Season one of Westworld ended so particularly well, I thought that I had seen all I needed to see. I was concerned that a second season wouldn’t be able to maintain the high standard it set during it’s first season. While I would contend that I enjoyed season one more, the 2nd season of Westworld was wildly engaging and packed to the gills with talking points and intrigue.

One of my primary concerns with how season two was going to be handled was the continuity. Season one ended and changed all the rules, could season two manage to be philosophical while also dealing with a world turned upside down into a bloody frenzy?

Season one was extremely character driven balancing its characters while establishing a science fiction world based upon an old Michael Crichton story where humans have a theme park that allows them to role play with lifelike robots. Indubitably season one ends with the robots establishing free will and the robots turning on their devious human creators.

Season two picks up with the humans seemingly launching a counter attack. But because this is a science fiction film and not a Fast n Furious movie, the human superiors care less about human life and more about a secret that’s hidden inside the park. I say a secret but naturally there are is more than than what is to be seen than what is at the surface. Hanging above this all are the themes of religious salvation, creationism, and societal expectations.

from The New York Times

Season two does employ some time period jumps, none as drastic as the one in season one. The struggle as a viewer becomes trying to assess what moment of a specific character’s journey we are in. The finale of season two does its best to wrap up any gaping holes but it may’ve left me and some other viewers in the dark along the way. While Westworld may be a show that desires a second viewing to catch all the subtleties you missed, Westworld requires a lot of emotional and mental investment for each and every episode.

I can happily say that some occasional confusion was my only major complaint. This is a result of season one making me feel so aware of all its major storylines. Season two delves a mile deeper into some more philosophical and fantasy elements. Season two had a major tonal shift. It needed to, and it delivered the goods.

Season one was science fiction. Season two erupted into science fantasy. Showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy were diving deep into a think tank surrounded by a couple nearby sharks begging them for a challenge. Nolan and Joy ended season two mostly unscathed but with even more challenges ahead developing a narrative with the very likely installment of a 3rd season in 2020. This go round I’ll give the writers and directors the benefit of the doubt because they are smart people with high standards. They know the story they want to tell and they know how to convey it on screen.

Season two explores some of humanity’s most burning questions. Mortality being at the forefront. Genetic data plays a role in this as we have to ask real-world questions about the human condition breaking down into complex or simple code. The robots are rather critical of their human creators, which makes sense since they’ve been virtually enslaved by them for an unknown amount of time.

from HBO

Season two’s biggest accomplishment, however, is taking several unexpected character arcs into heart-wrenching emotional territory. Not that you’ll find yourself crying, but there are some characters to be proud of. Characters that were once jaded finding purpose and meaning. It’s a beautiful thing, and also tragic. Westworld continues to support the propensity that in order to be successful you best be a raging asshole. I came to the realization early on that while there’s no reason to support the antagonizers within the story, it is entertaining to see where their story leads them.

The actors and actresses in this series are all champions on screen. Legends like Ed Harris and Anthony Hopkins are at the top of their game, they have to compete with fantastic performances by Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, and Tessa Thompson. Even the supporting characters are fleshed out whether it be Shannon Woodward, Luke Hemsworth, or Simon Quarterman (aka Joseph Gordon Levitt Jr.). The characters remain are all supremely well defined.

Undoubtedly Harris continues to be the star of the show as his, ‘Man in Black’, character remains a focal point of the series. Newton was on the rise last season and with Hopkins in a reduced role becomes the show’s second major star on the heels of Harris.

Not lost in this fanfare is James Marsden as Teddy. Teddy becomes one of the best character arcs in season 2. A straight hero throughout season 1, Teddy finds himself in a troubling predicament as Dolores turns into the Terminator.

from EW.com

Wright’s Bernard character continues to be the center of the plot and was the fulcrum for much of my confusion. I learned only after the season that Bernard and Arnold are two separate characters. Bernard’s story, whilst being the most difficult to follow succinctly, is the most intriguing.

As a humble observer, I would say Westworld season two was an exploration in the direst of human desires. Survival, the importance of family, and the journey to ascend into the afterlife.