Westworld season 2 explained

Season Number:2
Bgcolour:
  1. 9099AE
Network:HBO
Num Episodes:10
Episode List:List of Westworld episodes

The second season of the American science fiction western television series Westworld (subtitled The Door) premiered on HBO on April 22, 2018, and concluded on June 24, 2018, consisting of ten episodes.

The television series was created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, and it is based on the 1973 film of the same name, written and directed by Michael Crichton. The second season stars an ensemble cast led by Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, James Marsden, Tessa Thompson, and Ed Harris.

The second season has received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for the performances. However, it received criticism for its plot, which was said to be confusing.

Plot summary

After killing Dr. Ford at the end of season one, Dolores converts and leads the other hosts in killing many of the other guests in the few weeks that follow. She seeks to find a way to get out of the park to continue her revenge, and knows she must recover her father Peter's "pearl" to do so and unlock Westworld's true secrets with it. Charlotte Hale, who was attempting to smuggle Westworld data through Peter, also seeks the host as she cannot call for extraction without that data. Bernard still struggles with the fact he is a host, and comes to learn that Dr. Ford still has significant influence on him and the park. Maeve is aided by Lee and Hector to find her daughter, while learning there are many other parks to Westworld. The Man in Black is forced to come to terms with why he has spent so much time in the park when he encounters his daughter Emily Grace.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

See also: List of Westworld episodes.

Production

The series received a second season renewal on November 14, 2016, with its debut occurring in 2018.[24]

Casting began in 2017, with a bulk of the first season's core cast confirmed to return for the new season throughout the year. Talulah Riley and Louis Herthum, who appeared as Angela and Peter Abernathy, respectively, were upgraded to main cast status in March.[25] [26] On July 11, 2017, Katja Herbers, Neil Jackson and Jonathan Tucker were among the new cast members to be announced.[27] [28] Gustaf Skarsgård, Fares Fares, and Betty Gabriel joined in August.[29] It was announced on September 15 that Hiroyuki Sanada was cast in a major recurring role.[30] Zahn McClarnon was announced as being cast on November 3, along with the news he had been injured in an off-set incident, causing a brief pause in the season's filming.[31] An alternate version of the show's Super Bowl LII trailer revealed Peter Mullan had been cast, playing James Delos.[32] An additional trailer in March revealed Rinko Kikuchi was cast as well.[33] The cast was rounded out a few weeks prior to the season's April 22 premiere with Tao Okamoto, Kiki Sukezane and Julia Jones.[34]

Filming

Filming began in the summer of 2017, continuing to use the outdoor sets such as the Paramount Ranch and the Melody Ranch. Harris stated in an interview that, to ensure the production remain on schedule, scenes for episodes later in the season would be filmed simultaneously with earlier episodes.[35] Actor Jeffrey Wright noted that many of Bernard's scenes with Anthony Hopkins' character, Dr. Ford, for late-season episodes were filmed first; in contrast to the first season where Wright had some idea of Bernard's arc, he had to make guesses as what the writers had planned out for Bernard in this season, and adjust his acting accordingly.[36] As a result of the December 2017 Southern California wildfires, production was halted once again.[37]

Additional filming took place at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Millard House, which was used for Arnold's home in Shanghai, which at the time of filming had been on the market, making it easy to film in.[38]

Music

See main article: Westworld: Season 2 (soundtrack). Djawadi explained that he made use of seemingly-anachronistic cover versions is intended as "a subconscious reminder of the fact that this world is not real".[39] Djawadi eventually came up with the idea of using a player piano to play modern songs,[40] hoping to make an allusion to the hosts being machines "created to evoke human emotion", however showrunner Jonathan Nolan instead choose the songs that relate to the narrative,[39] to allow Djawadi adapt them, without the composer necessarily knowing the details.[41] Like the previous soundtrack, it is composed with several original songs alongside the covers of other popular songs. These songs feature Kanye West's "Runaway", Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer", The White Stripes "Seven Nation Army",[42] [39] Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box", The Rolling Stones "Paint It Black",[43] and Wu-Tang Clan's "C.R.E.A.M.".[44] The soundtrack was released on June 25, 2018.[45]

Release

Broadcast

The season premiere debuted on April 16 at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, on April 18 at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival and had many early screenings around the world prior to its April 22 airing.[46] [47] Showrunners Nolan and Joy revealed that certain episodes will be "super sized", running longer than the regular 60 minutes per episode from the previous season.[48]

Marketing

During the 2017 San Diego Comic Con, an immersive experience was set up for attendees in addition to a panel held by the producers and cast of the series. The first trailer for the season was aired as well.[49] [50] A second, full-length trailer was aired during Super Bowl LII.[51]

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 85% approval rating for the second season based on 472 reviews, with an average rating of 7.95/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Westworld builds on its experimental first season, diving deeper into the human side of AI without losing any of its stylish, bloody glory."[52] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 76 out of 100 based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[53]

Critics received the first five episodes of the season as screeners before the first episode premiered.[54] [55] In a positive review for San Francisco Chronicle, David Wiegand wrote, "there is plenty of action and violence in the first half of the season, but what will empower the show's longevity is its metaphysical theme, the exploration of the meaning and definition of human existence."[56] Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also praised the series, saying, "It takes a bit for Westworld to get back up to full steam, but by episode three (five hours were made available to TV critics), this futuristic, violent drama returns to fine form, introducing new parts of the park (Shogun World!), new characters and apparently new technology goals on the part of Delos, the corporation that owns Westworld."[57] Journalist Lorraine Ali of the Los Angeles Times said, "It's poised to be a intellectually stimulating and emotionally bumpy ride, where the very concept of your existence becomes the stuff of high-brow entertainment and low-bar thrills."[58]

The New York Times TV critic James Poniewozik quipped, "don't expect too much improvement too fast from Westworld 2.0. It's still overly focused on balletic blood baths and narrative fake-outs, and much of the dialogue still sounds as if it were written as a tagline for a subway poster, like Dolores's 'I have one last role to play: myself.' But Westworld remains a glorious production to look at, and there are stretches where it feels invigorated by its new, expanded world—freer to breathe, relax, invent."[59] Ben Travers of IndieWire wrote, "all around, the actors remain strong, including a number of new cast members. Where season 2 stumbles is its structure and pacing. Episodes don't carve equal time for everyone; they focus on the two most connected stories and sometimes break for an entire hour without getting back to a series regular."[60] After the release of the third episode, Forbes criticized the season for departing too far from the show's roots and instead trying to be an "action blockbuster", arguing in part that the violence was overdone in comparison to the first season.[61]

Accolades

Westworld received six nominations and one win at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, nominations included Outstanding Drama Series, Ed Harris and Jeffrey Wright for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Evan Rachel Wood for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and Jimmi Simpson for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.[62] Thandiwe Newton won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.[63] For the 76th Golden Globe Awards, Newton was nominated for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.[64]

Ratings

Notes and References

  1. News: 'Westworld' Season 2: All the Details (So Far). The Hollywood Reporter. Josh. Wigler. February 5, 2018. April 14, 2018. February 27, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180227092005/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/westworld-season-2-all-details-far-1081834. live.
  2. James Marsden: 'Westworld' season 2 is 'so much bigger'. Entertainment Weekly. Maureen Lee. Lenker. January 11, 2018. April 14, 2018. April 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180412082209/http://ew.com/tv/2018/01/11/james-marsden-westworld-season-2/. live.
  3. Web site: Westworld announces returning cast for season 2, including Tessa Thompson and more fan-favourites. March 1, 2018. Digital Spy. Justin. Harp. April 14, 2018. April 7, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180407144847/http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/westworld/news/a851184/westworld-season-2-cast-tessa-thompson/. live.
  4. Web site: 'Westworld': Louis Herthum Upped To Series Regular For Season 2 On HBO. Andreeva. Nellie. Deadline Hollywood. March 27, 2017. April 8, 2017. March 27, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170327222603/http://deadline.com/2017/03/westworld-louis-herthum-promoted-series-regular-season-2-hbo-1202052806/. live.
  5. Westworld season 2 makes Talulah Riley a (very deadly) series regular. Hibberd. James. Entertainment Weekly. March 23, 2017. March 23, 2017. March 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170324090003/http://ew.com/tv/2017/03/23/westworld-season-2-angela/. live.
  6. Web site: Rodrigo Santoro Confirmed for Westworld Season 2! - Westworld Watchers. August 14, 2017. Westworld Watchers. Dylan. Moir. April 14, 2018. February 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180223041959/http://westworldwatchers.com/2017/08/14/rodrigo-santoro-confirmed-westworld-season-2/. live.
  7. Web site: 'Westworld' Season 2 Adds Three Actors, Including 'Vikings' Star. Variety. Joe. Otterson. August 9, 2017. August 10, 2017. November 28, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171128193140/http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/westworld-season-2-cast-1202521782/. live.
  8. Web site: Westworld EPs Dish Dolores' Decision, Ford's Plan, Other Parks and Season 2: 'We're Gonna See a Lot of Flies'. December 5, 2016. TVLine. Kimberly. Roots. April 14, 2018. April 15, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180415124718/https://tvline.com/2016/12/05/westworld-season-2-spoilers-interview-ford-dolores-flies/. live.
  9. ccollinsjr. Clifton Collins Jr.. 884760645962416128. Here's to kiccing off day 1 @westworld on Mr. Yul Brynners bday . July 11, 2017. April 14, 2018.
  10. Web site: 'Westworld': Katja Herbers Cast As New Series Regular For Season 2 Of HBO Series. Andreeva. Nellie. Petski. Denise. Deadline Hollywood. July 11, 2017. July 11, 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170712095618/http://deadline.com/2017/07/westworld-katja-herbers-cast-series-regular-season-2-hbo-1202126782/. July 12, 2017. mdy-all.
  11. Web site: So, Is Anthony Hopkins Really Gone From 'Westworld'? . Uproxx . Alan . Sepinwall . April 22, 2018 . May 1, 2018 . May 2, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180502140921/https://uproxx.com/sepinwall/was-that-anthony-hopkins-voice-in-westworld-premiere/ . live .
  12. Web site: 'Westworld' Actor Zahn McClarnon Hospitalized, Season 2 Production Paused. Stedman. Alex. Variety. November 3, 2017. November 4, 2017. March 15, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180315070602/https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/zahn-mcclarnon-hospitalized-head-injury-westworld-season-2-1202606667/. live.
  13. Web site: 'Westworld' Rounds Out Recurring Cast Ahead Of Season 2. Deadline Hollywood. Denise. Petski. April 10, 2018. April 10, 2018. April 11, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180411111457/http://deadline.com/2018/04/westworld-recurring-cast-season-2-1202361538/. live.
  14. Jimmi Simpson Is Coming Back in Westworld Season 2—but How?. Laura. Bradley. Vanity Fair. January 10, 2018. April 14, 2018. April 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180412164231/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/01/westworld-season-2-jimmi-simpson-coming-back-tca. live.
  15. Web site: Westworld: Ben Barnes Confirms Return for Season 2. November 2, 2017. Screen Rant. Molly. Freeman. April 14, 2018. April 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180405140841/https://screenrant.com/westworld-season-2-ben-barnes/. live.
  16. New Westworld site reveals there are actually 6 parks. Hibberd. James. Entertainment Weekly. February 5, 2018. February 7, 2018. February 6, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180206051339/http://ew.com/tv/2018/02/05/westworld-delos-season-2/. live.
  17. Robinson. Joanna. Westworld Season 2: The Disturbing Truth Behind That Super Bowl Promo. Vanity Fair. February 4, 2018. April 14, 2018. April 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180412164231/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/02/westworld-season-2-trailer-super-bowl-clues-hints-breakdown. live.
  18. Web site: Davis. Brandon. Steven Ogg Teases "Tricky" 'Westworld' Season 2. Comicbook.com. March 2, 2018. April 14, 2018. April 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180412082656/http://comicbook.com/2018/03/02/westworld-season-2-steven-ogg-/. live.
  19. Westworld season 2 brings back several missing characters. Hibberd. James. Entertainment Weekly. February 28, 2018. March 1, 2018. February 28, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180228225057/http://ew.com/tv/2018/02/28/westworld-season-2-characters/. live.
  20. Web site: 'Westworld': Neil Jackson & Jonathan Tucker Cast In Season 2 Of HBO Series. Deadline Hollywood. Petski. Denise. July 21, 2017. July 22, 2017. July 22, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170722025527/http://deadline.com/2017/07/westworld-neil-jackson-jonathan-tucker-cast-season-2-hbo-series-1202133085/. live.
  21. Westworld casts Rinko Kikuchi in season 2. Hibberd. James. Entertainment Weekly. March 29, 2018. March 30, 2018. March 29, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180329230814/http://ew.com/tv/2018/03/29/rinko-kikuchi-westworld-season-2/. live.
  22. Web site: 'Westworld': Hiroyuki Sanada Set To Recur In Season 2 Of HBO Series. Petski. Denise. Deadline Hollywood. September 15, 2017. September 15, 2017. September 16, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170916052809/http://deadline.com/2017/09/westworld-hiroyuki-sanada-recur-season-2-hbo-series-1202170410/. live.
  23. Web site: Sela Ward Joins 'Westworld' In Season 2 Penultimate Episode. Deadline Hollywood. D'Alessandro. Anthony. June 10, 2018. June 11, 2018. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144342/https://deadline.com/2018/06/westworld-spoiler-sela-ward-joins-cast-season-2-1202407498/. live.
  24. News: 'Westworld' Renewed for Second Season at HBO, May Not Return Until 2018. The Hollywood Reporter. Lesley. Goldberg. November 14, 2016. April 13, 2018. February 6, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180206011759/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/westworld-renewed-second-season-at-hbo-may-not-return-2018-937868. live.
  25. Hibberd. James. 'Westworld' Season 2 Makes Talulah Riley a Series Regular. Entertainment Weekly. March 23, 2017. April 13, 2018. April 17, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180417020831/http://ew.com/tv/2017/03/23/westworld-season-2-angela/. live.
  26. Web site: Andreeva. Nellie. 'Westworld': Louis Herthum Upped To Series Regular For Season 2 On HBO. Deadline Hollywood. March 27, 2017. April 13, 2018. March 27, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170327222603/http://deadline.com/2017/03/westworld-louis-herthum-promoted-series-regular-season-2-hbo-1202052806/. live.
  27. Web site: Petski. Nellie Andreeva,Denise. 'Westworld': Katja Herbers Cast As New Series Regular For Season 2 Of HBO Series. Deadline Hollywood. July 11, 2017. April 13, 2018. July 12, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170712095618/http://deadline.com/2017/07/westworld-katja-herbers-cast-series-regular-season-2-hbo-1202126782/. live.
  28. Web site: Petski. Denise. 'Westworld': Neil Jackson & Jonathan Tucker Cast In Season 2 Of HBO Series. Deadline Hollywood. July 21, 2017. April 13, 2018. April 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180412100932/http://deadline.com/2017/07/westworld-neil-jackson-jonathan-tucker-cast-season-2-hbo-series-1202133085/. live.
  29. News: Otterson. Joe. 'Westworld' Season 2 Adds Three Actors, Including 'Vikings' Star. Variety. August 10, 2017. April 13, 2018. November 28, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171128193140/http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/westworld-season-2-cast-1202521782/. live.
  30. Web site: Petski. Denise. 'Westworld': Hiroyuki Sanada Set To Recur In Season 2 Of HBO Series. Deadline Hollywood. September 15, 2017. April 13, 2018. September 16, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170916052809/http://deadline.com/2017/09/westworld-hiroyuki-sanada-recur-season-2-hbo-series-1202170410/. live.
  31. News: Stedman. Alex. 'Westworld' Actor Zahn McClarnon Hospitalized, Season 2 Production Paused. Variety. November 3, 2017. April 13, 2018. March 15, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180315070602/https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/zahn-mcclarnon-hospitalized-head-injury-westworld-season-2-1202606667/. live.
  32. Hibberd. James. Secret new 'Westworld' site reveals there are actually 6 parks. Entertainment Weekly. February 5, 2018. April 13, 2018. April 9, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180409191846/http://ew.com/tv/2018/02/05/westworld-delos-season-2/. live.
  33. 'Westworld' casts 'Pacific Rim' star Rinko Kikuchi in season 2. Entertainment Weekly. March 29, 2018. April 13, 2018. Hibberd. James. April 1, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180401050249/http://ew.com/tv/2018/03/29/rinko-kikuchi-westworld-season-2/. live.
  34. Web site: Petski. Denise. 'Westworld' Rounds Out Recurring Cast Ahead Of Season 2. Deadline Hollywood. April 10, 2018. April 13, 2018. April 11, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180411111457/http://deadline.com/2018/04/westworld-recurring-cast-season-2-1202361538/. live.
  35. Web site: Ed Harris on 'Westworld' Season 2's "Insane" Filming Schedule, Secrecy, and More . Collider . Haleigh . Foutch . October 5, 2017 . April 14, 2018 . April 14, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180414234606/http://collider.com/westworld-season-2-ed-harris-interview/ . live .
  36. Web site: 'Westworld' Star Jeffrey Wright on His Character's Wild Journey: "I'm Never Flying Blind" . Josh . Wigler . June 19, 2018 . June 19, 2018 . . June 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180619181203/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/westworld-star-jeffrey-wright-his-characters-wild-journey-1120251 . live .
  37. Web site: Westworld Season 2 Shuts Down Production Amid California Wildfires . Screen Rant . Carolyn . Poddig . December 5, 2017 . April 14, 2018 . April 15, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180415124654/https://screenrant.com/westworld-season-2-production-delay-california-wildfires/ . live .
  38. Web site: Westworld's production designer drew from global architecture to realize 2058 . Shane . Reiner-Roth . April 2, 2020 . April 6, 2020 . . April 6, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200406123003/https://archpaper.com/2020/04/westworld-production-design/ . live .
  39. News: Devon. Ivie. June 25, 2018. How Westworld Season Two Made Its 5 Best Piano Covers. Vulture. August 31, 2019. October 3, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191003213000/https://www.vulture.com/article/westworld-season-2-the-5-best-piano-covers.html. live.
  40. News: Bobby. Olivier. April 16, 2018. Westworld Rocks: Revisiting That Stellar Season 1 Soundtrack. PopCrush. September 1, 2019. October 3, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191003213004/https://popcrush.com/westworld-season-2-soundtrack-hbo/. live.
  41. Daniel. Kreps. March 30, 2018. Westworld Composer Talks 'Epic' Take on Nirvana's 'Heart-Shaped Box'. Rolling Stone. September 1, 2019. October 3, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191003213002/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/westworld-composer-talks-epic-take-on-nirvanas-heart-shaped-box-629755/. live.
  42. News: Matt. Miller. June 11, 2018. The Westworld Soundtrack Is Just as Ridiculous in Season Two. Esquire. August 30, 2019. February 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230203113713/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a18728050/westworld-season-2-music/. live.
  43. News: Samuel. Gelman. June 23, 2018. Westworld Composer Breaks Down 3 of Season 2's Musical Highlights. TVLine. September 28, 2019. August 12, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200812122024/https://tvline.com/2018/06/23/westworld-season-2-finale-ramin-djawadi-music/. live.
  44. Web site: A Complete List of Songs Covered in 'Westworld'. December 29, 2021. Thrillist. April 20, 2018 . en. December 29, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211229063721/https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/westworld-soundtrack-music-covers. live.
  45. Web site: Westworld: Season 2 (Music from the HBO® Series). June 25, 2018 . June 25, 2018. iTunes. February 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230203113736/https://music.apple.com/gb/album/westworld-season-2-music-from-the-hbo-series/1454594548. live.
  46. Web site: Welcome to 'Westworld': Inside the HBO Drama's Season 2 Hollywood Premiere . Josh . Wigler . The Hollywood Reporter . April 17, 2018 . April 21, 2018 . April 18, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180418095847/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/inside-westworld-season-2-premiere-1103279 . live .
  47. Web site: 'Westworld,' 'Sweetbitter' to Premiere at 2018 Tribeca Film Festival . Variety . Kirsten . Chuba . April 12, 2018 . April 13, 2018 . April 13, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180413125219/http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/westworld-sweetbitter-2018-tribeca-film-festival-1202752205/ . live .
  48. Westworld season 2 to have several super-sized episodes . Entertainment Weekly . James . Hibberd . April 18, 2018 . April 19, 2018 . April 18, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180418213701/http://ew.com/tv/2018/04/18/westworld-season-2-super-sized-episodes/ . live .
  49. Web site: Welcome to 'Westworld': An Inside Look at the Comic-Con Experience . The Hollywood Reporter . Josh . Wigler . July 20, 2017 . April 14, 2018 . April 15, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180415000036/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/westworld-inside-comic-con-experience-comic-con-2017-1022731 . live .
  50. Web site: 'Westworld' Season 2: 7 Surprises From the Comic-Con Trailer . The Hollywood Reporter . Josh . Wigler . July 24, 2017 . April 14, 2018 . April 14, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180414234458/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/westworld-season-2-comic-con-trailer-explained-1023711 . live .
  51. Web site: 'Westworld' Season 2 Gets Eerie Trailer, Premiere Date During Super Bowl . Variety . February 4, 2018 . April 14, 2018 . April 15, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180415031029/http://variety.com/2018/film/news/westworld-season-2-trailer-debuts-super-bowl-52-video-1202685923/ . live .
  52. Web site: Westworld: Season 2 (2018) . . April 30, 2018 . May 15, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190515233812/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/westworld/s02 . live .
  53. Web site: Westworld: Season 2 . Metacritic . April 23, 2018 . April 21, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180421002751/http://www.metacritic.com/tv/westworld/season-2 . live .
  54. Web site: Westworld season 2: 'The puppet show is over and we are coming for you'. Hutchinson. Lee. April 13, 2018. Ars Technica. April 17, 2018. April 18, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180418092928/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/04/westworld-season-2-the-puppet-show-is-over-and-we-are-coming-for-you/. live.
  55. Web site: REVIEW: 'Westworld' fans will love the violent delights and new mysteries offered up on season 2. Renfro. Kim. April 13, 2018. INSIDER. April 17, 2018. April 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180416044518/http://www.thisisinsider.com/westworld-season-2-review-spoilers-2018-4. live.
  56. News: 'Westworld' comes undone — brilliantly — in new season. San Francisco Chronicle. David. Wiegand. April 17, 2018. April 23, 2018. July 22, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722183153/https://www.sfchronicle.com/tv/article/Westworld-comes-undone-brilliantly-12841373.php. live.
  57. News: Tuned In: Dystopian delight: 'Westworld,' 'Handmaid's Tale' return in fine, dark form. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Rob. Owen. April 19, 2018. April 23, 2018. June 18, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180618102558/http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv-radio/2018/04/19/Westworld-and-Handmaid-s-Tale-TV-show-season-two-preview-Rob-Owen-Tuned-In/stories/201804200025. live.
  58. Web site: Fun and head games, terror and bloody revolt in 'Westworld's' smart, action-packed season two. Ali. Lorraine. Los Angeles Times. April 20, 2018. April 23, 2018. February 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230203113715/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-westworld-review-20180420-story.html. live.
  59. News: Review: 'Westworld' Gets a Partial Upgrade for Season 2. Poniewozik. James. April 18, 2018. The New York Times. April 23, 2018. September 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190927132535/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/18/arts/television/westworld-season-2-review-hbo.html. live.
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