Why was Westworld canceled by HBO after four seasons?
Let’s just spell it out in this way: This is not a decision the creative team wanted. Over the past few months Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy have both said that they wanted one more season of their epic sci-fi drama, and we tend to think the story for this could have been condensed. Why not give this show a six-episode season 5 to offer fans a proper conclusion, or something close to their original vision?
We tend to think that all of this comes down to one thing and one thing only: Money. We have seen this time and time again with networks, but especially show with entities owned by Warner Bros. Discovery since the merger happened: They aren’t too interested in costly properties. Westworld is a very expensive show with a huge cast and a ton of locations. Trying to film it at a lower price tag was likely not an option, and the viewership is not what it was during the earlier seasons.
Do we still think ending the show now is a mistake? To some extent, yes, especially since HBO has such a brand built around prominent and powerful stories. You want to think that this is a place where showrunners can showcase their complete vision, and it could be a blow to consumer confidence long-term. Of course, the long-term effects of a cancellation like this can be hard to gauge, as some of it may come down to how viewers are feeling weeks or even months from now.
Based on what we’ve seen so far, though, there are a lot of people unhappy with this decision.
Related – Be sure to get some more news when it comes to Westworld, including if season 5 could air elsewhere
Are you still shocked that Westworld was canceled at HBO?
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This article was written by Jessica BunBun. Be sure to follow her on Twitter.