From Season 3 needs to learn from Westworld’s mistakes

As a longtime fan of From, I must say that this latest season has left me more bewildered than satisfied. With so many unresolved threads from previous seasons and seemingly unnecessary filler episodes, it feels like we’re wandering through a maze without a clear path to the exit.


As the Season 3 finale of the MGM Plus horror series nears, there have been several memorable scenes (the Dale concrete incident was quite a shocking turn). However, the show has yet to provide solutions for its mounting enigmas, which leaves me with concerns that it might follow in the footsteps of Westworld.

Initially, when Season 1 premiered, I became completely captivated. Produced by the minds behind Lost, this chilling series offered a tantalizing blend of unexpected plot twists, nail-biting suspense, and a stellar ensemble headed by Harold Perrineau.

Among other things, what stood out was the authentic sense of terror it evoked. The plot revolves around a community mysteriously confined within a town, where terrifying creatures lurk at night. Similar to the Smile series, it’s the chilling contrast between their cheerful appearance and their bloodthirsty nature that makes these monsters so unsettling.

Enjoying the mystery element in From has been similar to solving puzzles at home, leading to a vibrant community full of theories and guesswork. But, just like a visit to Westworld, the third season of From has turned this exciting aspect into something more commonly felt as frustration among fans.

Westworld’s downhill spiral 

From Season 3 needs to learn from Westworld’s mistakes

Since the beginning of From, the intricate web of plotlines they’ve woven has kept me hooked and guessing. However, as the series unfolds, following each narrative strand has grown progressively harder –– and downright infuriating at times. The latest Episode 7 of Season 3 seemed to stretch on for an eternity with what felt like excess content that didn’t move the story forward significantly.

Instead of blindly trusting my opinion, let me share some thoughts from fellow viewers about the latest chapter in our favorite show. One person posted an edited picture of Boyd looking like a retiree and commented, “Even in season 20, we’re still clueless.” Another viewer added, “The combination of the last three episodes feels more like one episode to me. The series seems to be moving at a snail’s pace… it’s typical for mystery series to move slowly, but this much is excessive.

In different styles and moods, there’s a striking resemblance between what happened in Westworld and what we witnessed. The inaugural season of this HBO series offered an intellectually stimulating, philosophical science fiction tale brimming with potential.

Just as From, its intricately developed characters shone brightly, whether we’re referring to our resilient protagonists Dolores (played by Evan Rachel Wood) and Maeve (portrayed by Thandiwe Newton), or the menacing antagonist, the Man in Black (performed by Ed Harris).

From Season 3 needs to learn from Westworld’s mistakes

The storyline was engaging, blending aspects from popular Western series and futuristic technology reminiscent of Black Mirror. Yet, it seemed to lose its charm. Some of the criticism is directed towards the grandiosity of the HBO production.

Westworld’s initial chapter effectively kept its characters within the park boundaries, fostering intriguing interactions. However, as it expanded to various settings and timeframes, character growth seemed to take a back seat.

Westworld’s main challenge was its persistent drive to surpass itself, stacking twist after twist, much like an ever-growing onion losing sight of its original self. While surprises are appealing and keep us engaged, it’s the handling of these revelations in subsequent events that truly makes them impactful.

To put it another way, discovering that Maeve chose to remain in Westworld to save her daughter during Season 2 seemed to hinder her growth and development moving forward, a frustrating turn of events considering how powerful and compelling her character had become.

Later, there were numerous puzzling events inserted, such as the conversing robot sphere and data-gathering cowboy headgear that not even John Dutton would tolerate. This led to an ending that left us perplexed instead of content.

From needs to find its balance

From Season 3 needs to learn from Westworld’s mistakes

It appears that they’re growing more dependent on this screen taboo, which is small in size. The identity of the one who spoke to Jim over the radio during Season 1 remains unresolved, a lingering enigma. Furthermore, the music box from Season 2 seems hardly recalled or mentioned at all.

In Season 3, various storylines from Chapter 2 remain unresolved: Jasper remains a mere ventriloquist’s dummy, Jade continues to experience unexplained hallucinations, monstrous creatures are still active at night, cicadas persist in tormenting Randall, and the ghost in a kimono keeps invading Elgin’s personal space. The list of ongoing mysteries just keeps growing.

Actually, there’s a lot to appreciate on this side of the series, but let me clarify – I’m really into the puzzle-solving, making predictions about hidden meanings, and discussing fan theories for From. However, with numerous ‘filler episodes’ in Season 3 of From, I have concerns that several mysteries might remain unanswered, similar to how Westworld became too entangled in its complexities and twists.

It’s reassuring to know that there’s a well-planned structure for the series From, unlike Lost where mistakes were made by winging it. In contrast, the creators of From have already mapped out the entire storyline, ensuring that creator John Griffin knows how it will conclude.

As a dedicated fan, I was thrilled when Carlton Cuse shared his insights during a panel at the Television Critics Association following the debut of the first episode. He explained that having learned from our journey on Lost, we’ve been applying those storytelling lessons to this new series by channeling them through the lens of Fringe. The unique approach we’re taking is treating each season as its own chapter, complete with its own mysteries and revelations.

The series has a tightly-packed storyline due to its 10-episode length. This compact structure compels us to make tough decisions. My co-workers, John and Jack, and I have been mindful of ensuring our characters pose questions that viewers are curious about.

Bender commented, “Six years on Lost were an incredible ride and a fantastic educational journey… one advantage of serial television is that it allows you to explore paths as they unfold.

From Season 3 needs to learn from Westworld’s mistakes

However, our author, John, aims to structure each season like a separate chapter… Although his creativity can take us on twists and turns, the overall direction of the story is clear. The roadmap has been laid out. And I’m not entirely convinced that such clarity was always present in Lost, despite its brilliance.

At least we have a promising outcome on the horizon, ensuring we won’t be stuck in a never-ending sci-fi limbo (with that pun included). However, to prevent the story from becoming as convoluted as Westworld or Lost, From should keep track of its past events and not let them slide, focusing instead on significant plot developments rather than endless diversions and unnecessary discussions.

Ultimately, let’s cross our fingers that the creatures hiding in the darkness are just the scary ones, not the ones causing confusion within the storyline.

Here’s another way you could phrase it:

Read More

2024-11-04 19:52