Watchmen

My brother and I finally got around to watching Watchmen and it really is every bit as good as the reviews say it is. It addresses several tough topics and does so in such a gripping way that you can't stop watching. It also stays true to the original source material as good as any show based off a comic has. It's just a dark, gritty superhero show. The writing and acting are what makes this show so special. There's a reason this show won so many awards and that's because it deserved it. The only negative thing about this show is that it was only a limited series because this is a show that could've been great for several seasons.

The series brilliantly creates a world similar to ours but with a unique parallel history in which events happened but with different starts or ends. In modern times, the cops takes white supremacists way more seriously than they do in our reality, which is why people are screaming about "wokeness." But it's far more complicated than that, because its masked cops ignore civil rights and can be fairly lawless, which - guess what?! - is not what we social justice types are after.

The complex morality is echoed in the complex plotting, with a bunch of dark characters in a very strange, dark, violent world and a story arc chockfull of mysteries.

The cast is first rate, most notably Jeremy Irons as a peculiar aristocrat and the phenomenal Regina King as the ultimate ass-kicker.

As for its relation to the graphic novel and movie, I read/watched them but it was years ago and honestly I don't remember much of anything about either one except they were both quite good. I may like this series better than either so far (based on the first 5 episodes), but I couldn't even hazard an opinion on the debate as to whether it is to the source material. As an entity of its own though, it is absolutely brilliant, and I highly recommend it.

I'm actually surprised by "Watchmen." Pleasantly surprised. It wasn't spectacular, but it was cohesive, relevant, and impactful.

"Watchmen" spans roughly 100 years but mainly takes place in current day Tulsa, Oklahoma. To set up some of the current day events, the show takes us back to 1920 and the destruction of Black Wall Street. In 1920 quite a few race riots occurred, but none more destructive than the one in Tulsa when angry white people razed the Black part of town.

Oh yeah; race, racism, and historical injustice is a big part of "Watchmen."

In current day Tulsa the police wear masks to hide their identity after a racist organization called the Calvary killed nearly every cop and their families in a coordinated attack. The Calvary are known for their extremist views and Rorshach masks. The main character is Angela Abar (Regina King), a Tulsa police officer who is in the center of converging storylines.

The show is very well written. It deals with a few delicate subject matters and doesn't stumble. The script was helped with the aid of veteran actors like Jeremy Irons, Louis Gossett Jr., Don Johnson, and Jean Smart. Also competently chipping in are Tim Blake Nelson and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. The show has a few pleasant twists in it to keep it fresh and forward-facing. I'm almost glad they didn't continue the show because at least it finished on a high note.

Max.

Absolutely gripping and intriguing. Exquisitely stylish, dark, gritty, violent and thought-provoking. This is an absolute binge-worthy show. The cinematography, use of lighting and color is masterful. The transitions are magical. The somber, ominous, mysterious-sounding electronic-tinged soundtrack from Trent and Atticus is beautiful. It sets the tone perfectly for the show and acts as a sort of character throughout the episodes. The use of music and audio design is excellent. As dark and bizarre as the show can be, it actually has moments that are pretty funny that lighten things up. Like Robert Redford being one of the 4 most important presidents. The world-building is immaculate and fascinating. It makes you wonder what our world would be like if history had turned out slightly different. The performances from everyone are undeniably flawless, it drives the show forward and keeps it engaging.

I love how they tease things throughout the show via foreshadowing. The way that everything is presented and the way the story is told makes for a very entertaining and intriguing watch. The storytelling is impeccable. A show that cleverly covers topics like racism, segregation, law enforcement, government, legacy, wealthy elites and conspiracy theories. It's also a satire on superheroes. Attention to detail is insane. It's a pretty bizarre show that gets weirder and weirder as it unfolds. It can be a bit cynical in a comedic way, but then again the show covers serious and relevant subject matter on our socio-political climate. The ideas they come up with for this show are out of this world, they're thought-provoking. The black and white episode was a masterpiece, incredible storytelling and an insightful origin story. I love how they give backstory as well to some of the other characters like Looking Glass, Sister Nite, Dr. Manhattan and Ozymandias.

The characters, the lore, the story, the world-building - everything is fantastic. You can't help but become consumed by the show. The further you get into each episode, the more layers start to unfold, the more the world starts to open up and the more you learn about everything that's going on. The best part is seeing how everything and everyone is connected. It's a beautiful mix of Sci-Fi, Mystery, History, Action and Drama. Watchmen is thoroughly entertaining, grippingly intriguing, beautifully complex and bizarre. A show that's masterfully put together and brilliantly told. This one definitely deserves to be watched.

So aparently everyone is trashing this show because of the race issues? Come on people, now taking that aside, this show has really started strong, respecting the characters of the original graphic novel but also introducing new ones, and if you're a big fan of Watchmen, you will love the references, can't wait for the next episode.