RIP Westworld

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The one-time popular HBO series was canceled a couple of months back after its fourth season. That's not unusual since HBO cancels shows periodically. What is unusual is that the streaming service HBOMax is pulling Westworld entirely. Many popular vintage HBO series like The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and Deadwood are still available on HBO Max two decades after they originally aired. However, Westworld will be gone in the near future, as part of massive cost-cutting moves at the network. The reason is residual payments, which are owed to cast and crew every time someone streams an episode, even though the series doesn't really increase HBO subscriptions any more. The series will probably wind up somewhere else (Crackle, Tubi, Roku channel) with commercials to offset the royalties owed.