Watchmen Episode #1 // Review
HBO and Damon Lindelof's adaptation/sequel to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' iconic comic book epic, Watchmen, probably isn't what anyone was expecting...and that's a good thing. Set in 2019, 34 years after the original story, in which deeply flawed costumed individuals tried, and failed, to save the world, this new series examines similar themes through a modern lens. Moore and Gibbons' story ended with Adrian Veidt, formerly known as the costumed hero Ozymandias, attempting to ensure world peace by faking alien attacks and killing millions of people. He believed that an outside threat would bring the citizens of the world together in a common cause, and even went so far as to kill a fellow vigilante, Rorschach, when he threatened to tell of his ruse. Sadly, even in death, Rorschach could not be silenced, as he had already mailed his personal diaries to a right-wing newspaper, all but guaranteeing the truth would get out, and the world would be brought back to the brink of destruction. The HBO series does not directly address the aftermath of Veidt's failed plans, but it seems nuclear disaster was averted, and the world kept on spinning, despite Rorschach's interference. Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lindelof's Watchmen is a world similar to ours on the surface, except for a few key details; the police wear masks to protect their identities, superheroes used to be a thing, and the media is keeping tabs on a god living on Mars.
Right off the bat, Lindelof smartly addresses the problematic figure of Rorschach. In the 1985 comic book series, he is considered a hero, albeit a crazy, right-wing extremist. Several times in the books, the readers are meant to cheer for Rorschach's brutal methods, and their results, despite him being portrayed as a deeply disturbed madman. Even though he dooms the world in the end, readers still tend to remember him fondly as an "edgy badass" who took no crap from anyone and refused to compromise his idea of justice, Lindelof sees the problem with this. And cleverly has set up the villains as a right-wing white supremacist group that is influenced by the legacy of Rorschach. There are no ifs, and's, or buts about it in episode one: what Rorschach represented is not cool, and his views should not be applauded. This show illustrates the natural evolution of Rorschach's kind of thinking in the modern world, and it is nothing but scary.
Lindelof revolves his story around what race relations in the current Watchmen world would be, springboarding off the idea of how Rorschach's beliefs and folk figure/martyr status would affect society in the long term. The episode begins with a flashback to a real-world event, the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot, or as it was later called the Tulsa Race Massacre. In which white people attacked an African American community by land and air, resulting in massive property damage to 35 blocks of a city, and the estimated deaths of 100 to 300 African Americans. The event, in this episode, leads to a Superman-esque origin of sorts, its significance shrouded in mystery. It does, however, clearly set the table for the focus of the show. A sharp left-turn away from what readers of the original series might have been expecting. This will, no doubt, lead to some divided opinions on whether or not a sequel to Watchmen is the place for this discussion of race. Still, considering Alan Moore has always been very vocal about not wanting any continuations to his story, this was always going to be a controversial show. You might as well make it about something worthwhile if there's going to be an argument.
One thing that can't be argued is the stellar performances of this fantastic cast. Regina King is the lead in the series and steals the show as a questionably violent, yet legal, vigilante who you can't help but root for (sound familiar?). She's also surrounded by a supporting cast full of big names knocking it out of the park, such as Don Johnson, Louis Gossett Jr., and Jeremy Irons playing Adrian Veidt, himself. Lindelof and HBO went all out to pull this cast together, and they do not disappoint. Even if this show didn't have the draw of being a Watchmen sequel, you would have to check it out just for the names involved.
If you're a fan of Lindelof (Lost, The Leftovers, Prometheus), or a fan of the Watchmen that isn't afraid to see the property move in a bold new direction, then this is the show for you. If, however, you feel like you just want the powers that be to stick to more of the same from the story and characters you love, then this might not be what you're looking for. As mentioned above, this show will divide its audience. There is no doubt about that. But, if you're entering into your viewing of it with an open mind and a willingness to give something different a shot, then you will more than likely enjoy it.
