Regardless of whether you're a fan of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' seminal graphic novel or discovered this world through Zack Snyder's visually stunning big screen adaptation, it's fair to say that the thought of a
Watchmen sequel of any sort is potentially controversial (look no further than the mixed response to DC Comics series
Doomsday Clock for proof of that). It's a perfect standalone tale in many ways and there's been a lot of confusion and speculation about what Damon Lindelof is bringing to the table for this HBO "adaptation" since it was first announced. Well, it definitely builds on what's come before but is ultimately so much more than a straightforward follow-up.
With a host of brand new characters and familiar faces from the past,
Watchmen manages to tread a fine line between fan-service and creating a story that can be embraced by those who are complete newcomers to the franchise. It's hard to say whether those in the latter group will get as much out of the series as viewers familiar with the story - they may even be downright baffled at times - but this is a show which requires a lot of patience from anyone who watches it as Lindelof returns to his
Lost roots to deliver a story full of twists and turns, compelling mysteries, and plot threads which aren't necessarily wrapped up in a neat little bow by the time the credits roll. With so many shows now available on streaming platforms, HBO is asking a lot for people to tune in on a weekly basis but this is television at its finest and there's no way you'll be anything other than hooked after that first episode.
Watchmen really embraces the graphic novel with some phenomenal visuals, dark humour, and fascinatingly rich and complex characters. Nicole Kassell's direction starts things off right but it remain consistently high quality throughout and this has all the fingerprints of another classic HBO series (it certainly has the potential to rival and possibly eclipse
Game of Thrones and
Westworld if the first six episodes are any indication). It's hard to say anything about the story without delving into spoilers but rest assured that it definitely delivers in that respect by expanding this world in a present day setting, while also delving into what's come before in a satisfying and unexpected manner. This isn't necessarily
Watchmen 2 but it's definitely a sequel and fans of that original group of characters will be very happy indeed.
The most interesting decision here, however, isn't the way it references the source material but to have so much of the story stem from the Tulsa, Oklahoma, race massacre of 1921. The themes and topics touched on feel painfully relevant and are an undeniably fitting choice for this spiritual successor to the original story. Just like Moore and Gibbons put a dark twist on the 1980s with their graphic novel, Lindelof uses
Watchmen to make us take a long, hard look in the mirror and to think about the world today. That makes it difficult viewing at times but the showrunner finds a nice balance between that and the sort of storytelling you would hope to find from what is essentially a comic book/sci-fi series at heart.
Led by stellar performances by Regina King and Tim Blake Nelson, the casting here is superb and there's not a bad performance to speak of. Jeremy Irons steals the show in every single scene he's in with a wonderfully eccentric performance that you won't be able to tear your eyes away from. Jean Smart is as excellent as ever and more Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is never a bad thing!
This is without a doubt one of the most ambitious TV shows to have come along in quite some time and the most exciting thing about every instalment are seeing all the ways it continuously manages to surprise us. Even after six episodes, it's impossible to predict what's coming next and that's not an experience many small screen offerings deliver these days. It feels like we're being taken on a journey with
Watchmen and it's been far too long since we've had a series which demands discussion on a weekly basis. This is water-cooler TV at its finest and comparable to the likes of
Breaking Bad and
The Wire when it comes to being left with so much to talk about after every episode. It takes no time at all to become invested in this world and you'll soon find yourself becoming, well,
lost in it.
The best new TV show of 2019, Watchmen is the sequel we've been waiting for and a gripping piece of television it's impossible to look away from.