Westworld is currently waist deep into its second season on HBO, and is really hitting its stride. The mysterious sci-fi drama was an instant hit when the first season premiered, and fans waited with bated breath for the sophomore run to finally arrive. Season 2 has been chock full of twist and gore, helping to expand the narrative of the series, and what the parks are capable of. Because of the hype and secrecy around the show's contents are so high, you'd think that the cast wouldn't be able to hold onto their scripts-- like Game of Thrones of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But Westworld actor Leonardo Nam (aka lab tech Felix) recently revealed how collaboratively and openly the script is used, saying:
This season, we got the scripts as they came out, but we did sort of a regrouping as we started the season, as least for our motley crew. Ironically, we met in Sweetwater, in the theater. There's a theater that's there, and we all kind of met there to reconnect. We went through the episodes and met the directors and also did a walkthrough through parts of Shogun World. We did have a moment to reconnect and ask questions, and I think we all learned from season one how large the show is. When you're in production and galloping off, it really does feel like that. I really did appreciate that [Jonathan] and Lisa took the time to have this moment with us to ask questions and carve out our own personal stories that we needed.
Rather than having to hand back their scripts or only being given their own pages, it seems that Westworld has a surprisingly open door policy. The cast is not only given all of the scripts, but a collaborative dialogue happens between the cast and crew about the season's overall arc. This is quite contrary to how other big properties have been operating. For instance, cast members of Avengers: Infinity War had no idea what the overall film contained-- they were only privy to their character's arc.
Per Leonardo Nam's comments to THR, Westworld's easy going approach to the script may come from the lack of giant narrative shifts. The entirety of Season 1 was built around the two timelines, with the finale revealing that William and the Man in Black were one in the same. With that now out of the bag, Season 2 is allowed to operate with new rules. The only really confusing part of the narrative is Bernard's three timelines, but that's still far more linear (and presumably less secretive) than the show's first season.
Of course, Westworld still has the ability to shock the fandom with its last few episodes. We still have no idea how the host revolution will end, and the most recent episode shockingly brought back a presumed dead character.
Westworld airs Sundays on HBO. In the meantime, check out our summer premiere list to plan your next binge watch. Plus our Amazon premiere list and superhero premiere list to ensure you don't miss a single episode of your favorite show.
