Westworld is finally back, and it continues to be a model of fantastic storytelling. The year and a half gap between seasons was definitely worth it, as it resulted in a more polished final product. Despite a mysterious opening and a cryptic, non-chronological nature of storytelling, the premiere is instantly engaging and tense and remains so for all 70 minutes. Although the episode serves largely as setup, the mere reveal of the new storylines (and evolutions of old storylines) is incredibly exciting due to the high quality of the writing and acting. I found the scenes between Sizemore and Maeve and the scenes between Bernard and Charlotte to be especially compelling. The characters play off of each other extremely well, and they are in very interesting positions right now.
All in all, this is a very strong premiere. It gets the season off to a running start with an engaging new network of plot-lines and character dynamics. I'm really looking forward to seeing more.
All in all, this is a very strong premiere. It gets the season off to a running start with an engaging new network of plot-lines and character dynamics. I'm really looking forward to seeing more.