Watchmen - Episode 1: It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice
WATCHMEN - HBO
The premiere of Damon Lindelof's "remixed" sequel to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's seminal graphic novel of the same name is one to be applauded. A strong and immersive start to this alternate history, vigilante story is the beginning of what looks to be a promising and captivating series. Lindelof has often been prone to over convoluting and, ultimately, drowning many properties he has created with an excessive attitude of more narrative and fewer end results — namely Lost and Prometheus. The writer/producer undoubtedly has a tracked record. With Watchmen, however, there is far more restraint and concise mentality exercised here. One which quite effortlessly could sprawl and buckle under both the immense pressure to serve justice to the property and touch upon every single small element of this gigantic, fresh new world. Thankfully, writer Lindelof focuses on the essential: character and, with that, the world-building and development grow organically and naturally, in the same vein as how the first season of Lost was expertly devised.
Beginning in one of the most haunting and terrifying cases of domestic racial terrorism the United States of American has ever seen where the media silenced and refused to report, it is clear that Lindelof and director Nicole Kassell are not afraid to show the atrocities so relevant today and are putting the material above both their egos. There is a strong set of morally-engaging and captivating maturity on offer here in the same vein that echoes precisely what Moore and Gibbons alluded. It is not afraid to showcase real horror amid a world cloaked with crusaders and thankfully said moments are seamless and vital inclusions for the story and not hollow, tactile add-ons.
Granted, a lot is going on here both contextually and subtextually. A political underbelly and two parallel stories are converging without much clear direction, purposely of course. Regina King as Angela Abar/Sister Knight headlines the main storyline centred in Tulsa, where a mass conspiracy with white supremacy is brewing, while a seemingly enigmatic and unknown character in an unknown place, played by Jeremy Irons, is toying with his conscious and a particular set of events on his mind. Knowing Lindelof's output of work, it is clear where these stories are somewhat heading and why they will eventually converge. King's storyline is the most prominent and has the most material to work with.
There is an extensive amount of narrative and plotting being set up in King's storyline. Some essential and some are well-defined devices to speculate on and, with this being the premiere, it allows for a significant chunk of material to be afforded in regards to flair and engagement. As stated above, King has much of that material afforded to her specific character's arc, and the result is quite the dynamic and layered role that the actress shines in. A weighted, subtle and nuanced character that King only gives snippets of detail away that excitingly will offer so much in the episodes to come.
Irons, on the other hand, is afforded less material, purposely so. His character is shrouded in a quite clear form of mysticism, even if it is quite clear who he potentially is. Irons ultimately plays the third party to the events at hand. Small clues have been alluded to, but no doubt will his role grow and grow to a point in which whatever plan his chracther has will have lasting impressions on anything and everything in this world.
Watchmen is released Sunday and Monday nights exclusively on HBO and SKY ONE.
