'Westworld' fans can already watch the second episode - and it's even better than the premiere
If you loved the gun slinging premiere of HBO's newest drama "Westworld," you're in for a treat. In a surprise move, HBO released the second episode on Thursday night - three days earlier than the expected Sunday evening air time.
Anyone can stream the episode, "Chestnut," on HBO GO, HBO Now, and HBO On Demand. According to Entertainment Weekly's James Hibberd, "the early release is actually a crafty way of getting the next hour of the series out from under Sunday night's second presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton."
HBO has faced serious leak issues in the past with "Game of Thrones," but this appears to be a clear marketing movie. The early release was announced through a cryptic tweet about their immersive marketing website, "Discover Westworld."
"Discover Westworld" is a fake website designed as if the "Westworld" theme park is real, and anyone can read about the experience, get a quote for future visit, and chat with an online host named Aeden who will answer cryptic questions. People can also access an "internal" section of the site, Delos Incorporated, which allows you to read through fictional emails between employees of Delos (the parent company which runs Westworld).
One of these recent emails references a need to push out a "narrative" (a new set of characters, actions, and dialogue for the park's robots) earlier than planned. A link for the "narrative review" will bring up a link to the second episode.
We've already watched "Chestnut," and believe it masterfully capitalizes on the stellar themes introduced in the series' premiere. The audience will get a more rounded understanding of how the park works by following two human guests through the arrival process.
Plus Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood) begins questioning more about the nature of her reality, and we come to understand that one of the Delos employees may be encouraging this unprogrammed behavior. There's more revealed about the Man in Black (Ed Harris), and Maeve (Thandie Newton) begins to dream dangerously.
Stream "Chestnut" now on HBO GO, HBO Now, or HBO On Demand. And remember - these violent delights could have violent ends.