Spoiler Warning: Westworld Seasons 1-3
The dense sci-fi dramaWestworldwill return this month with season 4, led once again by showrunners Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan. It will continue the mysterious storylines and complex character arcs that go way beyond anything anyone expected when they first saw Michael Crichton’s quirky sci-fi/horror feature from 1973.
The new season features a 1920s mobster-inspired park and the return of all our favorite characters, some in new iterations. The lines between life and death have been blurred to such a degree that the show’s stakes seem to have waned. It’s often hard to keep track of where we are as the timeline jumps around. Still, the show is beautiful and features incredible stunts, special effects, and enoughhigh concept sci-fito keep the most astute viewers onboard. Others seeking a more basic cyborg action vehicle may be best served by sticking with the first season alone or the far simpler movies and TV show that inspired it.
Based on the 1973 Michael Crichton film, which probably took a cue from Disneyland’s arsenal of animatronic robots,Westworldwas the story of incredibly complex robots populating various fantasy lands like Westworld, Roman World, and Medieval World. Run by the Delos corporation, they promise their guests a unique opportunity to engage with lifelike cyborgs, where they can do anything they wish to them. This naturally leads to a revolt against the park’s guests and employees, as the robots were designed too well (with machines building other machines) and gain consciousness with a desire for revenge and freedom. However, their motive is never clearly explained. Sadly, the concept becomes increasingly relevant as a disturbing sickness spreads worldwide with a mass casualty bloodlust consuming weak minds poisoned by online echo chambers. The world needs atheme park like Westworldtoday, which is pretty sad.
Related:The Best Movies Based on Michael Crichton Novels
Similar toLost,Westworldsets up a lot of mythology and rabbit holes that may be working to keep a small but loyal fan base tuned in. The cinematography is fantastic, and the A-list cast keeps the show’s benchmark quality high, as establishedby HBO’sGame of Thrones. While most fans were surprised the series survived the maligned second season, here’s why season 4 could be the last.
You Can’t Escape Westworld
Season two ofWestworldwas criticized for getting way too complicated. It features characters dying, returning to life, humans revealed to be robots, robots based on humans, and numerous plays on perception and timelines to such a confusing degree. Due to this, much of the show’s fanbase dropped off. The mere fact that not only a third but a fourth season will now exist feels at odds with the level of viewership the show likely commands.
Season 3 was undoubtedly better, bringing in Aaron Paul’s war veteran character Caleb. It took place almost entirely in the real world, where we learned that the Delos corporation has more control over the planet than anyone realized. It introduced “Rehoboam,” an A.I. that has gained power over human affairs, creating another layer of a robot overlord in control of everything. The show is a bit like theMatrix, but every time you think you’ve broken free, you’re stuck in another prison, be it physical, in the mind, or in the existential search for purpose and meaning.
Related:Westworld Season 4: Questions We Hope to See Answered
There’s also a “robot heaven” called the Valley Beyond or The Sublime. This is a cool concept but defeats the purpose of much of the show’s plot if you overthink it. Also, like theMatrixsequels, there are long-drawn-out philosophical ponderings that may not be helping matters.
Westworld’s More Simplistic Roots
Many people don’t realizeWestworldwas a whole franchise in the 1970s and early ’80s, consisting of two feature films and a short-lived TV show. There was even an adult film spin-off calledSex World, but it’s hardly worth mentioning. The original featured Richard Benjamin, James Brolin, and Yul Brynner as The Gunslinger dressed in all black which may be the inspiration for Ed Harris' character. You’d miss the deeper philosophical messages in the original movie if you were not paying close attention. Therobot revoltis sudden, unexpected, and terrifying. There’s virtually no dialogue from the robots concerning their sentience or purpose, it’s left eerily mysterious, and it works.
The sequel,Future World,starring Peter Fonda, was where some of the first seedlings were planted for what the show is now. But the scope of Delos’s presence or influence on the real world was left unknown. It was further exploredin 1980’sBeyond Westworld.The show revolved around an evil scientist named Quaid who uses the Delos robots to commit acts of terror while plotting to conquer the world. When the current show gets a little too consumed with its own heavy themes, it’s worth remembering the simplicity of its roots and that sometimes less is more.
