So just watched the season finale of Westworld.
My first instinct is that I didn't like it much and it's sort of an amalgamation of all the little elements and flaws of Season 2 that I didn't like. In fact as a whole I like that particular episode less than the bulk of Season 2 which I mostly enjoyed as I watched it.
That final episode is like seeing a magic trick. And when you don't know how the magic trick is performed, its kind of cool because your mind comes up with all these theories and fixates on all these elements of the trick that seem neat in a vacuum. But when the trick is actually explained to you the magic is gone. It's just oh you had a lady in both sides of the box before you sawed it in half. That's kinda lame.
That finale felt like that. It wants to be epic. It wants to blow your mind. But when most of it feels forced and only one of the little pieces of it actually seems like a good twist, it feels a bit underwhelming.
spoiler (click to show/hide)
I also don't really get how you move forward without fundamentally changing the very nature of the show. Being in a park and doing Westworld, Samurai World, etc seems completely old hat after that finale. I feel like that world is now pointless and doing more of it is just spinning wheels. And I'm fine with changing that up completely. But I have a feeling that a lot of people tune into that show for western alternate reality shenanigans every week. If you don't give them that they are going to be disappointed. And I'm going to be disappointed if it is the same old shenanigans.
I'll probably go into more detail about specific bits I liked/didn't like about that finale and season when I have a little more time tomorrow. I know everything I said here is very general and that is partially so as not to accidentally spoil anything since I know not everybody has seen it yet. Also to give myself so time to think about it.