When it comes to the best sci-fi series since 2000, Westworld is a must. Even though the series never got the ending it deserved, the first few seasons in particular are really strong
Over the past weeks and months, the Moviepilot editorial team has been preoccupied with one question in particular: What are the best science fiction series since the start of the new millennium? After lengthy discussions, a ranking of 50 titles has emerged that take us in the most diverse directions of the genre. The HBO series Westworld takes a particularly stirring and thrilling look into the future.
Westworld is based on the 1973 sci-fi classic of the same name, which was written and directed by Jurassic Park mastermind Michael Crichton. Set in the near future, the story takes place in a futuristic theme park that takes us back in time. In Westworld, the Wild West comes to life – thanks to a magnificent desert backdrop and androids in cowboy garb.
Artificial intelligence breaks out of a theme park: Westworld plays with one of the most exciting sci-fi ideas
Warner Bros. has been toying with the idea of bringing a new Westworld version to the movies since the 1990s. After the project fell apart again and again, two decades later it was turned into a series: In August 2013, US broadcaster HBO – home to series milestones such as The Sopranos, The Wire and Game of Thrones – announced an order for the pilot episode of Westworld.
Here you can watch the trailer for Westworld:
Over three years were to pass before the sci-fi series created by Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight) and Lisa Joy (Reminiscence) flickered across the screens. But the wait was worth it: Westworld starts with one of the most captivating debut seasons in series history. Ten episodes full of puzzles and secrets. Each chapter offered a new perspective and turned the previous one on its head.
The story of Westworld begins with an update of unimagined proportions: suddenly the sentience of the androids in the Delos-run park Westworld changes. Unwilling hosts such as Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and Maeve (Thandiwe Newton) suddenly develop an unexpected life of their own. Even the brilliant Westworld creator Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins) is at a loss.
In Westworld, we can’t trust a single character: All of them hide unsuspected abysses
The perfect artificial world is coming apart at the seams. Despite this, numerous guests continue to flock to the park, led by a mysterious man in black (Ed Harris), who makes it his mission to decipher Westworld. It is not long before disturbing abysses open up, literally and figuratively. Westworld leads deeper and deeper into a labyrinth from which there is no escape.
(Thandiwe Newton in Westworld)
Man loses himself in his creation and soon it is impossible to clearly separate the real from the fake. Several times over the course of its four seasons, Westworld pulls the rug out from under our feet and reveals the shocking truth hidden behind a beloved character. This creates an eerie mystery atmosphere despite the big blockbuster show values.
Westworld feels like a puzzle that you put together piece by piece. As soon as you think you have a feel for the big picture, a piece pops up that moves the story in a completely different direction. However, the twists and turns are not just an end in themselves: they intensify the gripping sci-fi mind game in which artificial intelligence threatens to outstrip humanity.
The final bang was denied to Westworld: Nevertheless, the series remains a captivating sci-fi blockbuster
Every detail, no matter how inconspicuous, is important in the complex series structure of Westworld. However, Nolan and Joy were unable to tell the story as they had originally planned. After the second season, the costly series was restructured in order to be produced more cheaply. As a result, the plot shifted from the endlessly fascinating park to the real world.
(Aaron Paul and Evan Rachel Wood in Westworld)
New characters, changed locations: The guessing game at the heart of Westworld never stopped and kept us riveted until the last second – at least the last second that aired. We will never see the real ending of Westworld. A 5th season was planned that never materialized. HBO pulled the plug on the sci-fi series in 2022. The stars were still paid, but nothing more was filmed.
Stream now: Here you can watch all seasons of Westworld on WOW
It’s not every day that a sci-fi project as ambitious as Westworld comes around the corner and then four seasons are realized at an absolute blockbuster level. This makes the abrupt end just before the finish line all the more tragic: with season 5, Nolan and Joy wanted to bring their intricate story to a worthy conclusion. So Westworld will forever remain a mystery
