While most sci-fi shows initially struggle to find their feet, one of HBO‘s best offerings in the genre only takes 10 minutes to snag a viewer’s attention. Based on a Michael Crichton movie, the show in question had an incredible four-season run before it ended on a controversial note in 2016.
All the controversies surrounding its production and cancellation tainted its reputation in more ways than one. However, before things started going downhill for the series, it was often touted as one of the most glorious sci-fi shows to have graced the television screens. Even though things did not end too well for the series, it is hard not to recall how it got many things right in the sci-fi genre.
It may not have ended on a high note, but its opening is undoubtedly a masterclass on how sci-fi shows can perfectly hook viewers in a matter of minutes. Audiences have a lot of options in the sci-fi genre to choose from. However, the HBO sci-fi show still demands more attention because of how incredible it is in most of its early story beats.
Westworld’s First 10 Minutes Are Peak Sci-Fi TV
In its first few minutes, Westworld only keeps getting better by the second. It gives viewers a rather cold but immersive opening scene in which Evan Rachel Wood’s Dolores Abernathy sits lifelessly in a lab and does not even flinch when a fly walks inside her eye. The scene gets even more chilling when a voice asks if she “questions the nature of her reality.“
Without warning, Westworld suddenly changes in tone and genre and starts unfolding in what seems to be an authentic Wild West town. It recreates almost every trope from romantic Westerns in the next few minutes before throwing another curveball at viewers and shattering the illusion to remind them that nothing in its narrative is as it seems.
By the time the opening sequence ends, the character who seemed like the hero of the story is already shot dead, while the main female lead is dragged to a barn by the newly introduced antagonist. This perfectly sets the stage for the series’ exploration of many dark but compelling sci-fi themes surrounding free will and the true meaning of being human in a world ridden with artificial consciousness.
Westworld Never Lived Up To Its First Season
Unfortunately, despite its initial promise, Westworld experienced a gradual decline in quality as its story progressed. While its second installment also managed to earn positive reviews from most viewers and critics, its opening season remained its best offering. In season 3, unfortunately, Westworld drifted further away from the philosophical depth that made its first two installments stand out.
Westworld season 1 was incredibly successful on HBO and averaged a viewership of 11.7 million per episode, making it the most-viewed freshman drama on the network.
While its visuals and performances remained top-notch, it struggled to make sense out of its own convoluted story and faded into mediocrity in season 4. What made things worse is that Westworld was controversially canceled after season 4 due to high production budgets and declining viewership, preventing it from redeeming itself.
Even though HBO‘s Westworld becomes relatively weaker in its latter seasons, it is still an incredible addition to sci-fi television. Its sudden end after season 4 can be a bit of a disappointment, but its rich world-building in the earlier seasons and compelling character beats make it a must-watch for sci-fi fans.
