seemed, of enough being off about the robots so that it bothered me. Repetition is heavily present in the show and is there to underscore the cycle the androids are on. Dolores and Maeve, once they become self-aware, strive to break free from their inevitable story and eventually succeed in doing so, something else that struck me as uncanny. This also fed into another ultimate uncanny fear I share with others of robots ever attaining consciousness and waging war on humans. More shockingly, it is revealed that Bernard, who I was led to believe was a human, is actually an android that was already conscious without knowing it. Then I arrive at the application of eyes in the series. Eyes have always held a deep-rooted connection with us humans as the way in which we express ourselves and connect to others. When that is taken away and all that is left is something inhuman and soulless, it is replaced by a very uncanny sensation, as if it is not right for that to be. Westworld is an ideal manifestation of Freud’s theory of the uncanny and utilizes his elements to full effect in how disturbing the show can get. 
