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“Westworld” is an excellent sci-fi show that was arguably cancelled too soon. and then unapologetically pulled from HBO Max, the host channel’s streaming platform. That’s a shame because it could have been a solid alternative to Prime Video’s recent “Fallout” series, albeit with a more cerebral tone overall. If it were available to stream, you could watch it while waiting for some more new post-apocalyptic content. You can buy the four available seasons on some platforms to watch on your own time, if you’re so inclined.
HBO’s “Westworld” was based on a series of movies, and the original from 1973 — written and directed by famed novelist Michael Crichton — is actually the first ever live-action movie to use CGI. Sometime after the “Westworld” movie, its follow-up “Futureworld,” and before the recent Emmy-winning series, there was another show meant to expand on Michael Crichton’s original story. It was called “Beyond Westworld,” and although now it has been pretty much forgotten, the aim was to expand the initial premise.
Unfortunately, after just three episodes aired on CBS — out of five ever produced — the show was cancelled. The ratings were too low after the first two episodes aired, and it was pulled before the entire five-episode run could be completed. You can still watch it on Prime Video, for a fee, but don’t rely on Rotten Tomatoes to garner an idea of what to expect, as it doesn’t have a score. IMDB users, however, have given it 4.5 out of 10 stars with nearly 400 reviews.
What is Beyond Westworld about and how does it continue the original story?
The DVD box cover for “Beyond Westworld” explains that the series takes place after the original film’s events. However, it does ignore the sequel. The story threads are about what the park’s nefarious mad scientist, Simon Quaid, plans to do with the innovative tech rather than the park itself. Quaid has taken hundreds of robots from Westworld and assimilated them covertly all over the world. As seen in the movie and the modern series, most people outside the park wouldn’t recognize the robots because they’re designed to be human-like in nature.
“Beyond Westworld” was going to feature a new android in each episode that John Moore, the main character, had to find and destroy. “Westworld Destroyed,” the pilot episode, saw Moore hunt down Quaid and learn that there are androids outside of the park, including one hidden amongst the crew of a U.S. nuclear submarine. Episode two has Moore after an android that infiltrated the ranks of an oil company, while the third episode features an android hiding in a rock band.
It’s an interesting concept, but there’s no clear cause for the low ratings other than the lack of the kind of action viewers saw in the original movie. The show aired during CBS’s “family hour,” which prohibited the use of firearms and other traditional weapons expected from an action series. It made for some over-the-top silliness. It’s a good binge option if you watch the 1973 movie first.
