A police precinct watches footage of a masked criminal organization delivering an ominous message to the Tulsa Police Department, threatening death to those who stand in their way.
As the camera pans out, we realize that these police officers wear yellow face masks to obscure their appearance.
We are then shown a woman in a combative nun outfit and a man wearing a metal mask, quickly making it clear that the world we’re watching on our television is a dark and strange one.
It must be a return to the world of “Watchmen.”
Based off characters introduced back in 1986, the HBO-produced drama “Watchmen” has so far told a story that continues off the source material of the same name.
Starring Regina King, Don Johnson, Jean Smart and Jeremy Irons, the series premiered Oct. 20, with its nine-episode first season set to run all the way into December.
With a secretive production, fans spent months waiting for the premiere of the series and to see what HBO had in store for its favorite characters.
But what exactly is “Watchmen?”
Released between 1986-1987, “Watchmen” is a 12-issue comic book series that tells the story of a band of vigilantes who must save the world during the height of Cold War paranoia.
If only it were that simple.
Written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, the team came together to write a story that delves into the inherent mythology of heroes.
With these superheroes, their flaws give way to the straightforward notion that the people who put on masks are inherently damaged individuals.
So far, the story revolves around the police force in Tulsa, Oklahoma as they resort to secret identities to keep their work anonymous following a department-wide massacre before the start of the series.
It becomes an issue when the group behind the massacre unexpectedly resurfaces, bringing with it murder mysteries, conspiracy theories and plenty of easter eggs that tie back to the source material.
With the three episodes that have aired so far, “Watchmen” creator Damon Lindelof is seemingly replicating the formula by showing a direct continuation of the story and themes from the comic book.
“. . . in the tradition of the of the work that inspired it, this new world must be original,” Lindelof wrote in an Instagram post in early 2018 during early production of the show.
Lindelof stuck with his promise as the first few episodes have introduced a slew of new issues such as the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 and its lingering effects on present day society.
With HBO hot off the heels of adapting “Game of Thrones” for general audiences that resulted in record-high ratings, it only makes sense for HBO to take interest in another
big-name property.
With the end of the fantasy drama back in May of this year, many have wondered what show will come along to replace it.
Though it’s too early to determine whether “Watchmen” is set to fill the void of its late-night predecessor, the series premiere brought in an impressive 1.5 million viewers.
If you’re looking for your new potential TV addiction, “Watchmen” may just be that late-night drama you needed.
