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‘Westworld’ reunites its pieces but can’t escape its own dense maze

June 26, 2022
Henry

Looking more distinctly futuristic in its design (a byproduct of avoiding the original amusement-park-for-adult setting), the HBO drama still features an assortment of really good actors, including James Marsden Returning and Oscar winners Ariana DeBos and Danielle. Enhanced by Wu. Among the new additions.

Once again, however, they are operating on largely parallel tracks, giving rise to random acts of violence with no clear indication of where this train is going. and while long gap between seasons Of course that hasn’t helped, it’s not readily apparent that a more expedited schedule will fix bugs in the system.

The most promising thread involves the renegade AI Mev (Thandive Newton), who is reunited with Caleb (Aaron Paul), on a mission together. His path intersects with the villainous and ruthless William (Ed Harris) as he pursues his own shady plan, a character basically elevated by the suspense of the first season, perhaps the most symbolic of the show’s decline. It has become progressively less interesting since then.

giants like Evan Rachel Wood And Jeffrey Wright is back on board, too, but it’s hard to make the most of his story through four episodes, which only feeds into the sense that “Westworld” is built into about three shows in one. As for how the makers will bring this together, whatever goodwill and trust they’ve generated in the past has mostly evaporated, creating less confidence that they’re playing six-dimensional chess and more suspicion. That they’re HBO spending a whole lot of money on an elaborate conundrum. (HBO, like CNN, is a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery.)

Given the initial praise of “Westworld” in turning Michael Crichton’s original concept on its head and forcing viewers to see the exploits of these synthetic creatures through their own eyes, the series is a high one to ignore entirely. Profiled property.

Still, after dutifully sitting for half of this eight-episode season, the feeling that the pieces could be satisfactorily put together, at least for those who were skeptical, was asked and answered.

At one point, Mew makes a dark reference to the fight that looms large by saying “settlement and dissolution. Like the good old days”.

I wish the “good old days” were just that, and except for those most invested in making “Westworld,” no matter how much you play with the wiring, it doesn’t look like they’re coming back.

The fourth season of “Westworld” begins June 26 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.