People have been talking about a potential Watchmen television adaptation since 2015, but here, in the Year of Our Lord 2019, it’s finally happened. Though we’ve known about the HBO series since last year, nothing could prepare us for what the series has revealed so far, or how good it is.
(Some spoilers for the Watchmen comic series to follow. I’m keeping the show spoiler free!)
Let’s back up for a second. We all know what Watchmen is and everything, but in case one of us didn’t, let’s have a brief history. Watchmen is a 1987 limited series (think, a limited run of comics released in single issues; people are probably familiar with the trade paperback of the series, which collects everything together) by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. At the time, it was critically well-received and has since gained a cult status among comic fans, or, should I say, a particular group of comic fans.
The comic has entered the comic book canon, if not the regular literary canon, because of its focus on heavy themes, humanity, and destruction, as well as its masterful narration—which can be attributed to writer Alan Moore. Moore is a powerful figure in the world of comics, and casts a large shadow. His work is beloved, and he’s written many familiar titles like V for Vendetta, From Hell, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, all of which received their own film adaptations. Moore’s writing is good, yes, but I argue that his place within the world of comics is overvalued by some. He’s good at what he does, but his snobbish attitude and refusal to see any adaptation or expansion on his work seems elitist. Additionally, one of his more recent works reimagines underage protagonists of classic children’s stories as saucy, naked, vixens. I have some feelings about that. They’re not good feelings.
We can’t really show you anything but this image because it’s super graphic. And Mary hates it.
Moore has opted to take his name off the HBO series credits, but the show doesn’t need him or his approval to be good. In fact, I’d argue that Damon Lindelof’s series has brought up more thought provoking, interesting, and shocking moments in the first five episodes than I could have expected.
HBO’s Watchmen takes place 34 years after the events of the comic books, following a group of people living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The series begins with Tulsa’s Black Wall Street Massacre in 1921, a tragic event that frames much of the rest of the series. The events of this attack have direct ramifications in the future— our present day—as Sister Night (also known as Angela Abar, played by Regina King) tries to find out more about her family, her boss, and her community.
Like the comic book series, the world of Lindelof’s Watchmen takes place in an alternate present, a world where Robert Redford enjoyed a long presidency, cigarettes are a controlled substance, and police officers are required to wear masks while on the job. People seem to have both eschewed and embraced technology (cloning pets seems to be kosher, but the internet in general doesn’t). Watchmen asks us to question our relationships—with other people, yes, but also with technology. Can we trust technology? Is it safe? In a world where a giant squid fell from the sky because of a genius’s plan, maybe not. Then again, the giant squid works as both a literal and metaphorical threat. One could easily read the giant squid attack as, say, an analog for 9/11 or any other large scale terrorist attack.
The true brilliance of Watchmen lies in Damon Lindelof’s skill in crafting complex, interweaving mysteries that unravel over time. He did this in LOST, which aired on ABC beginning in 2004. While many fans might have felt disappointed with LOST’s ending, Watchmen seems to promise something different: a clear end date. Lindelof is only staying on for one season (supposedly), so his story will be wrapped up before he leaves. Watching Watchmen has given me the sort of thrill that I haven’t experienced since watching Lost: the thrill of attempting to unravel a mystery on my own. One of the most satisfying elements of LOST was crafting elaborate fan theories as to what might be happening on the island. I was always wrong, but the discussion that took place after each episode made me feel closer to my sisters (who diligently watched the show with me), as well as other fans. Watchmen brews that same sort of intensity LOST did, and I find myself thinking about each episode long after it airs, questioning what just happened and wondering how it all fits into the larger picture.
I’m often skeptical of shows that air on prestige networks like HBO, as I think critics often give those shows more credit than they deserve while automatically discrediting shows from smaller or less acclaimed networks (ahem, like the CW). That being said, I think Watchmen earns every bit of positive criticism it’s received so far, and I’d like to throw in my opinion as well. You should be watching Watchmen. It sparks a type of curiosity that other shows seem to neglect in favor of telling viewers what they should be expecting, and it examines some of the most intense relationships people can have, including the relationships they have with themselves. That, in short, is reason enough to watch Watchmen.
Also hellooooo, Regina King is awesome.