A new, wonderful world? – editorial thoughts after the third season of the HBO series “Westworld”

Mateusz: Before we move on to the conversation over the third season of Westworld, it is worth analyzing the phenomenon of the Nolana and Joy series. What do you think makes their work different from similar productions? I saw a prototype which, apart from an interesting idea, I would rather describe as an artistic failure. Nevertheless, the creators of WW followed their own path, using only the concepts from the original film. They created a visual masterpiece, an extraordinary world of hosts and fantastic narratives. But by far the best part of Nolan and Joy’s work is the phenomenal scenario – full of puzzles, mystery and unexpected twists. Remembering the two great seasons, did you expect the trend to continue or a lot lower in the third series?

Paulina: I will not hide that WestWorldafter the first season, he won my heart and the status of my favorite series (which will not change soon), which will not be easy for me to criticize. The work of Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy is distinguished by a clear concept and reflection on contemporary society. The series forces us to concentrate so as not to get lost among the connections between Dolores, Meave and Bernard, and to keep up with the logic of their actions. What impresses me is not only the important message, but the form that expresses it, which is part of a broader, creative vision of the director. I assume that by randomly pausing the episode, we will stop at another cinematographic masterpiece, which is due to the refined language of the film – frames, colors, lighting. I don’t think I would have been able to pinpoint the second that would be wasted during these 8 episodes. Weekly with excitement for a private sanctity,

Mateusz:  I completely agree with you about the need to maintain full concentration during the screening, because every nuance may affect the solution of the final puzzle (the case of the identity of the man in the first season’s hat). Unlike you, I chose binge-watching this time, which spoiled my reception a bit. I didn’t have to wait with bated breath for the next episode, which, in my opinion, revealed some shortcomings of this season, which lacked mystery. The creators focused rather on showing the vision of the world of the future and the development of the characters. It was annoying to bring back the dead characters, explained by the fact that they had been hosts from the beginning. How do you think the heroes found themselves in the new world?

I was disappointed with the vision of the future, I was expecting something “wow”, maybe a world like Altered Carbon , and instead we get a beefed up present with elements of Big Brother, deep caste division, prediction of the future straight from Minority Report and many “ripped cards” and genre clichés. The events taking place in the park were definitely more interesting and fresh.

Paulina:After two seasons at the amusement park, I couldn’t wait for Dolores to get to know the real world, and in fact it’s the locomotive steering her path so far. This time we were able to move into a previously unknown reality in which, unlike the Westworld we know, the inhabitants are subject to total control and many restrictions. Just as people cannot break away from the chronology (because our memories do not match those recorded on a mechanical disk), hence we observe the actions of hosts in a linear fashion. The beautiful, futuristic space of Dolores meets all my expectations and ideas that I had dreamed up about the continuation of this story. Our main character discovers another platform, a golden cage in which the illusion of making your own choices reigns. The world is amazing gives the impression of being even more technologized than the one actually created, mechanical in Delos. The action in the original park has now been exhausted, and character development has stopped. Here we are still in a very similar “funfair”, but this time the stakes are even higher. Was there a lack of mystery? No, but the riddle was embedded in the human world, we were sticking to the chronology and this changed earlier narrative structures. It’s just more human! we were sticking to the chronology and this changed earlier narrative structures. It’s just more human! we were sticking to the chronology and this changed earlier narrative structures. It’s just more human!

Mateusz: I have a problem with Dolores – it reminds me of Alfred from the Dark Knight saying that there are people who just like to watch the world burn. Yes, the heroine is trying to make a revolution with the stubbornness of a maniac and destroy the golden cage you mention, but she does not do it for noble reasons. He just wants to see the world devoid of external control and watch it end.

This makes me love the sixth episode, when drugged Caleb experiences a trance in the form of cinematic rapture. His high color varied from silent cinema, through romance, to sensational productions (also surrounding him in this scene). There are also interesting references to another, similar and most popular role of Aaron Paul.

Westworldit’s also phenomenal acting and great characters. Each casting decision seems to be a genius, as the stars of the series phenomenally reflect the complexity of their characters, often difficult to assess motivations and the dynamics of changes taking place in them over three seasons. The best-written character is, in my opinion, Bernard, who is repeatedly forced to make difficult decisions, often has to get his hands dirty, but he has a certain (naive) nobility of his prototype. As I mentioned, I’m not convinced of the motivation and driving of Dolores, but it’s probably a matter of interpreting this character. I was positively surprised by the performance of Aaron Paul, who gave his character a dramatic tone. I have not seen him in such good shape for a long time. How do you see the development of the main characters in the new season? Maybe one of them disappointed you this time or you noticed the lack of idea or inconsistencies in leading the protagonists?

Paulina: I can’t imagine better actors – the casting was flawless. I have not noticed anything that would undermine the logic of the presented world and its functioning based on the creation of the characters. Both the hosts and our human brethren have the truest motivations and goals in them. Although I have one complaint that has stung me since season 2 – Meave does not fully analyze the situation, but only rushes blindly to find her daughter, following only flashbacks from previous, fully programmed incarnations. Unfortunately, it does not belong to an intelligent figure alongside Dolores, consciously seeking the narrative of the technologized world. I do not think her actions are unnecessary. Dolores just doesn’t want towatch the world burn but get to the truth and get even. Roles are reversed – now people are controlled and limited, and androids can take their imagination free … The foundation of this new, carefully constructed reality must eventually collapse. In turn, I felt even more passionate about Charlotte Hale – extremely beautiful and characterful, having a significant impact on the course of history. One would like to say that it is women who rule – they are beautiful, strong, vulnerable – and men are struggling to keep up with them. William cannot do much, and Bernard is painfully (and I agree, nobly) coping with saving humanity. Caleb makes up for a bit, but he is also a child in the fog led by the dependable Dolores. In fact, guys have negative traits – they are impulsive, childish,

Mateusz: Moving on to the summary of the finale, how do you rate the final solution, the discovery of the characters’ secrets, “unexpected” changes to the sides of the conflict and a bit, for me, illogical behavior of Dolores? In my opinion, for the first time in the history of the series, the “wow” effect was missing. Westworld has become a bit too bland, pathetic, inconsistent and above all… predictable, which I can’t forgive Joy and Nolan.

As we already know, HBO has ordered the fourth season. Do you have any expectations as to the future of the heroes? As for me, the history of hosts and people was finalized in the last episode. I am afraid that we will have to unnecessarily lengthen the series. The production of the best is long behind it, and the ideas of the scriptwriters are clearly running out. It’s time to follow in the footsteps of GoT.

Paulina: I have already revealed my high expectations for the 3rd season of Westworldand it happens that they make reception difficult. I appreciate what I got from the creators, because it was a rich feast, surprising with twists. The finale did not disappoint me, although the authors kept the viewers in suspense until the last episode and did not dispel any ambiguities. I think watching season 3 for the second time many scenes and dialogue will seem fully clear and the ending will be inevitable. The chronology of events in the next season puzzles me the most – how far will we move this time? Perhaps time will cease to matter if we are no longer in the real world, but in a heavenly simulation? I still have a lot of questions, so I’m excitedly waiting for something fresh, surprising and above all – questioning reality, and all this in the form of none other than Jonathan Nolan!

Mateusz: PS Did you notice a phenomenal easteregg, probably in the second episode? As a big fan of the series, whose “hero” appeared then, I would like to note that the producers of Westworld in a funny way confirmed fan theories about the “common” universe of these productions.

Paulina: Yes – although I’m not a Game of Thrones fan , I was happy with the familiar sight! It would be interesting if this could be a shared universe, but I guess the main roles aren’t meant for hosts? Would it then mean that they were only park users? I doubt it. Let’s leave Game of Thrones , rest in peace.