The HBO series Westworld is celebrating its 10th anniversary. A retrospective article on ComicBook argues that the show's ever-expanding world-building in later seasons gradually overshadowed its character-driven stories. The series is adapted from the 1973 film of the same name: while the film portrayed robots in a futuristic theme park as threats, the series focuses on the experiences of the park's hosts, recounting their repeated repairs and resets.
The article suggests that Season 1, which intertwined the park's mysteries with the experiences of Dolores, Maeve, and others, was the show's strongest season. Season 2 continued to expand the themed parks and character relationships, but the sprawling setting began to encroach on the space for character development.
Season 3 moved the story beyond the park into the real world, introducing Caleb and an AI that manipulates human lives. The author believes this brought a new direction to the series, potentially serving as a fitting endpoint. By Season 4, the author felt that some supporting characters had become more like functional roles serving the world-building, with each stage of the story increasingly resembling standalone episodes sharing the same setting.
Westworld was cancelled after its fourth season, with the creators originally planning to conclude the series with a fifth season. There are also new plans for a Westworld film adaptation.