Watchmen Review (Episodes 1-2)

Written by Ethan Mermelstein

Just prior to the airing of the pilot for his adaptation of one of the most beloved graphic novels ever written, Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof re-posted an open letter on Instagram. Originally posted over a year ago as a means of officially announcing the new adaptation, the letter penned by the former Lost and The Leftovers showrunner is both a lengthy ode to his love for the source material and a disclaimer of sorts, warning future viewers of his aim to “remix” the original story while affirming his intention to stay true to its spirit. It’s hard not to come away from Lindelof’s letter with a sense of insecurity on the part of the showrunner - there are humorously self-deprecating references to his Razzie nomination for Prometheus and the infamous reception to the ending of Lost. At one point, he flat-out writes: “I want your validation. I also want not to want it.” Now that the first two episodes of Watchmen have aired, it’s safe to say that validation will be all but impossible to avoid for Mr. Lindelof. The former Razzie nominee and his writing staff have crafted a timely, thought-provoking, and wickedly entertaining adaptation that is nothing short of a revelation. 

Setting the modern adaptation of what was originally a story of global implications in Tulsa, Oklahoma was a curious but ultimately brilliant decision on the part of Lindelof. In lieu of cartoonishly diabolical comic book plots to indiscriminately kill millions, the show opens with a very real trauma that remains a dark stain on American history: the 1921 Tulsa race massacre. Following its airing, the pilot’s brutal depiction of the massacre alone sparked numerous articles explaining its history, as many viewers had been wholly unaware of its existence. In the first two episodes of Watchmen,  it becomes clear that the massacre and its legacy are a demarcation point in the show’s alternate history, dictating much of its tone and subject matter.

Despite being set some thirty years after the graphic novel, the world of the HBO series will be instantly recognizable to Watchmen fans. However, this shouldn’t deter viewers unfamiliar with the source material. Instead of fully relying on pre-established lore, the show feels as if it’s constantly adding layers to its world in an organic fashion, creating a rich setting for the show newcomers will find themselves easily immersed in. This newly established setting is deliberately bold in its conceit, paying homage to but elaborating upon the political themes of the original graphic novel. The result is an alternate version of America whose issues are all too real to us. 

In Watchmen’s America, President Robert Redford (yes, the actor) has ensured that African-Americans have seen reparations paid for slavery and acts of racial violence like the Tulsa massacre. Years after a devastating attack at the hands of white supremacists, Tulsa’s majority Black police force wear masks to hide their identities. Among these police officers is Angela Abar, the show’s hero brought to life by a magnetic performance from Regina King. Unlike the beat cops who wear plain gold masks with typical police uniforms, Angela and several other plainclothes/detective-type officers wear flashy costumes much more similar to those of superheroes, blurring the line between uniformed officer of the law and vigilante. Further blurring this line are the actions of Angela and her fellow officers, whose casual practice of beating confessions out of suspects and indiscriminately arresting members of an entire community call to mind the dysfunctional police forces of today’s America - only in Watchmen, it’s disadvantaged White racists who are having their civil rights ignored by Black police officers combating White Supremacy. It’s a gratifyingly provocative role reversal that is sure to be expanded upon in coming episodes. 

Apart from its well-crafted world-building and thought-provoking politics, the aspect of Watchmen sure to attract the most casual viewers is its sheer entertainment value. The show’s viewing experience has been an absolute delight. The first two episodes have already seen impressive set pieces and satisfying fight scenes, all set to a mesmerizing score composed by the renowned duo of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Though it should go without saying that much of the show’s entertainment value is derived from its wonderful performances. As mentioned earlier, Regina King is exceptional as the sharp-tongued, badass, yet ultimately vulnerable Angela. Tim Blake Nelson and Don Johnson are both endlessly entertaining as Looking Glass, Angela’s hilariously deadpan fellow officer, and Judd Crawford, the exceedingly likable chief of police, respectively. And then, there’s Jeremy Irons... 

No Damon Lindelof show is complete without surreal, puzzling departures from what is ostensibly its main storyline and Watchmen is no different. Its Tulsa plot has been interrupted once in each of the first two episodes by an apparently unrelated story starring Jeremy Irons. Irons plays a man who appears to be the exceedingly odd lord of a British manor, accompanied by even odder servants. In spite of widely accepted fan theories concerning the identity of Irons’s character, Damon Lindelof has been adamant in pointing out a lack of any confirmation on the show’s part (he’s called “The Blonde Man” in the pilot script). Regardless of his true identity, the Blonde Man’s strange efforts to write and put on a play starring his servants truly encapsulates the excitement of Lindelof’s vision: in a show whose primary plot is concerned with timely political themes without sacrificing entertainment value, the showrunner has included a delightfully bizarre additional story which is just as gripping, ensuring that viewers stay deeply invested in a season that should only improve in quality.