Who watches the Watchmen?

A lot of people, apparently.

HBO came through with another hit show when it released “Watchmen” in October. I may be a comic book fan, but I must regrettably say I never read “Watchmen.” I do however intend to now and I did see the 2009 Zack Snyder film (which doesn’t actually have much to do with the show except you have some familiarity with a few characters.)

The show takes place 34 years after the events of the graphic novel in a universe where vigilantes, who were once revered, now live in disgrace. It’s now the police officers who wear masks to conceal their identity, a decision that came after a violent event caused many officers to live in fear.

The main battle of the show is against the Seventh Kalvary, a white supremacist group that wears the famous mask of Rorschach and found inspiration in his writings.

I feel that one of the key elements of the show is going in relatively blind, especially if you have no knowledge of the graphic novel, because it makes the ride more fun. For that reason, I see no point in going to in-depth with actual plot points.

What I will say is I genuinely felt you learned a great deal about the characters and the battle between a white supremacist group and minorities is still an all too common theme in today’s society as is the battle between law enforcement and civilians.

The new crew of vigilantes, none of whom were featured in comics, had a few standouts including Regina King as Sister Night/Angela Abar and Tim Blake Nelson as Looking Glass/Wade Tillman. They have their own unique storylines that tie in perfectly with the overall plot of the show.

I also appreciated the throwback to other characters that are well known from the Watchmen series, such as Doctor Manhattan, Ozymandias, and the former Silk Spectre who is now an FBI agent played by Jean Smart.

There are a few other throwbacks to previous characters of course but none of which get major screen time.

Overall, I feel the show was a great watch that I waited impatiently to air every Sunday. It was filled with enough action, drama, twists and turns to hold my attention. I felt all episodes were great with a few personal standouts being “This Extraordinary Being,” which focuses heavily on the use of a drug known as “nostalgia,” and “A God Walks Into Abar,” which examines more about Doctor Manhattan and Sister Night.

“Watchmen” can be found on HBO Go and all episodes are currently streaming. 

Desiree Carver is a reporter at the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be reached at (229) 244-3400 ext. 1215.