On October 2, HBO aired its newest drama: the science-fiction thriller, Westworld, based on the 1973 film of the same name. Westworld features a reputable cast, with actors such as Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, and Anthony Hopkins in leading roles.
The series takes place inside a fictional Western-themed amusement park, also called Westworld, that is populated by androids referred to as “hosts.” These hosts are intensely lifelike, but they are programmed by the park’s operators to follow storylines and behave in certain ways. Wealthy guests visit the park, taking pleasure in the atmosphere and revelries offered by Westworld’s android inhabitants. However, the hosts are now approaching sentience, which is the cause for the show’s primary conflict. While the human guests of the park are free to engage in violent and abusive behavior toward the hosts without consequence, the robotic hosts are proving to not be so robotic at all. Instead, they are beginning to remember the terrible things done to them.
Since before its premiere, Westworld has been compared to HBO’s smash hit, Game of Thrones. Knowing that Game of Thrones will be ending in two seasons, HBO is desperate for another hit to keep its subscriber count up. Ultimately, the issue with Westworld might be that it’s just not a show for everyone. What makes the show most compelling is not the incredibly cast or special effects, but how much it forces the viewer to think. Westworld has already gained an impressive fan base online. On sites like Reddit, fans have come up with hundreds of theories for the show. Doing this seems to be the best way to engage with the series.
But, with Game of Thrones, both casual and super fans can watch and enjoy the same show. It features an elaborate plot, but is still fairly straightforward. Viewers leave with at least some questions answered at the end of each episode. That doesn’t happen with Westworld. There is also the question if Westworld can succeed as a multi-season show. Game of Thrones had thousands of pages of material to work with, Westworld does not.
