Westworld is on hiatus until at least 2020, and it has left an equally sized hole in our TV-loving hearts. So, here is a list of shows to pass your time if you’re missing your weekly dose of theories, robots, and a fantasy world.
Westworld is a difficult show to replace, and there’s nothing quite like it. Between the hosts, guests, and complicated storyline and narratives, there is a lot to constantly process in this series. Furthermore, the second season left many, many questions in our mind, and your guess is better than ours as to where the series is headed for season 3.
What makes Westworld exciting is not just the premise of a futuristic world that allows guests to immerse themselves into a unique experience, but it’s the idea of human emotions and the complexities that come with it.
This is why the show is so different than others in its genre, and it’s almost impossible to compare or find something that is comparable. But the hiatus between each season lasts for up to two years, and we need something to fill the void it leaves behind. So here is a list of 10 shows that are similar to Westworld and are worth the watch while we wait for season 3.
Almost Human
Before he was working on Westworld, J.J. Abrams was knee-deep in the world of robots on Fox’s Almost Human. It lasted for one season in 2014 and followed Detective John Kennex who was left behind by his robotic partner during a firefight in years prior. When he wakes up from a coma after 17 years, he finds his entire life has changed, and he is missing a limb.
For those who have seen the series, each episode changed it up from week to week by tackling a different crime with Karl Urban playing the role of Kennex, and Michael Ealy playing the role of his robot partner. And despite his reluctance towards robots, Kennex must find a way to work with his new partner.
You can find the series on Amazon, Google Play, or Vudu!
Humans
Based on the Swedish drama, Real Humans is this AMC sci-fi series, Humans, written by Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley. If you’re not familiar with it, Humans is based in a parallel universe where humanoids called Synths exist and are the thing to have in every household.
The stories vary from house to house and include a man that brings a Synth home to help his wife around the house, except his wife isn’t exactly comfortable with the lifelike humanoid rummaging about. Another storyline of the series follows a widower who wants to fix his Synth to preserve memories of his late wife.
Seems like there are plenty of places to get your Westworld robot fix on, right?
Mr. Robot
This USA series may not have robots or futuristic technology but it revolves around its central character, Elliot, who is an extremely talented hacker able to access anything–anytime, anywhere. In the series, he has two roles–working for a corporation by day, and as a vigilante at night catching anyone doing wrong.
But it’s not this hacker plotline that draws you into the series, it’s the crazy, unexpected twists and turns it takes to set up the overall narrative. I won’t give anything away because it would ruin the show for anyone that hasn’t seen it, but take my word for it–it’s a show worth spending time on.
There’s mystery, allure, and a suspense that builds over it’s soon to be four-season run, and you will be addicted from the very first episode of Mr. Robot by the incomparable Rami Malek who plays Elliot, and Christian Slater, who plays the Mr. Robot.
The Leftovers
From its pilot, HBO’s The Leftovers introduces us to “The Sudden Departure” where two percent of the world’s population just disappears into thin air. When the series time jumps to three years in the future, you see how those that were left behind are coping without their loved ones.
A divide between communities has occurred, with a big chunk of people joining a cult that has its own agenda. As the series progresses, you’re pulled into the mystery of what is happening which is beyond the constraints and limits of our world.
Check out The Leftovers to get your fill of strange, unimaginable occurrences that are often left unexplained yet intriguing enough to follow–it is like Westworld in that way.
Deadwood
This HBO series takes place in the late 1800’s in Deadwood, South Dakota starring Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, and many more! The town abides by no laws and attracts misfits after one of the biggest gold strikes in U.S. history.
Similar to Westworld, this series has a Wild West feel to it and possesses questionable and dangerous characters in a town full of rapists, murderers, and thieves. And with no laws in place to bring order, there is nothing stopping chaos from breaking out.
And while you may not see the similarity right away between Deadwood and Westworld, rest assured the only thing missing are the hosts.
This is part one of our list of shows like Westworld, so keep an eye out for upcoming articles that will continue our exhaustive list of shows to check out!
Do you have any shows that you think should be part of this list? Tell us in the comments below or on our Twitter, @BeyondWestworld.