The sci-fi androids-focused show Westworld admittedly hit a stumbling block in its third season. After all, how can you follow up such a couple of tough acts that is the first two seasons with its themed amusement park for adults concept with an android uprising amidst all of it?

The only way forward for the series is to focus on the aftermath, of course. The season starts with a writer named Christina (Evan Rachel Wood) who looks suspiciously like Dolores from the previous seasons. Caleb (Aaron Paul) seems to have a happy life away from Season 3’s events, but ends up teaming up with Maeve (Thandiwe Newton) to infiltrate the new Delos theme park -set in the Golden Age of 1900s- to stop the plans involving The Man In Black (Ed Harris) who may be alive.

Meanwhile, Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright) is finding answers in the closed-down parks. Yes, you will get lost if you aren’t in touch with Seasons 1 to 3, but at least the story is expanding to slightly new grounds, especially when it pulls the rug from under you at the latter half of episode 4 “Generation Lost”. Oh, and the ones behind the scenes is Charlotte Hale  (Tessa Thompson), the Delos Destinations Board executive director.

Robotics In Disguise

Other highlights include the episode 4 “Annees Folles” key action scene in the theme park features some nice theatrics and a lovely cover of Metallica’s Enter Sandman using an orchestra. And then there’s the other theme park that’s based on Season 2’s turn of events that’s sure to keep the already-bending plot even more screwy. Which is definitely the most interesting element of the overall show and the current season because it sure as hell isn’t the acting. Everyone’s playing it really straight and serious, this being a drama, but no one here really stands out as it’s one of those series where the lore and the plot take centerstage. Everyone has equal screentime, though you can argue that Caleb and Maeve get a bit more screentime as their current mission is the early season’s first half focus.

Still, the first four episodes of Westworld is definitely a promising new start for the series, though the stretched storyline is starting to wear thin and it’s not friendly for those who didn’t do their homework. Were it not for its actors like Evan Rachel Wood and Aaron Paul just giving in a right amount of effort to make the show palatable, along with the show’s mystery box being unveiled at the right time, we might end up with a mediocre experience. Thankfully, there are some working wheels left in this amusement ride.

Final(?) Score: 70/100