One of the best superhero shows of all time is a nine-episode HBO series developed as a sequel to the original DC Comics story by legendary TV creator Damon Lindelof. While review-bombing lowered the overall audience approval rating for 2019’s Watchmen, the HBO series received universal critical acclaim, and has been lauded as one of the strongest superhero projects based on comic characters ever. Released between October and December 2019, the limited series acted as a sequel to the Watchmen comic series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons from 1986, taking place 34 years later.
Instead of faithfully adapting the Watchmen series from DC Comics into live-action, Damon Lindelof wanted to introduce new characters and plot threads that exist in the same continuity. DC Comics’ Watchmen explored an alternate history where superheroes emerged in the 1940s and changed the course of history so that the United States won the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal was never exposed. HBO’s Watchmen picked up three decades after the 1985-set comic series, set in present day, where the anonymous members of the Tulsa Police Department fight against the white supremacist group known as the Seventh Kavalry.
Play video
Watchmen stars Regina King as Angela Abar, a detective who wears a nun’s habit and balaclava as Sister Night. She works alongside Tim Blake Nelson’s Looking Glass, Andrew Howard’s Red Scare, Louis Gossett Jr.’s Hooded Justice, and Jean Smart’s Laurie Blake to fight the Seventh Kavalry. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II also has a key role in the series as Angela’s husband who is revealed to be Doctor Manhattan, a central figure from the original Watchmen story, and one of DC’s most powerful characters. Performances are incredibly strong across the board, making Watchmen a truly unique superhero series.
Watchmen received critical acclaim for its striking visuals, unashamed exploration of dark themes, culturally-relevant and important message, and its ability to build on the already-rich source material. Watchmen holds an impressive 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the most celebrated and popular superhero projects ever, and its impact and mystery has been retained by the fact that it remains a limited series, with no second season. The door has been left open for future seasons, but there are currently no plans for this, and Lindelof has suggested he’s told the story he intended to.
You can watch 2019’s Watchmen series on HBO Max, and it’ll be hard to watch just one or two episodes once you become invested. The series’ visuals, themes, context, performances, and bold style make it well worth the watch. The Watchmen story was adapted into an animated double-feature in 2024, and there are currently no signs of the story continuing in live-action.
What did you think of HBO’s Watchmen series? Let us know in the comments!
