Seven main reasons why the season succeeded and what you're missing if you haven't started watching the series about a future where humans and androids exist.

Last week, the third season of one of HBO's smartest and most ambitious projects came to an end. A series whose viewers split into two camps after each season. Some always want more explanations, while others are ready to wait for the next twist in the story.

Westworld is not a series for everyone. It's not Game of Thrones, which every third person watches. It has a different audience, one ready to untangle the web of episodes and mysteries. Below, I'll tell you why it's worth paying attention to and what made the new season memorable for fans. I'll try to keep it as spoiler-free as possible, so even those unfamiliar with the project can read on.

Each season of Westworld has revealed a different period in the lives of the main characters. The first season was the past, the second the present, and the third season the future. We finally saw how humanity built a world with the help of AI. We learned more about the role of androids and the corporations that create them. If before we watched and waited for new parks to appear, the third season opened up a new world to us. And it turns out it's not so different from the illusions of life in the android parks.

A perfect world doesn't anticipate any problems. But such a world would inevitably come to an end sooner or later. As one of the series' characters said: 'Humanity would destroy itself.' We were led to a revolution, to the climax of the story. And we expected the series to end with the third season. But unexpectedly for everyone, it was renewed. This immediately became a red flag that the story would be stretched out and made different from what was planned. I see this as the only major downside of the season — we were being prepared for a finale and resolution, but we got an ellipsis.

And I'll give seven reasons why the series is still at a high level and deserves praise.

'What genre is this? Reality' — The Narrative

If you've already watched Westworld, you know that the timeline and the picture almost never match. Viewers have always been led by the nose, deceived, and promised unexpected twists. In the third season, the creators moved away from such techniques. But not in all episodes.

Viewers are kept on edge again, asked questions, and given no answers. We constantly expect a trick, scrutinizing the details. This is the true art of the creators — not letting viewers away from the screens. And no matter how much critics curse the writers, none of them can simply turn off an episode midway or stop watching the season. You will definitely watch it to the end.

'She gave me a choice. And the rest of the world deserves it' — The Characters

The main trump card of any series is its characters. And in Westworld, there are plenty of main characters. We follow the stories of Dolores, Maeve, William, Charlotte, Bernard, and even Stubbs over three seasons. In each season, they have their own role. They are always different, and by the end of the third season, many storylines have been brought to a logical conclusion.

But the new characters are also a delight. In the new season, the creators perfectly integrated Aaron Paul's character into the plot. You've definitely never seen him like this. Deep, emotional, sometimes lost and desperate. This is certainly one of the best roles of his career.

Vincent Cassel was simply the highlight of the season — a charismatic, bright, pompous villain. He played his role perfectly, even though he had little screen time.

Strong female characters are a hallmark of all of Westworld. They are always at the center of the plot and run the entire story. In the third season, each of them showed their character. Tessa Thompson's character especially surprised all fans. This is definitely the discovery of the entire series.

William is another character who deserves attention in every season. Interestingly, each season begins and ends with him. In the third season, I give him a standing ovation for just one scene where he meets his copies from different moments in his life.

The episodes featured beloved supporting characters from past seasons, which thrilled every fan.

And as a bonus, David Benioff and Dan Weiss dropped by one episode along with Drogon from Game of Thrones. They talked about delivering a dragon to Costa Rica, where the new Jurassic Park location is. And this is a double reference, since the actual films were shot in that very place. It's especially nice that we saw sets and characters from HBO's greatest series for another five minutes.

And we ask ourselves: 'Why are we here?' — Visuals and Soundtracks

The visuals in the third season are definitely the best of all the episodes we've seen before. The world of the future was shown in all its grandeur, accompanied by explosive soundtracks from Ramin Djawadi. Several times during the season, you'll hear cover versions of popular hits and the main theme of the series in a new variation. Your eyes and ears will cry out with delight.

One episode definitely stands out and is memorable among all. In it, Aaron Paul's character sees the world through the filter of different film genres.

'You were put in a cage and they decide how you will live' — The Universe

Only in the third season did we truly learn what this world of hosts is. And most importantly, what the androids' goal is. The universe was instantly expanded, giving us many flashbacks. And the season finale clearly hinted at the emergence of another world, which we will be told about in more detail. A world ruled by androids.

'Every game has its rules. You need to know how to break them' — Light Action

This season, we saw many more action-packed scenes of chases, brutal confrontations, and fights under the aim of combat quadcopters. The choreography of the scenes is impressive. I especially like how the camera moves during filming.

'The violent delights have violent ends' — Easter Eggs

Westworld is one of those series that is simply filled with Easter eggs. There are over forty in each episode, so I recommend watching reviews and videos on YouTube, because you definitely missed something while watching.

The very first 'reference-Easter egg' noticed by all fans is the awakening. We are introduced to Aaron Paul's character, whose every day begins and ends exactly the same. Moreover, the filming of these moments is completely identical to the shots from the first season with Dolores' character. This immediately suggests that people are no different from androids. We too are stuck in our worlds and playing our role.

Many scenes mirror scenes from past seasons. This is interesting and makes fans think about the outcome of the story long before anything is explained to us.

And then each episode is simply filled with signs on walls, wallpaper, and paintings. Reflections in mirrors, colors, inscriptions, and names of establishments — all of this is on screen for a reason. Every detail plays its role.

There was even room for biblical references. Over the course of the season, we heard four names of biblical kings, which also suggests the creation of a new world.

The season finale even takes a swing at Fight Club, quoting the film and including its soundtrack.

'The greatest threat to humanity has always been itself' — Bernard

Neither human nor android. The most mysterious and key character in the entire story of Westworld. It's no coincidence that in every season, his character becomes the main mystery. We don't know exactly what his role is or what he does. But he is different from everyone else. He has a human consciousness connected to the consciousness of a host. And his role in the story of the entire series is still not revealed.

To sum up, I can say that even the weakest season of Westworld will be better than many other series.

Filming for the fourth season will only start in 2021, but fans of Westworld are used to waiting. In the meantime, you can rewatch the seasons or start watching the series if you haven't already.