HBO's TV adaptation of the 1973 Michael Crichton's movie drew 3.3 million viewers on its multi-platform premiere, both in the HBO Channel and on the HBO Go/HBO Now streaming platforms. This is the biggest drama series premiere for the reputed cable channel since the debut of "True Detective" in January of 2014.
Deadline reported that of the total 3.3 million viewers, 2.3 million came from the linear channel. This makes "Westworld" pretty in line with the premiere numbers of megahit "Game of Thrones". The Emmy winning fantasy drama was launched by HBO in 2011 to a 2.2 million linear viewers. The premiere audience for "Westworld" also compares favorably to recent HBO dramas "Vinyl" and "The Night Off".
Aside from its strong premiere numbers, initial reception of the series has also been positive, with particular praise towards the visuals, story, thematic elements, and world building. It garnered positive reviews with 7.9 put of 10 rating from Rotten Tomatoes and 73 out of 100 score from Metacritic. Moreover, "Westworld" was also included among the 10 most anticipated shows for the 2016-2017 season by TV Guide.
"Westworld" is an American science fiction thriller created by Jonathan Nolan who also serves as its executive producer along with "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams. The series is based from the movie of the same title which was written and directed by novelist Michael Crichton.
It is set in a technologically advanced future where a fictional theme park called Westworld operates. But this is not your typical theme park. The park is populated by androids who cater to high-paying and rich vacationers who wanted to live out their fantasies through artificial consciousness. No matter how illicit the fantasy may be, they are allowed to be indulged in Westworld as there are no consequences awaiting for the guests.
The huge ensemble cast include Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, James Marsden, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Luke Hemsworth, Golden Globe winner Ed Harris, and Academy Award winner Sir Anthony Hopkins. The star-studded cast is a no surprise considering that the series' 10-episode first season has an estimated budget of $100 million, with the 90-minute pilot episode alone is reported to have cost HBO $25 million.
