Review of Phase Space

I would rank this episode among the best of the series, behind the S1 finale (The Bicameral Mind) and S2 E4 (The Riddle of the Sphinx). In S2 E6 we learn more about "the cradle," get a better look at the relationship between William and his daughter, and the series finally moves ahead on the story-line of Maeve's quest to find her daughter (no spoilers in this review). Most importantly, Westworld is back to delving into perhaps the most important theme of this season: choosing one's fate. This theme has been thoughtfully depicted in recent sci-fi films Ex Machina and Blade Runner 2049, but now can be developed in an ongoing television series with less constraints inherent to a feature film's running time. As a plus, the strongest points of the previous episode - dominated by Shogun World - are carried forward (primarily aesthetics), and melded nicely into the ongoing self-determination theme . Finally, combat scenes are less chaotic and more meaningful. When it comes to sci-fi action, Westworld cannot compete with other productions such as Netflix's Altered Carbon, so I'm pleased to see writers back to emphasizing its strongest points: character development, layered storytelling, and asking the "big" questions.