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Has HBO Found its New Hit?

By Matt Burner ’17

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With a long list of critically acclaimed shows such as The Sopranos, Deadwood, and Game of Thrones, HBO has always been the standard-bearer for premium cable television. Shows like the aforementioned programs have undoubtedly shaped the television landscape into what it currently is. Now, a multitude of platforms and channels like Netflix or AMC respectively are producing a seemingly never-ending stream of quality shows. With the pool of shows to pick from much more heavily saturated than earlier, HBO has struggled to maintain its supremacy over the premium television market. Over the past few years, one could even argue that these platforms have overtaken HBO in terms of show quality and variety. 

Granted HBO currently airs arguably the most talked about show Game of Thrones, but this is an exception rather than the norm as far as the rest of their lineup is concerned. Vinyl was supposed to be the next hit to replace Game of Thrones when it was released last winter. With big names behind it such as Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger along with high production costs, many had high hopes for the show. Unfortunately, these hopes were ill founded as Vinyl was met with middling reviews and a cancellation order after only one season. This flop caused many to question whether HBO had finally lost its touch. 

With Vinyl flopping, the network turned its attention towards its next potential hit, Westworld. Premiering last Sunday, critics and audiences alike have received the show much better than its counterpart. With an epic scale similar to its hit predecessors, Westworld offers a high concept story regarding human interaction with artificial intelligence and the dangers it could pose. The show spans other genres as well, with many western elements also incorporated into the sci-fi storyline. On top of all this, Westworld also has the gratuitous violence that has become a staple of past HBO dramatic programs, with an ever-present array of guns and other weapons. While some may claim this will turn viewers away from the show, Game of Thrones certainly belies this notion. 

After only one episode, it is certainly too early to tell whether Westworld will be HBO’s next hit. However, if positive reviews continue and the show spreads through word of mouth, HBO could have its next pop-culture hit in the same mold as Game of Thrones or The Sopranos. 

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