HBO cancelled Westworld Season 5 to the surprise of many. The supposed fifth season should have served as the series’ last, considering showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy’s plan to end the show after five seasons.
As Westworld Season 5 didn’t get the chance to materialize, with fans petitioning it to be picked up by another network or streaming giant to continue, will someone hear their cries? Why HBO decided to cancel the show?
Going Down the Drain
According to ScreenRant’s analysis, the show’s first season found incredible success, earning seven Emmy Awards. But everything started to go down the drain when the second season began.
Despite the first season’s confusing timeline, flashbacks, and character portrayals, fans still loved its story. But everything changed in the second season when Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins) left the eerie theme park.
The introduction of the new theme parks and storylines veered away from its original narrative, creating too many plot threads and confusing viewers more.
ALSO READ: The Walking Dead’s Daryl Dixon: New Cast Members, Character Info Hint at Spinoff’s Storyline
The first season got an 87 percent critic approval rating, while the second season got 85 percent. Though the difference wasn’t much, the audience score disparity was evident.
Season 1 received a 93 percent audience score, while the second season sharply decreased to 76 percent. The ratings dropped, too, from 1.82 million viewers in the first season to 1.57 million watchers in the second season.
A Complete Departure from the Story Fans Loved
To make matters worse, Westworld Season 3 featured a complete departure from the show’s original story in the first season.
It showed a futuristic Los Angeles, far from the man-made worlds, with hosts eager to leave to go to the real world.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Glee Reboot: Ryan Murphy Hints at Possible Show Revival
The introduction of Engerraund Serac's (Vincent Cassel) computer system, Rehoboam, and Caleb (Aaron Paul) just proved to have removed its original identity.
Its Rotten Tomatoes critic score went down to 73 percent, while its audience score was 62 percent, with only more than 800,000 viewers per episode.
Too Late to Stand Again
Westworld Season 4 tried to redeem the show, but it was already too late. It got a 76 percent Rotten Tomatoes critic approval rating, hinting at its improvement, though it only received a 54 percent audience score.
Fans may have already lost their faith in the series, which may have taken its toll on HBO, resulting in its cancellation.
READ MORE: A Million Little Things Season 5 Will be the Last of the Series; Why ABC Cancels the Drama?
Its poor performance for the past four years and its big budget of about $100 million per season, not gaining back anything from it, diminishes the possibility of having Westworld Season 5.
For more Westworld Season 5 news, stay tuned to EpicStream!
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
Pop Culture