The first season of Westworld was entertaining, if not bordering on spectacular. What held it back a little bit for me? What I perceived as on over-reliance on narrative time-shifting (intentional obfuscation). While Season Two falls into that "trap" a little bit, for the most part it plays it a bit straighter. As such, I enjoyed the bulk of this season more than I did its predecessor.
While I don't want to go into the specifics of everything that happened this season (puzzling through this show is half the fun, after all), suffice it to say that S2 brings the viewer further afield (and by quite a bit) than anything that happened in S1, which pretty much took place within the confines of the western-themed park. This go-around, however, we get, for a few examples... -Glimpses into at least two other Westworld theme parks. -Much more information about DELOS and what their real plans for the park may be -An entire arc for the Man in Black, including a flashback to his life outside the park. -An entire episode devoted to the Ghost Nation tribe that was hinted at in S1.
To me, what S2 of Westworld needed to prove (at least for me to continue to hold it in such high regard) is that it could tell stories without relying on some sort of time-shifting narrative. It passed this test with flying colors, as nearly every single episode tells a story of its own while also fitting in to the over-arching narratives. A highlight in this regard may have been the episode "The Riddle of the Sphinx", which was the directorial debut of Lisa Joy (show co-runner with Jonathan Nolan). That may be the best single episode of Westworld to date.
I was also a little bit concerned that S2 would just go to "Samurai World" and never look back, so to speak, but again (thankfully) this was not even close to the case. Instead, the show pretty much just doubles down on the themes of S1, exploring them in more detail than what "The Maze" (S1) allowed.
The only reason I won't give S2 the full 5-star rating (4.5 will have to suffice)? Towards the end, it once again kind of fell into the trap of obfuscation over storytelling. It's almost as if the writers of this show can't help themselves. They know how to tell a great story, but for whatever reason they also feel the need to muddy the waters for no other purpose than creating "big reveals". At this point, I"ll argue that the show does not need this kind of approach, as it is strong enough simply in characters and storytelling alone to be a fantastic, groundbreaking show. That would be my "challenge", so to speak, for the announced S3: Spend less time concocting season-ending time convergences and focus even more on continuing to be one of the most thought-provoking shows ever created.
I am picking at nits with the 4.5 rating, but for a show that clearly holds itself to such a high standard, I am going to do the same. For the most part, this is "thinking person's entertainment" at some of its very finest. My interest in the show has been completely revitalized (after it waned in the late episodes of S1) and I am fully on board for whatever (and whenever) S3 decides to give us.
While I don't want to go into the specifics of everything that happened this season (puzzling through this show is half the fun, after all), suffice it to say that S2 brings the viewer further afield (and by quite a bit) than anything that happened in S1, which pretty much took place within the confines of the western-themed park. This go-around, however, we get, for a few examples... -Glimpses into at least two other Westworld theme parks. -Much more information about DELOS and what their real plans for the park may be -An entire arc for the Man in Black, including a flashback to his life outside the park. -An entire episode devoted to the Ghost Nation tribe that was hinted at in S1.
To me, what S2 of Westworld needed to prove (at least for me to continue to hold it in such high regard) is that it could tell stories without relying on some sort of time-shifting narrative. It passed this test with flying colors, as nearly every single episode tells a story of its own while also fitting in to the over-arching narratives. A highlight in this regard may have been the episode "The Riddle of the Sphinx", which was the directorial debut of Lisa Joy (show co-runner with Jonathan Nolan). That may be the best single episode of Westworld to date.
I was also a little bit concerned that S2 would just go to "Samurai World" and never look back, so to speak, but again (thankfully) this was not even close to the case. Instead, the show pretty much just doubles down on the themes of S1, exploring them in more detail than what "The Maze" (S1) allowed.
The only reason I won't give S2 the full 5-star rating (4.5 will have to suffice)? Towards the end, it once again kind of fell into the trap of obfuscation over storytelling. It's almost as if the writers of this show can't help themselves. They know how to tell a great story, but for whatever reason they also feel the need to muddy the waters for no other purpose than creating "big reveals". At this point, I"ll argue that the show does not need this kind of approach, as it is strong enough simply in characters and storytelling alone to be a fantastic, groundbreaking show. That would be my "challenge", so to speak, for the announced S3: Spend less time concocting season-ending time convergences and focus even more on continuing to be one of the most thought-provoking shows ever created.
I am picking at nits with the 4.5 rating, but for a show that clearly holds itself to such a high standard, I am going to do the same. For the most part, this is "thinking person's entertainment" at some of its very finest. My interest in the show has been completely revitalized (after it waned in the late episodes of S1) and I am fully on board for whatever (and whenever) S3 decides to give us.