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Second episode was great. Answered a lot of questions even if it only brought up more later. This feels like a series that excels in the worldbuilding details.

I haven’t a clue where this is going. Really enjoying the journey!

Can only concur.

You think you know what's happening and then...

Still think that the servants are indeed robots or some form of new life -- in much the same way that digital watches replaced mechanical ones perhaps.

So, um... that last episode was amazing.



Just wow!




Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ah!

Yeah, pretty amazing how well they wove that in.

I also didn't expect to care about him either, and when the episode first started I was still thinking I didn't care and hoping they'd get on with the rest of the story... but ended up liking this episode a lot.

 Ouze wrote:
Dude, this is like hearing one of your favorite classic songs is being covered by Nickelback.

I have caught up to episode 6 at the time of this post. The above quote feels pretty sufficient to my overall feeling to the series. I should clarify I am not a Nickelback hater just never been a fan of their stuff. Ultimately the band has some talent but were never going to be one I could ever really remember much about their music. The same goes for the Watchmen series. It takes source material and makes its own story with it, but ultimately the creators just aren't as talented as the original or even the Snyder version (which I happen to like very much). So a lot stuff, including story elements, soundtrack and visuals really came off as aping the previous content more than homages or Easter eggs.

It took a long time to get my suspension of disbelief to the appropriate level for the series. The idea of cops wearing masks but not freely being armed took some adjusting as did figuring out what Redford-rations meant. Once I caught on to the series was set in a heavily left version of what we know to be the United States the connections of what was happening made more sense to a degree. I don't want to veer any further into politics as per the rules so I will largely leave it there. Although, so far the series has painted the right in a pretty poor light so far, although; I figure with current storytelling loving the shades of gray for everything there will be probably be some stuff making them out to be more than super villain henchmen in flannel shirts. It still took me a bit to reconcile with why police detectives would go from just wearing masks to being full on costumed adventurers with badges. I gave myself dose of superhero comic logic which almost got me there but couldn't completely quell my disbelief. I just had to let it go with, 'It is just a show, so I really should just relax.' attitude.

Overall, I find the character kinda flat and largely unlikable. I suppose they are interesting in their own ways but can't say I am all to interested in anyone save maybe Laurie. Which sounds crazy to me as I kinda felt the character in the graphic novel was only a couple steps up from plot device and one of the weakest elements in the movie. In the series, the former Silk Spectre II is given a very good introduction and infuses most scenes she is in with energy and often humor. I think actress Jean Smart is doing an incredible job with the role. Not to say some of the actors don't have their moments, but I find Smart's performance consistently the most entertaining.

It seems that the mid-season episodes are going to be individual character backstories. I suppose that isn't surprising given its connection to Lost which reaching way back into my memory did that I believe. These episodes are fine and in fact the latest episode This Extraordinary Being was quite good. However, the season IS only 9 episodes long and they do feel a bit like filler even if they are good. I always call out Stephen King when he did it with his little character tangents, and I am going to call it out here. As nice as these backstories are, they don't really push the plot forward. Probably due to paper thin plot ala Lost.

Having progressed through 2/3 of the season, very little has actually been revealed to what is going to this point. There are a lot of threads out but nothing pulling them together yet and given the preview for the next episode appears to be another character background focus story that appears to indicate a possible rushed conclusion or much of these threads pushed off into season 2. I haven't really enjoyed the series nearly enough to progress beyond season 1 which I do kinda plan to finish if I remember to. I have a bad habit of getting caught up with a series only to never watch it again (American Gods sorry).

I think the Watchmen television series is both kinda good and kinda mediocre. I think a lot of strength comes from standing on the shoulders of giants of the source material which is expected to do a lot of the heavy lifting and was used as the template for much of its style. The story elements aren't exactly clumsily or completely heavy-handed but neither are the delivered with a deft touch which I find as a requirement given the sensitivity of these topics. While the acting it good, the characters leave a lot to be desired keep my interest even after having their own spotlight episode as they mostly unlikable for one reason or another. The overarching plot continues to be shrouded in mystery and feels more like it really isn't there/weak more than the series is trying to build tension. Even 2/3rds into the season, I don't really feel any tension or even stakes yet. Unless the series can really turn it around, I doubt I will be viewing the second season. I can't really recommend the first season many as fans probably aren't going to find it a worthy successor of the source material or even all that well connected to it really. Those that don't know Watchmen are likely to be confused and off balance as little is explained and just expects the audience to run with the world building elements.

Like the quote above, I think Watchmen the series is like a cover version of a song you like by a band that has some talent but not nearly as much the original so the result is a close but lesser version of it. It hits a lot of the same beats as the original, but you might not agree with the liberties the cover takes with the song.

Wasn't the term used "Redfordations", not Redford-rations?

Saturmorn Carvilli wrote:
Like the quote above, I think Watchmen the series is like a cover version of a song you like by a band that has some talent but not nearly as much the original so the result is a close but lesser version of it. It hits a lot of the same beats as the original, but you might not agree with the liberties the cover takes with the song.

I don’t agree with this take at all. Like at all. Calling it a cover implies it’s treading over the same creative ground. But this series is its own story with its own themes and its own characters. Like the original, it has a lot to say, and a lot of that is more nuanced than some of the early knee jerk reactions understood. But its messages are completely different. It’s set in that universe, sure. And a handful of old characters are around. But those characters and the setting have changed because it’s decades later.

If we’re sticking with musical analogies, it’s more like a new song in a different genre that samples an old classic just a little. You certainly don’t have to like it. It’s Lindelof, and importantly a post-Leftovers Lindelof. Like the last two seasons of Leftovers, you kinda have to trust it and roll with it. Not everyone will want to, and that’s fine. But I can’t wrap my head around the idea that it’s some sort of rehash. That doesn’t make any sense to me.

Kanluwen wrote:Wasn't the term used "Redfordations", not Redford-rations?

Yeah, that is a much better way to spell it out.

gorgon wrote:

Saturmorn Carvilli wrote:
Like the quote above, I think Watchmen the series is like a cover version of a song you like by a band that has some talent but not nearly as much the original so the result is a close but lesser version of it. It hits a lot of the same beats as the original, but you might not agree with the liberties the cover takes with the song.

I don’t agree with this take at all. Like at all. Calling it a cover implies it’s treading over the same creative ground. But this series is its own story with its own themes and its own characters. Like the original, it has a lot to say, and a lot of that is more nuanced than some of the early knee jerk reactions understood. But its messages are completely different. It’s set in that universe, sure. And a handful of old characters are around. But those characters and the setting have changed because it’s decades later.

If we’re sticking with musical analogies, it’s more like a new song in a different genre that samples an old classic just a little. You certainly don’t have to like it. It’s Lindelof, and importantly a post-Leftovers Lindelof. Like the last two seasons of Leftovers, you kinda have to trust it and roll with it. Not everyone will want to, and that’s fine. But I can’t wrap my head around the idea that it’s some sort of rehash. That doesn’t make any sense to me.

I can see where you are coming from, but I don't see the television series as being all that new of a song and it leans to heavily on 'sampling' the original source materiel. More like changing the timing, key, musical instruments then placing different words in verses. The source of doomsday is smaller in scale and over differing stakes, but the series still hangs (no pun intended) on the skeleton of the original work of one of their own is killed creating a mystery to be solved by the masks as the audience learns of each of the character's backstory as the while the doomsday clock tick-tocks (that one was intentional) forward. It isn't beat for beat the same but the story structure and some of the sound and visuals seems mostly the same to me all while not being accomplished nearly as well. I do think it is treading the same creative ground just with a more current doomsday clock event. As for the messages being conveyed, I will agree with you they are very different. However, I think that has more to do with the political leanings of the original and current creators for each series having differing world views. And again, I think the television series has been almost hamfisted (and often crossing that line at times) in delivering that message.

There has been absolutely nothing ham-fisted about this show. If some of the messages are uncomfortable, well, they’re meant to be. Everything has been masterful so far. Genuinely moving, that last episode.

Also Redfordations is an amalgam of Redford and reparations, I’d guess, rations has nothing to do with it.

 JohnnyHell wrote:
There has been absolutely nothing ham-fisted about this show. If some of the messages are uncomfortable, well, they’re meant to be. Everything has been masterful so far. Genuinely moving, that last episode.

Also Redfordations is an amalgam of Redford and reparations, I’d guess, rations has nothing to do with it.

I don't really find the messages of the series uncomfortable, a bit preachy maybe, but not uncomfortable. For them to be uncomfortable they would have to reveal things I wasn't already aware of or challenge my own ideals. I disagree that it they been masterfully done. I think they have actually been rather clumsily presented with a helping of tonal whiplash. To each their own though.

Yeah, I am aware of what they are meant to be. However, hearing the word without knowing that Robert Redford was the president in office when they went through made as about as much sense as Obamacare if you were only award of Medicare and didn't know Barrack Obama was president which is how I first heard the word in the show. The way I spelled it out was supposed to have the same hard 'A' as -ations, but gets muddled adding the ration which naturally makes a soft 'A'.

https://www.hbo.com/peteypedia

so -- reading entry #9

 reds8n wrote:


https://www.hbo.com/peteypedia

so -- reading entry #9

Spoiler:

agent petey was the lube guy then right ?

Yep, pretty slick how they slipped that one in.

 gorgon wrote:

 reds8n wrote:


https://www.hbo.com/peteypedia

so -- reading entry #9

Spoiler:

agent petey was the lube guy then right ?

Yep, pretty slick how they slipped that one in.

Sorry. Hope you can let that one slide. I’d prefer a lack of friction between us.