Diving Into Westworld
Photo: HBO
In 2016, before ratings goliath Game of Thrones had reached the full height of its popularity, HBO took on another ambitious big-budget endeavor in Westworld. Based on the novel written by Michael Crichton, Westworld takes place in an extremely imaginative and high-concept universe. Rather than resting on its laurels, HBO gave the extravagant series more than enough resources to shine, showering it with high-production values, complex storylines, and plenty of A-listers.
Needless to say, it was a ratings hit.
Starring Evan Rachel Wood, Anthony Hopkins, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Ed Harris, and James Marsden, the series takes place within the expansive sci-fi universe laid out by Crichton’s original novel and its sequel, Futureworld. Westworld is set in a futuristic Wild West theme park populated by robots ("hosts") who are used and abused by the wealthy visitors — that is, until the robots begin to evolve.
Photo: HBO
HBO’s sci-fi megahit is returning to small screens on Sunday, March 15, after a year and a half of hiatus. Fans who have waited patiently to find out what’s happened to the Delos creations will watch intently as Dolores, Bernard, and the few remaining hosts find their way in a world after Westworld.
To celebrate the return of the hosts, we’re taking a deep dive into what we know about Westworld’s fan base using Ranker Insights. Here’s what Insights can tell us about the people who vote up Westworld on Ranker lists like “The Best TV Dramas of All Time” and “The Best Shows Currently On the Air.”
WHAT AMERICAN AUDIENCES THINK
Photo: Ranker
NOTE: On the map, blue represents upvotes. The darker blue a region is, the more positively people there feel about Westworld; the darker red it is, the more negatively people feel. Because people are largely positive on Westworld, only blue is shown on this map — the lighter the shade of blue, the less approving that region is the show.
Westworld is beloved by most of the United States, with a particularly great deal of affection coming from the Midwest (70% approval), the Southwest (81% approval), and the Mountain areas (86% approval).
While the show is enjoyed by a majority of Ranker voters in every region of the U.S., approval for Westworld isn’t quite as robust on the West Coast, where 65% of readers enjoy the HBO sci-fi drama. Meanwhile, only 59% of the South have a positive view of the show.
WESTWORLD FANS' TOP SHOWS
Photo: Netflix
Westworld's fan base is clearly attracted to complex storylines with a sci-fi twist. According to Ranker Insights, viewers who like Westworld are 8X more likely to tune into Netflix's Stranger Things, 7X more likely to watch Netflix's Altered Carbon, and 6X more likely to enjoy both Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale and Taboo on FX.
But Westworld fans aren’t just stuck on future dystopias. Fans who tune into the HBO drama for its razor-sharp writing are also 9X more likely to check out True Detective, Mr. Robot, and Fargo, all of which have been praised for storylines that subvert expectations.
On the other side of the coin, fans of Westworld are less likely to enjoy sitcoms or shows with a cookie-cutter premise and canned laughter. For example, Westworld's viewers are 5X less likely to spend their time watching Netflix's Fuller House and 4X less likely to enjoy NBC's Better Late Than Never.
FANS AT THE MOVIES
Photo: Inception/Warner Bros
When it comes to the big screen, Westworld fans are almost 4X as likely to watch Inception — the imaginative sci-fi thriller directed by Christopher Nolan, who happens to be the big brother of Westworld co-creator Jonathan Nolan. They are also 3x more likely to watch the Quentin Tarantino classic Django Unchained, and 2X more likely to watch sci-fi blockbusters like Guardians of the Galaxy, A24’s Ex Machina, and Interstellar, another hit from the elder Nolan brother.
On the other side of the spectrum, Westworld fans are less likely to enjoy drawn-out historical dramas like Poldark or fluffy musical comedies like Grease.
WHAT ELSE DO THEY LOVE?
Image: Fleetwood Mac/Warner Records