Since the contentious season 2 finale of HBO‘s hit “Westworld,” fans have been processing, questioning, and analyzing what could possibly come next. The series, which has been a critical and commercial smash since its inception in 2016, will have a third season in 2020. Obviously, that gives devotees quite some time to mull over any negative takeaways from season 2. And as a bit of optimism, season 3will offer a new phase for the series, according to showrunners.
In an interview via THR, “Westworld” creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy discussed the idea behind the show, season 2, and what comes next. Of course, fans are harboring on what could possibly come of the recent, mind-bending finale. To that end, Nolan and Joy offer some answers, albeit cryptic ones. The interview highlights a few spoilers, which you can read but we’ll spare.
“I think it’s a radical shift,” said Nolan. “What’s compelling and appealing about these characters is that they’re not human. As we said in the show, humans are bound by the same loops the hosts are, in some ways even smaller. You couldn’t expect human characters to withstand and survive the kind of story that we’re telling. The hosts have a different version of mortality, a different outlook…They’re existential. They span eons. And that’s a fascinating level of story to engage in.”
READ MORE: Toned-Down ‘Westworld’ Season 2 Prizes Refinement Over Ribaldry [Review]
Rather philosophically, “Westworld” has bent genre, flexing between science fiction, reflexive drama, and all-out Western. When it came to the season 2 finale, fans were left perplexed and frustrated. But out of the confusion are also moments of clarity from fans.
As Joy says, “It’s funny because I’ve gotten more personal responses to this season than anything I’ve ever written, with people reaching out independently, and one of the things that has touched me deeply is hearing from people who have been trapped in loops in their lives that they’ve struggled desperately to get out of, whether they’re cycles of violence or cycles of addiction.”
READ MORE: ‘Westworld’ Creators Jonathan Nolan And Lisa Joy Team Up For New Sci-Fi Series At Amazon
Despite some of the feedback from the previous season, fans are remaining steadfast to the HBO series, and, as a result, won’t be leaving the park anytime soon. “Westworld” is an intense show that is touching a vast audience. The effect varies from viewer to the next, but the impact is the same: “Westworld” is an enigmatic exercise in genre and examination of morality. With season 3 over a year away, fans will have to sit tight but know the show is moving into a radical, new phase.
Otherwise, those Reddit threads could be an even scarier place.