HBO’s Failed Sci-Fi Masterpiece Committed A Bigger Crime Than Game Of Thrones Season 8

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As a huge fan, I have to admit, the final season of Game of Thrones really disappointed me. After so many incredible seasons and becoming such a massive part of our culture, the ending just didn’t live up to the hype. It felt like they tried to cram everything into too few episodes, and characters I’d grown to love didn’t get the endings they deserved. It wasn’t the epic conclusion I, and so many others, were hoping for.

Although the final season of Game of Thrones was widely considered a disappointment, it wasn’t the worst failure in recent high-quality television. While HBO stumbled with Game of Thrones, their expensive sci-fi series from 2016 never really got off the ground to begin with.

The show in question was Westworld. The network famous for hits like Game of Thrones—which initially revolutionized television—later struggled to maintain audience interest with this futuristic park. While Game of Thrones had a disappointing ending, Westworld became overly complicated and was ultimately cancelled after a few seasons.

While the final season of Game of Thrones disappointed many, Westworld’s decline is even more striking. It went from being a groundbreaking sci-fi show to a frustrating and ultimately cancelled series. In a time when many TV shows are succeeding and pushing boundaries, Westworld is remarkable for just how badly it missed the mark.

Westworld’s Failure Was Worse Than What Happened To Game Of Thrones

Westworld’s Ending Wasn’t Divisive – It Was Erased Before It Could Even Happen

The finale of Game of Thrones in 2019 frustrated many fans, but it did provide closure. Key storylines were resolved – Jon Snow made a difficult decision, Daenerys Targaryen’s journey ended, and Westeros gained a new, though divisive, leader. Whether viewers liked it or not, Thrones finished its story. Westworld, unfortunately, didn’t get the same opportunity.

By 2022, as Westworld entered its fourth season, the show had lost much of its audience. Viewership numbers had dropped significantly, critics were losing interest, and even regular viewers struggled to keep track of which characters were real people and which were robots. The show’s complicated storylines, confusing plot, and focus on abstract ideas had turned off many of the fans who originally enjoyed its complexity.

Unlike Game of Thrones, Westworld didn’t fall apart at the very end; its problems became clear much earlier. Sadly, the show wasn’t even given a proper ending. HBO canceled it before the creators could finish the fifth and final season, meaning the story will never be completed.

To make matters worse, the show was completely taken off HBO Max, essentially wiping out years of effort for everyone involved. While Game of Thrones had a disappointing ending, it’s still available to watch. Westworld, however, was almost completely removed from view. This is especially notable now, as many shows once considered failures are finding new audiences on streaming platforms.

Although Thrones remained a cultural phenomenon until its conclusion, Westworld quickly lost its audience. Viewership declined with each season, dropping over 80% by season four compared to its premiere (according to The Sophian). Considering Westworld was initially promoted as a show with the same grand scale and ambition as Game of Thrones, its decline was particularly striking.

There’s a big difference between a bad ending and no ending at all. While Game of Thrones had a disappointing finale, Westworld was simply cancelled before it could finish its story. The biggest problem with Westworld wasn’t that it was confusing or complicated—it’s that it left fans with no sense of completion or closure. That makes its cancellation feel even more frustrating than the controversial ending of Game of Thrones.

Westworld’s Wasted Potential Is One Of Television’s Most Disappointing Tales

No Prestige Series Has Ever Burned So Bright And Faded So Fast

The 2016 debut of Westworld felt like the beginning of a new age for television. The first episode was like a movie, with clever writing and exciting concepts. The actors, including Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Robert Ford and Ed Harris as the mysterious Man in Black, gave incredible performances, suggesting a thought-provoking story that could rival classics like Blade Runner and The Matrix.

The first season of Westworld received widespread critical acclaim, earning nominations for major awards like the Emmys and Golden Globes. It successfully combined exciting, large-scale storytelling with thought-provoking themes, making it a standout show that explored big ideas while still offering action, surprises, and heartfelt moments. Westworld wasn’t just high-quality television; it felt like a glimpse into the future of the medium.

Season two of Westworld marked a turning point, and the show began to lose its way. The plot became overly complicated with confusing timelines and repetitive storytelling, relying too much on explaining things through dialogue. By the time the characters left the park, many viewers had stopped watching. What started as a thought-provoking look at what it means to be human and have free will turned into a needlessly complex story that wasn’t very enjoyable.

While Game of Thrones stayed engaging throughout its run, Westworld started to lose its appeal soon after its best season. Each new season became more complicated, moving away from the heartfelt stories that initially drew viewers in. Fans who used to excitedly share theories online became frustrated trying to follow the increasingly convoluted plot, and ultimately, the show’s elaborate backstory became too much to handle.

It’s ironic that the first season of Westworld created expectations the show couldn’t live up to. The problem wasn’t the quality of the acting, writing, or visuals—all of which were excellent—but rather a tendency to overcomplicate things. The show kept adding new layers to its world, but lost the emotional core that made it special. By season four, Westworld felt empty and distant from its original brilliance.

While Game of Thrones stumbled with its final season, Westworld completely lost its way. It went from being a groundbreaking science fiction show to a cautionary tale about stories becoming overly complicated. It’s rare for a show to squander its promise as thoroughly and disappointingly as Westworld did.

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2025-10-27 22:32