Earlier this month, the creators of “Westworld” announced a plan to foil the online theorizers who had guessed so many plot twists during the first season: They would post a video on Reddit that spoiled the entire second season. The curious fans who couldn’t resist pressing “Play” were instead treated to the star Evan Rachel Wood singing Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

The gag — a twist on a decade-old internet prank, Rickrolling — didn’t give up the goods. But it turned out to be a preview of how the new season carries over the flaws of the first, as well as some tentative steps it takes toward fixing them.

[ ‘Westworld’: Here’s What to Remember for Season 2 ]

On the down side, “Westworld” still treats itself more as a game to be beaten than as a story to be told. If the show has been plagued by zealous decoders, that’s because it hasn’t created characters nearly as involving as its labyrinthine plot.

On the encouraging side, the video was a joke, and even a dusty attempt at humor was a welcome change of pace coming from a show whose first season was relentlessly dour, ponderous and stuck up its own maze.