Why the Watchmen series is worth watching even for those who have not read the comic

A new history with an eye on the classics

Lindelof stated from the outset that the series would not be a remake or a direct sequel to the original. The project just keeps the spirit of the original and some of the characters.

The action takes place in the same alternate world in the USA in the city of Tulsa. After President Nixon, the state was headed by actor Robert Redford. And he stayed in office for a long time, so many laws in the country are very conservative: there is no mobile communication, smoking is strictly prohibited, and even the police need a separate permit to use weapons.

The masked avengers are banned, but due to the rampant crime that led to the attacks on the police and their families, now the guards themselves are hiding their faces. They have to hide their place of work even from acquaintances. Ordinary cops wear uniforms and yellow armbands, while detectives allow themselves to wear strange costumes. In fact, they themselves already look like comic book heroes.

In the center of the plot is police detective Angela Abar and her colleagues. After a shootout on the road, in which a patrolman nearly died, they have to deal with the danger hanging over the city.

They are opposed by a racist cult calling itself "The Seventh Cavalry". They wear masks similar to Rorschach's costume and even quote his words. Here are just the ideas of the most principled superhero followers greatly perverted.

And this becomes the first, but far from the only reference to the classic comics. Moreover, the plot is built in such a way that those who have not read the original simply will not pay attention to the analogies, and the world and the heroes will be revealed to them gradually.

But those who love a graphic novel will catch references one after another. Starting with the smallest details, like the mask raised by the policeman nicknamed the Mirror, the real Rorschach behaved in the same way when eating. And ending with the appearance of classic heroes: and if Doctor Manhattan still flickers only in the background, then Ozymandia will devote a whole storyline.

The Keepers successfully adopted the structure of the original. They repeatedly remind that this is an alternative world, the police wear strange and sometimes funny costumes, and squids suddenly start to fall from the sky.

But at the same time, the series is very realistic: it raises topical issues that are increasingly maturing in modern society.

Sinister sociality

The opening scene of the first episode immediately hints at the atmosphere of the series. It all starts with an old movie about a superhero in an executioner mask (by the way, again a reference to a comic book).

And then they show the real and very cruel events that took place in the city of Tulsa in 1921: then a group of residents led by the local Ku Klux Klan organized mass pogroms and murders among the black population.

Many years later, in our time, the racial issue is still relevant for the country. Although Lindelof does not go too deeply into this topic. It’s not about the color of the skin, but the fact that the police, who protect ordinary residents from lawlessness, are themselves in danger.

The confrontation between the two layers of society becomes the leitmotif of history and, obviously, the main character will have to realize all the ambiguity of the situation. Indeed, in fact, the police, hiding their faces, put themselves above the law.

The suspects are simply kidnapped, and the confessions are literally knocked out of them. And from a certain point, the police are allowed to use weapons. And it turns out that they are already turning into a punitive organ of the totalitarian state. Where this violent confrontation will lead is anyone's guess.

Very stylish shooting

It's no secret that many people know the Guardians thanks to the 2009 film adaptation from Zack Snyder, which presented not only a fairly close retelling of the plot, but also an incredibly elegant visual series.

At the same time, fans of the film are better off at least briefly familiarizing themselves with the comic strip. They have different endings, and sometimes the series refers to the original source.

Of course, you shouldn't expect a Snyder aesthetic from the show. But here, too, there are plenty of cool finds. For example, the first scene from the past was shot in the sepia tone typical of old films. The Mirror looks very stylish: its mask hides the face and reflects the beholder, becoming both a reference and the opposite of the Rorschach mask.

The interrogation with the participation of the Mirror is the most stylish scene of the episode, where important events from the life of the country are shown behind the backs of the speakers. This is an acquaintance with the world of the series, and just a very beautiful moment.

Moreover, the new "Guardians", like the original story, perfectly combine grace and cruelty. The scene of the night assault was filmed beautifully. But the shooting of cattle from a large-caliber machine gun, especially impressionable spectators may not stand it.

It is difficult to judge what will happen next in the series. The role of Ozymandia in the plot has not been revealed, the appearance of another classic heroine Laurie Blake and, of course, the almighty Doctor of Manhattan is expected.

But more importantly, the pilot episode clearly hints at a serious and poignant story. It is unlikely that the world here will be simply divided into good and evil, and the whole plot will be devoted to the fight of police officers against crime. Most likely, the cruelty of state bodies under the rule of an ossified retrograde president will also be shown from the most unpleasant side.

In the meantime, the "Keepers" are asking more questions than answering them. But the plot of the series is very curious.