Here’s the deal, ever since the season six finale of Game of Thrones this year, I’ve had a huge hole in my heart that only a truly binge-worthy show could fill. And everything I came across was “meh” at best. Naturally, when I came across Westworld, I didn’t really have high hopes. I was wrong. SO wrong! Six episodes later, I am a proud believer. But don’t let me rant on, let these 6 reasons prove to you that letting HBO’s newest offering, Westworld, take over your life is not a bad bargain at all!
1. I haven’t seen a more beautifully shot show since HBO’s last, Game of Thrones.
At the risk of being lynched by ardent GOT fans, I can say that it is one of the most beautifully crafted and visually appealing shows that I’ve ever seen. The Wild West landscape is barren and ugly when it needs to be and lush and boundless when the script demands so. Scenes of the laboratory are so masterfully clinical that you can almost feel the apathetic chill emanating from the screen. With all the wonder & pop that you’d expect from an epic tale, Westworld successfully transports viewers to a new dimension, leaving them too stunned to question anything.
2. It’s so bizarre that it is actually poetry for the confused mind.
Merely minutes into the first episode I was scratching my head. Who am I supposed to be rooting for? What the actual hell is going on? While shows like Game of Thrones might have laid the groundwork for risque screenplay on television, Westworld just makes Game of Thrones look “safe to watch.” I love how the show throws all your expectations in the bin and still, somehow, stays poetic. At the end of the episode, here’s what I can liken it to – it’s a very vicious rendition of Groundhog Day, The Truman Show, Blade Runner & Penny Dreadful rolled into one. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
3. The show is so well cast that I can’t even.
Excuse my fervent fangirling, but I’m yet to see a more fabulous cast for a thriller sci-fi based show. Industry bigwigs like Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris & Jeffery Wright are in pivotal roles and their performances in five episodes alone is so Emmy-worthy that I can’t even. But that’s not all, Evan Rachel Wood’s dysfunctional character & James Marsden’s neurotic optimism in their roles makes you wish that the episodes don’t end. Also, did I mention that Thandie Newton, Jimmi Simpson & Rodrigo Santoro are in it as well? *Passes you a paper bag to help with the hyperventilation*
4. The names of the creators of this show will knock your socks off.
If the names Jonathan Nolan & Lisa Joy, don’t ring a bell right away, then you are bound to recognise them as the writers of movies like The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar. To add to this wonderful mix, we have J.J. Abrams, the man behind the super-awesome Star Wars and Star Trek franchise at the helm, along with the late Michael Crichton, the original writer-director of the 1973 movie of the same name & the writer of our favourite dinosaur franchise Jurassic Park, whose epic saga served as the inspiration for this series. *squeals with joy*
5. The plot is so well thought of, that it’s almost sinister.
Robots, gratuitous sex, ultra-violence and cowboys, that’s Westworld in a nutshell. Only, it’s so much more than that. The way the plot rolls out makes you wonder what being human really means. What happens next? I guess you’d have to watch the show to find out.
6. The series’ theme song is just…
Ramin Djawadi, the composer responsible for the epic Game of Thrones theme song has spun his magic here as well. The result is a melody so captivating and eerie that it’s bound to become an earworm. *hums the tune for the next foreseeable future*
So, is Westworld worth watching? Hell, yea!
But, is it safe to call it the next Game of Thrones? OMG, yaaas!
While I can list more reasons, but I’m pretty sure I have convinced you. So what are you waiting for? Watch Westworld on Hotstar! Catch episodes 1- 7 here, before the 8th releases next Monday. Need a preview? Watch the stunning trailer here.