blindey said:
So put a little more simply for the "no talent bum/how did you get in here/"Next!"/someone call security" crowd, from the standpoint of a storyteller that tells stories, the show would do well by settling into a more concrete concept at this point?
Basically, yes. As oragator mentions above, it can still be complex, there can still be red herrings and back stabbing, etc, but at this point, three seasons in, everyone's goals need to be whittled down, clearly defined, and made less redundant. We're to the point where the endgame should be more clearly in focus than it currently is. They can still take another three seasons or however long to get there, but motivations need to quit changing so much, so the core drama/conflict of the show can be clear, thus making it easier for us to invest.
Think about Game of Thrones. Yes, they botched the ending, but the conceit/concept of the show was super simple, and worked extremely well: there's a throne, someone's on it, and a bunch of other people/factions not only want it, but believe they have claim to it. Motivations evolved over the course of the series, but they never really changed all that much. We always knew who wanted the thrown, and why.
So far, in three seasons of Westworld...
- Dolores has wanted to 1) scratch the itch at the core of her Westworld reality, 2) free her fellow hosts, 3) create a home in the real world for her fellow hosts/disrupt (conquer?) humanity in the process.
- Maeve has wanted to 1) scratch the itch at the core of her Westworld reality, 2) be reunited with her daughter in Westworld, 3) be reunited with her daughter in The Valley Beyond.
- Bernard has wanted to 1) come to grips with the nature of his reality, 2) stop being a pawn in the conflict between man and host, 3) stop Dolores from eradicating humanity.
- William has wanted to A) find the center of the maze, B) prove he has choice, C) wipe out all the hosts.
I'm not critiquing any of that, and again, it all makes sense, and I appreciate the evolution of each character's motivations. But with the additions of Serac, Caleb, and Charlores this season, it's all gotten too muddled, alliances have shifted in redundant fashion, compelling dynamics have been ignored, etc. It's time for everyone to settle into the their roles, so to speak, for the endgame, and maybe even clear a piece or two off the board. I don't need a big twist in the finale come Sunday, I'm just hoping that by the end of the episode, goals/alliances/dynamics/the endgame are all made clearer than they are now.
