HBO is gearing up for the premieres of its hugely anticipated series Westworld by dropping some more teasers and featurettes, though still keeping things pretty close to the vest. Part of this is because the fun of discovering Westworld is not knowing what to expect next, and part of it is because there’s no logical way to explain any of what happens in the show in a 2 minute clip.

HBO has struggled to create a sizable drama hit in the last few worlds, with Game of Thrones running away with all of the premium network’s cachet in that department (its comedies are still strong, it’s worth noting). A lot is riding on Westworld, and I can genuinely say after seeing the first four episodes (you can read my full review here) that the show lives up to the hype — as long as you are willing to accept that it is about more than just “guns and tits.”

That sentiment is on display in a featurette which tells us that “In a future where you could do anything you want, consequence-free […] would you start discovering things about yourself that you didn’t want to know?” Stars Thandie Newton, James Marsden, Evan Rachel Wood, EP J.J. Abrams, and EPs/creators Jonathan Newton and Lisa Joy all comment on the show’s exploration of humanity:

In just over 2 minutes, the featurette does a great job of summing up the show’s complicated premise: that the android hosts are there just for the pleasure of the guests, but they don’t know it. What happens when they do? What are the responsibilities with a creating new technology? What makes us human, and who ultimately has more humanity?

A second clip released by HBO focuses on the show’s two main female protagonists, saloon madam Maeve (Newton) and sweet farmer’s daughter Dolores (Wood), as the two begin to fight back again their endless loop of tragedy within Westworld:

For more on the recently premiered fall TV shows and those still to come, check out our Fall TV Review Guide, updated weekly.

Westworld premieres October 2nd at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.


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Image via HBO
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Image via HBO
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Image via HBO

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Image via HBO