Unfortunately for Game of Thrones fans, we have a while until the next season airs. (At this point, 2019 seems like a long, long way away.) Then once season eight airs, it’ll be leaving our screens for good. After watching all of the previous seasons of the show, you might be looking for something else to watch. We’d like to suggest Westworld.
There are some major similarities between the shows. They’re both fantasy dramas on HBO that feature plenty of action and nudity with amazing plotlines and phenomenal casts. But, that doesn’t mean they’re clones of each other. Westworld is a fantasy western show set in an amusement park (Westworld) that’s nothing like Six Flags or Disney World. On the other hand, Game of Thrones is about families in the Seven Kingdoms fighting for the Iron Throne. Unlike GoT, the new season of Westworld starts on April, 22, 2018 which means that you have enough time to watch season one before it premieres. And we highly recommend that you watch it – like, now. Have a look at 17 reasons Westworld is as good as Game of Thrones. (No spoilers).
17. There are so many twists.
We promised that we wouldn’t spoil anything about Westworld for you, but we will say that the show has no shortage of surprises. If you love Game of Thrones for the twist and turns you never saw coming, you will like Westworld because it has the same unpredictability. This time, it’s on a different scale given that there are humans and androids interacting in a high-tech amusement park.
16. The special effects are amazing.
Game of Thrones has some amazing special effects (dragons, anyone?) and so does Westworld. If you’re curious about what could happen with technology and robots, Westworld could hold some of the answers. Even if something major isn’t happening, you will love seeing the inner workings of the amusement park and how all of the androids are made.
15. James Mardsen looks amazing in a cowboy hat.
Game of Thrones might have Kit Harrington, but Westworld has James Mardsen. In a cowboy hat. We probably wouldn’t complain about having any version of James on a TV show, but we must say that he suits the cowboy hat very well. FYI: He plays Teddy Flood, a cowboy who comes back to the town of Sweetwater in Westworld.
14. It will completely change your opinion of what an amusement park can be.
Do all your ideas of theme parks involve cotton candy, roller coasters and crap carnival games that are fixed so you can never win them? Well, prepare to have your mind completely changed about what a theme park can be like. Westworld is the theme park of the future. It makes virtual reality seem soooooo basic. Just don’t get too excited about the idea of visiting your own Westworld someday. First of all, it’s a park for the very, very rich.
13. You can’t help thinking about possible theories.
There are pages and pages on the internet devoted to possible Game of Thrones theories and we’re sure it won’t be long until there are an equal number of Westworld ones. We’re just starting season two, but we already have so many questions. And there are any number of answers that could apply. Just like GoT, it seems that once you get closer to an answer, you end up having 25 new questions.
12. Anthony Hopkins is in it.
Game of Thrones has a lot of fantastic actors, but Westworld has Sir Anthony Hopkins. The guy is a legendary actor who has credits including Hannibal and Silence of the Lambs. Plus, he has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. If you think that he’s just in the show for two seconds just so they can say they have him, you’re wrong. He gets plenty of screen time.
11. It will make you think long and hard about the future.
Game of Thrones makes us think about a lot of things. (Sample: How does Jon Snow get his hair to look so good? Where could we buy a dragon?) Westworld will also make you think a lot of things, particularly about the future. The stuff in GoT probably isn’t going to happen in real life, but some of the stuff in Westworld could potentially go down and it’s quite frankly terrifying to imagine. And that will make you consider the world around you.
10. There are lots of new hotties.
There are no shortage of hotties in Game of Thrones, but there are plenty of beautiful faces in Westworld. We’ve already talked about James Mardsen, but there’s also Luke Hemsworth, the other, other Hemsworth brother. Then we have Angela Sarafyan as Clementine Pennyfeather, Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores Abernathy, Jimmi Simpson as William, Talulah Riley as Angela, Rodrigo Santoro as Hector Escaton, Leonardo Nam as Felix Lutz, and the list goes on.
9. Thandie Netwon’s character is fierce AF.
Thandie Netwon should definitely be counted in the previous point, but her character, Maeve Millay is worthy of a point all of her own. She is the, erm, madam of Sweetwater and doesn’t take any crap from anyone. Plus, she’s feisty, determined and has some of the best lines in the show. She will likely become a favorite.
8. It has been nominated for a lot of awards.
Game of Thrones is no stranger to award show nominations, but were you aware that Westworld has a whopping 22 Emmy Award nominations? Not bad for a show that hasn’t even premiered its second season yet. Westworld also has three Golden Globe Awards nominations, four Critics’ Choice Television Awards nominations and two Writers Guild of America Awards. Plus, it has won a number of smaller awards.
7. There’s plenty of romance.
There’s a lot of action in Game of Thrones, but there is still plenty of romance. You could say the same thing about Westworld. There are all different kinds of romances in the show. Who knows, you might love some of them as much as you loved the union between Jon Snow and Ygritte? You’ll just have to watch Westworld and find out for yourself.
6. The song will get stuck in your head.
Who doesn’t love a show with a good theme song? Like Game of Thrones, you will want to watch the opening credits of Westworld every single time for the special effects and the song. The music of the show is also catchy, especially the song that’s continuously played at the park. It will definitely get stuck in your head. FYI: The music is composed by Ramin Djawadi, who actually did do the score of Game of Thrones.
5. J.J. Abrams is a producer.
J.J. Abrams has a ton of amazing credits to his name including Alias, Felicity and the rebooted versions of Star Trek and Star Wars. You can add Westworld to that impressive list. He produces the HBO show alongside Jerry Weintraub and Bryan Burk.
4. You never know who is going to show up.
In Game of Thrones, you never know who is going to show up in the Seven Kingdoms. It could be some forgotten character or it could be a random guest star like Ed Sheeran. Westworld may not have the backstory of GoT to draw from (yet), but given that it’s a theme park that people can attend, you never know who is going to decide to play.
3. It will make you want to be a cowboy/visit the west.
Before you say that you hate westerns or anything to do with the Wild West, we would like you to save that thought until you’re a couple episodes into Westworld. The show is not your average storyline about gun-toting bandits. Chances are it might make you have a change of heart. It might make you want to wear your own cowboy hat and visit the park… if you could.
2. It will make you question reality.
Game of Thrones makes us ask many questions, but one thing that the show doesn’t really make us think is, “Is what we’re seeing actually real?” That is a big part of Westworld. And you will find yourself asking it over and over again on many different levels. Sometimes, you might get a little frustrated, but that will only make you more invested.
1. Evan Rachel Wood kills it.
Evan Rachel Wood is one of the stars of the HBO show. If you’ve watched any of her previous works, you will know that she is a fantastic actress. We’re not spoiling anything when we say that she kills it with her portrayal of Dolores. Everything about it is spot on from the emotions to her accent. After all, she has earned herself some award nominations for the role.