Westworld

Starring: Jeffrey Wright (36 episodes), Ed Harris (36 episodes), Thandiwe Newton (36 episodes), Evan Rachel Wood (35 episodes), Tessa Thompson (30 episodes), James Marsden (29 episodes), Luke Hemsworth (26 episodes), Angela Sarafyan (21 episodes), Anthony Hopkins (17 episodes), Aaron Paul (16 episodes), Rodrigo Santoro (16 episodes), Simon Quarterman (15 episodes), Shannon Woodward (13 episodes), Jimmi Simpson (13 episodes), Talulah Riley (12 episodes), Ptolemy Slocum (12 episodes), Leonardo Nam (12 episodes), Ingrid Bolso Berdal (11 episodes), Ben Barnes (11 episodes), Clifton Collins Jr. (10 episodes), Louis Herthum (10 episodes), Sidse Babett Knudsen (9 episodes), Zahn McClarnon (8 episodes), Vincent Cassel (7 episodes), Katja Herbers (8 episodes), Jonathan Tucker (7 episodes), Steven Ogg (7 episodes), Izabella Alvarez (7 episodes), Alexander Ward (7 episodes), Ariana DeBose (5 episodes), Gustaf Skarsgard (5 episodes), Tao Okamoto (5 episodes), Marti Matulis (5 episodes), Aaron Fili (5 episodes), Tommy Flanagan (4 episodes), John Gallagher Jr. (4 episodes), Kid Cudi (4 episodes), Celeste Clark (4 episodes), Hiroyuki Sanada (4 episodes), Peter Mullen (4 episodes), Betty Gabriel (4 episodes), Pom Klementieff (3 episodes), Russell Wong (3 episodes), Michael Ealy (2 episodes), Michael Wincott (2 episodes), Rinko Kikuchi (2 episodes), Josh Randall (2 episodes), Sela Ward (1 episode), Jack Coleman (1 episode), Saffron Burrows (1 episode), Giancarlo Esposito (1 episode)
Directed by: Richard J. Lewis (6 episodes), Jonathan Nolan (3 episodes), Frederick E.O. Toye (3 episodes), Vincenzo Natali (2 episodes), Stephen Williams (2 episodes), Paul Cameron (2 episodes), Jennifer Getzinger (2 episodes), Neil Marshall (1 episode), Lisa Joy (1 episode)
Rating: TV-MA
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Science Fiction
2016-2022

Seasons Seen:
Tim: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

Summary: Tourists stream into Westworld, an amusement park filled with lifelike androids. However, forces behind-the-scenes and within the technology threaten to unleash a global-wide threat upon humanity.

Review:
Tim: Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy's Westworld is a fascinating television series. First off, it updates the 1973 film that was the first adaptation of Michael Crichton's novel, which, interesting enough, he adapted himself. He made his directorial debut with the film, delivering a good, but flawed movie. It always felt to me like that movie could have been much better with a more experienced director behind it. We get to see that come to life here, with a four season series that takes Crichton's original work in new directions, delivering a powerful and complex story that defies easy explanation.

It's hard to summarize a series like this- it covers four seasons, but that's spanned across almost 7 years, one season debuted every two years. When I think about this series, it's hard to even remember aspects of the first season. But, I do remember clearly the broad strokes. When Westworld debuted, I really liked the series. It was intelligent, challenging, filled with a large and brilliant cast. And then, there's a certain episode involving Bernard where everything changes. That's when the writers reveal their hands and you suddenly see that what you've been watching wasn't just good, it was absolutely genius. I'll never forget that "rug pulled out from you moment" where you're just in awe of what the series accomplished. That was the first moment I didn't just like the series, I truly loved it. That was the high point of the series for me. It would go on, obviously. The second season started to feel even more complex and by the time the third season broadened the scope of the series, it felt like the whole thing could collapse under the weight of the complexity. In season 3, I realized it would take multiple rewatchings to truly grasp and follow everything. I liked the series a lot, but I wasn't willing to do that. I often felt confused during the third season and had to look up a number of recaps to make sure I was following it all. Season four felt slightly less convoluted. I know the series was cancelled after four and it could have gone on, but it feels like the main story was appropriately wrapped up by the end of the fourth season. It felt like a fitting place to stop and I ended the series with a sense of accomplishment, not a loss.

The cast has always been the biggest driver for me. It's one of the best television casts ever assembled. I still can't believe they got Jeffrey Wright and Ed Harris for all four seasons. They are both absolutely fantastic actors and I loved my time with them. Wright was wonderful as Bernard- an endlessly fascinating character that you quickly identify with and care about. I was mesmerized by nearly everything Wright did here. His performance is always very subtle, but it was always remarkable. I've always liked Wright, but my feelings went to a whole other level with his performance as Bernard. Harris is the same, although in an antagonistic role. His Man in Black was so chilling, calculating, and fascinating that he held your attention every single second he's on screen. Harris is so experienced, he hits all the right notes in this role. Harris always always been criminally underrated and his work here just shows that he's truly one of the all time greats. Thandiwe Newton got such a tremendous opportunity with Maeve, and she hit an absolute homerun. She gets to do so much in this role and the range she shows is stunning. She emerged as one of the most interesting, critical characters to the entire series. I was a bit disappointed in how her story turned out- it didn't quite feel appropriate to an actress or a character who subtly carries the series for multiple seasons. Whenever Newton showed up, even if I wasn't completely clear on what was happening, I was immediately interested. Evan Rachel Wood might never had been better than her performance here. Dolores is really one of the main characters of the series and Wood does wonderful work in bringing her to life. She feels like the true protagonist in many ways, which is always impressive in an ensemble cast. Her performance makes us truly love Dolores- her ability to connect with the audience on an emotional level while playing a non-human android is amazing. James Marsden added a ton of credibility to the series, too. He isn't as old as some of the acting veterans here, but he brings such a calming presence as Teddy. I just felt comfortable seeing him in this role- he's effortlessly watchable. He worked really well with Wood- the two of them really form the heart of the series. Tessa Thompson was a tremendous addition, too. Her character became increasingly important as the series progressed and she ends up as one of the most vital characters in the whole thing. Her performance always commands our attention.

There's so many cast members, I have to comment on more. Anthony Hopkins was only there for the first season, but his performance can't be overstated. He brings so much gravitas to the role, you knew you had to take the series seriously because he signed on to it. I loved his performance and missed him when he went. I also have to give a ton of credit to Luke Hemsworth. He's the least famous of the three brothers, but Stubbs emerges as one of the most pleasant surprises of the series. I didn't expect to love this character as much as I did, but Hemsworth is consistently excellent in the role. His charisma and comedic timing go a long way to endearing his character to us. I also loved the addition of Aaron Paul. I loved him in Breaking Bad and it was great fun seeing him here. He started the series just as it became too complicated, but over his 16 episodes, he really makes us feel for his character. I know he'll never be pointed out as the most important among the cast, but he really made a huge difference in the back half of the series.

Then, you just have so many people who contributed in large and small ways. Jimmi Simpson was essential to the show that first season- his performance was subtly brilliant. Rodrigo Santoro added a nice supporting turn, too. I never loved Angela Sarafyan, but she still mattered in the series. Ben Barnes was excellent the first season, giving such a larger-than-life, memorable performance. I always love seeing Clifton Collins Jr. Hiroyuki Sanada was great, I just wish he had been a larger part of the series. I could keep going- Vincent Cassel and Jonathan Tucker both added nice supporting performances, too. There's still a dozen actors I could mention who mattered here. As a whole, it's one of the finest television casts I've ever seen.

As I mentioned, the story did eventually become too convoluted. However, it always told interesting story and explored themes that matter more than ever today. It looked at the intersection of technology and humanity and questioned what it would be like as both paths converged on an eventual collision course. I don't know how the next generation of technology will shape humanity, but as the advent of AI emerges in 2023, none of us can truly understand what the future holds for us. Westworld explored those ideas. It's fascinating that most of the best characters here weren't human- we still care deeply about these androids. Whose side are we really on?

The series always looked excellent, too. The visual effects were routinely stunning. The set design, costume design, it was brilliant. You can't forget many of the grotesque images throughout this series. Early on, it really embraces the sex and violence that much of humanity revels in. The visuals always held your attention and focused you on the story. It's a series that definitely had the right budget to tell the story it wanted to tell.

Looking back now across the four seasons, Westworld is a series I often loved, but just as often grew frustrated with. It was always a mixture of excitement and confusion when the two-year wait was up and I tried to return to these characters and their stories. I always a lost a bit because of how long the wait was (and I didn't have the time to rewatch seasons for fun). I wouldn't consider this one of my favorite series, but it's still one that I deeply enjoyed watching, even when it exasperated me. It's not quite a perfect triumph, but it was incredibly ambitious, like few series ever are. The highs the series delivered are some of the greatest I've seen in television, so I'm glad Nolan and Joy swung for the fences. While flawed, this is still one of the better series out there.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Series, We Recommend: Westworld (1973), Devs, Fringe, Watchmen