‘Westworld’ Season 4 reviews: Emmy-winning drama ‘proves far more inviting, legible, and gripping than previous season’
HBO’s drama “Westworld” premiered its fourth season on June 26 and is already impressing critics. The latest installment of the Emmy-winning series created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy has a freshness rating of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus praising the season’s improvement on the previous, which left fans and critics divided. Despite the fact that the show has yet to reach the level of praise it received in the first two seasons, this is a great sign that there is once again steam in the engine. Watch the Season 4 trailer above.
The Season 4 “Westworld” cast includes Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Luke Hemsworth, and Aaron Paul. Additionally, Season 4 will feature Oscar-winning “West Side Story” star Ariana DeBose in a guest role within the 8-episode arc.
SEE over 500 interviews with 2022 Emmy contenders
Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair states that this season already “proves far more inviting, legible, and gripping than did the previous season, which significantly altered the DNA of the series from eerie psycho-philosophical musing to pre-apocalyptic action.” Lawson goes on to state that even Aaron Paul, whom he calls “season three’s worst invention” is viewed favorably. Surprises from past seasons are also in store according to Lawson, who elaborates “they’re welcome bits of symmetry, smartly reconnecting us to the original existential struggle of the show.”
Lacy Baugher Milas of Paste Magazine, states that “’Westworld’ remains at its best when it’s asking us to question our own realities, and blurring the lines between what it means to be a human and what it means to be a Host—or outright asking whether there’s really that much difference at all.” This season “goes further in that regard than ever before.” She also muses that anyone who watches in hopes of making sense of it all, despite major deaths in the prior season, might be in for a shock.
Wenlei Ma of new.com.au, much like her fellow critics, mentions that the third season might have left the fans scratching their heads, but the “production values are extraordinary, as are its performances, but that has never been in doubt, the series always delivers on those points.” She even calls the cast an “absolute smorgasbord of thespian delights.” “And this season, that question of free will which was centered on its robot characters are now turned back to humanity.” A very fitting observation given recent events.
SIGN UP for Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
But not all reviews were as favorable. Brian Lowry of CNN was less than impressed. Referencing a quote from fan favorite Maeve, he states that the “good old days” are just that, and “except for those most invested in making ‘Westworld’ make sense, no matter how much you play with the wiring, it doesn’t look like they’re coming back.” Melanie McFarland of Salon states that “’Westworld’ may have shed a few of its I.Q. points over the years, but it’s still a decent shoot-em-up that gives us women fighting back and winning.” She assesses that this season is perfectly timed “starting with how easily the human mind can be infected with self-destructive ideas.” Entertainment Weekly is a bit blunter in its assessment, beginning with the ominous “I will stick with ‘Westworld’ until the bitter end — and at this point, I assume the end will be very bitter, indeed.” The review eventually states, “Newton is the only performer having any fun at all, while poor Jeffrey Wright is basically playing Season 8 Bran.”
What do you think of the new season so far? Let us know in the comments and in the forums!
PREDICT the 2022 Emmy winners by Sept. 12
Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?