Fans of the critically acclaimed HBO Series know that the two seasons of ‘Westworld’ have done a lot of world-building so far, but ironically, it is the third season that will actually open the show up to the “real” world, which will make for a dramatic change to the series. Instead of the isolated and manufactured “worlds” of the park, the remaining Hosts are now out among the rest of the world’s humans, able to see the world as it really is.
While speaking to Variety at the red carpet premiere for Season 3 at the TCL Chinese theater, star Tessa Thompson (Charlotte Hale) stated:
“…it feels like the show is starting all over again…In a weird way, it feels like this is the premiere of the show again because we have entered the real world and the show continues to ask the question what it means to be human, but it’s asking a host – pun intended – of new questions. We have lots of people that have come to join our cast, fresh blood, so it feels like the show is starting all over again. It’s a show that surprises not just the audience, but surprised the people that are lucky enough to work on it.”
While some fans may be sad that they will not get to see more of the park and the other worlds that were hinted at in previous seasons, the future of the series has never looked brighter. The Hosts can now continue their quest to find a place in the world while interacting with actual everyday human beings, not the crazy park workers, security staff, and executives capitalizing on their pain, or the deranged rich park guests who came to live out their hideous fantasies in ‘Westworld.’
RELATED: ‘Westworld’ S3: HBO Announces The Titles And Synopses For First 4 Episodes + New Cast Pics
On the topic of humanity in the greater outside world of ‘Westworld’, according to co-creator Jonathan Nolan:
“The show took a fairly dim view of humanity through the first two seasons. Now we get to ask the question is humanity embodied by what we’ve seen of it in the park. If Dolores, Maeve and the rest of the hosts have only been exposed to the kinds of people who would go to Westworld, is that really all that humanity is made of?”
Of course, Nolan is hinting at Delores’s upcoming interaction with Aaron Paul’s new character, ‘Caleb,’ who appears to be a regular working man, looking to be also somewhat isolated and unhappy with his lot in life. A person who might have more in common with Delores and the other Hosts than the humans they have encountered so far.
While speaking recently about the new season and Caleb in particular, fellow series co-creator Lisa Joy explained:
“We’re talking about the idea that despite all these technologies that are meant to draw us closer together, make us feel more connected to other people, you can still even feel more alone as a result. I think there’s something really relatable about the loneliness that his character feels.”
Nolan has also recently talked about the connection to our current world/ political climate, and how the series will comment on the world as it is by presenting a possible future based on our current actions. In his words:
“We were interested in looking at a version of the future that was a linear extrapolation of what we’re in right now. … The idea that we’ve trapped ourselves in our own initial preferences, the idea that at a certain point we lose control. The idea of an algorithmically determined culture and world, which I think we’re starting to see the effects of not only in the last election cycle, but this election cycle. No one is grappling fully at this point with the devil’s bargain that we’ve made, the amount of control that we’ve ceded, not necessarily to other people, but to a black box that no one understands how it works.”
There is certainly a lot to process while fans await the Season 3 premiere (less than a week away!), and as is common for ‘Westworld,’ I am sure there are already plenty who are spinning their theories about where the show will go this season, and how it is all going to end.
Feel free to share any rumors you may have heard or theories you might have, in the comments below!
Source: Variety
