Westworld

Westworld is one of the most technically perfect shows ever produced. From the beautiful 35mm film it was shot on, the incredible production design, one of the best soundtracks and sound designs of any show ever, and the mostly flawless visual effects, Westworld was designed for those looking for a big screen experience on the small screen, and like most movies, watching it on anything but a big screen with a big surround system is doing this show a disservice. Season 1 is an absolute masterpiece of filmmaking and is virtually flawless and is well worth the time. Season 2 immediately took the show in a new direction and it never recovered. Season 2 has many high points but the decision to focus more on the hosts than the humans is a mistake that plagues the rest of the shows run. Season 3 is a completely different show with the same characters and not even the constantly booming score can keep it from dragging. Season 4 came back with a vengeance and did a great job for the most part of taking the show both back to its roots and in a new direction at the same time. Overall I am sad to see this show canceled. After the misstep of season 3 I was very hopeful that they would have a great 5th season to wrap up the series. Well I will miss returning to Westworld, we will always have the first season to come back to, and watch the final credits roll wondering just how good the show could have been if the writers kept the show pointing North instead of wandering around exploring concepts that had no reason to be in this show. The saddest part is that with so many shows that fall from grace, we will never get to roll back the clock and give the creators another chance.

The first season of Westworld was absolutely amazing, I've never seen anything quite like it. That first season is easily among the best sci-fi shows ever created! There are a lot of people who don't like Seasons 2-4 and that's because they're comparing them to Season 1...don't! If you compare them to Season 1 then of course it's going to fall short because of how incredible that season was but if you just take them for what they are you'll find that that's a pretty good show that's definitely worth watching. I thought Season 2 was just ok but actually really liked Seasons 3 and 4! I really don't get all the hate for those seasons (unless you're comparing them to the first season). I can't believe they cancelled this before the final season. I know they're shopping around to other networks so I hope it gets picked up for a final season.

This series is so hard to rate as I both love and dislike it...I waited to see episode one of season four, mainly because my husband who loves the series is convinced that they are going to turn the ship around and I will start loving the show again. *sigh*

I am going to start by being honest, I love Yul Brynner. No one plays an enigmatic character better than he did...which is why he made the original 1973 film Westworld for me. I am not a science fiction fan (I'm an actual scientist, I know it's rare), but it was easy to see and understand why the 1973 film had such a cult following. It also made it easy to recommend when I met individuals who liked science fiction but had never seen it. A big part of the film is the mystery or the unknown. You have lots of unanswered questions and your mind is left open to think about the what if's. I would go a step further to say that it sparks the imagination and creativity, kind of like a good book.

Now focusing back on this HBO series...the production is amazingly good. It seems that no money was spared to bring to life this beautiful production. I love the use of the player piano to do current day pop songs a wonderful touch that just showed that in season one they got it...got the charm, got the allure. Anthony Hopkins is fantastic as Dr. Robert Ford and to this day remains my favorite character in the series.

Season one gives the viewers something more than the film does, it gives us a better look behind the curtain into the creation of the parks and the writers...this was interesting. I would say season one is great television and worth watching which is high praise from me, because as mentioned I don't care for science fiction.

Season Two was not as memorable, but it explores more the rich entitled nature of those who own the park and are rich enough to use it to do bad things. (I think this was done to build sympathy for the robots?)

Season three was a completely forgettable waste of time that for me was when the series really "jumped the shark" so to speak. Very little time was spent in the park...lots of killing, rioting in streets, an algorithm making decisions for the humans....sorry I already had another nap.

Season four...ok I just watched episode one with my husband last night because he is a huge fan and has really been looking forward to it. He, who I introduced the original film to years ago, is convinced that this season is going be better than the last (which he also didn't care for). But that is the difference between him and I...the big reveal at the end of episode one...didn't care and that ultimately is the problem, they left me at the end of season three not caring.

They have shown us the awful things that the humans do in the park...the humans are bad and the robots are bad, what is left to care about in this new "future world" they have created? I am sad to say that I don't think going back to the park is going to fix the apathy that the show runners created in season three.

I am giving this series a 7...because I don't know how to rate a 8-9, that goes to 5-6 and then down to 0. I hope for my husbands sake it gets better, but I am not sure I am willing to watch much more.

I will give a shout out to some phenomenal acting by Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Thandiwe Newton, and Jeffrey Wright. They are quite the contrast to Evan Rachel Wood who is giving the stoniest performance ever and truth be told I don't know if it is the actress or the direction she is being given, but she is hard to watch...including episode 1 season 4 (human...what a joke?!?). Also I want to give another shout out to two characters I really enjoyed: Lee Sizemore (Simon Quarterman) and Hector Escaton (Rodrigo Santoro)...both were interesting and added a lot for me. Finally, the character I wanted to see meet with a violent end: Charlotte Hale (Tessa Thompson) (yes there is some holdover from Veronica Mars...I'll be honest), but I harbored a lot of dislike for this character and was left less than satisfied.

My rating is for season 1 only. Season 1 was amazing and was followed up ok with the 2nd. It should have ended there. Seasons 3 & 4 make you wonder if the people responsible for them ever watched the first two. The last season was like having to watch the Game of Thrones final episode 8 times in a row.

This show went from being the most complicated si-fi of the decade to just another action thriller with nothing else