Thank goodness for this column because I'd even be more lost without it.
4
I grew up in Tulsa 65 years ago. I've written here that I learned about the 1921 Race Massacre only after college, as it was not taught in history classes in Oklahoma until 2001, and not nationally until 2018. That history was withheld for that amount of time. As I've said, the 1921 Massacre was real....google it and see for your self. It might help your understanding of why it's being used and the relevance in this new series rendering of the Watchman franchise. I've lived in NYC since 1986. I'm enjoying this brilliantly done TV show, but it feels weird actually having the show set in my home town and the massacre finally being aired to the public. People do need to know that it happened, and that race is still a major issue in our country today.
20
I will add my “wow” to the list. Wow. This is such a great show. So much to love. The standout moment for me is when Reeves first is Hooded Justice and saves the couple. You really feel the release this must have been for this character to find an outlet for his anger. And the fallout of how this consumes his life seems natural. I may have to watch the leftovers if this is the level of quality that lindelhoff brings to the screen.
17
@maj ; Highly recommend that you do watch The Leftovers. Regina King delivers an amazing performance in that as well (Season 2); her association with Lindelöf precedes Watchmen. Yes, the writing and acting are as intense.
11
@maj
I concur with @Paula V about the Leftovers.
Truly a brilliant show, and easily in my top 5 cables series - and I've seen them all. Also a bonus: many of the scenes were shot in and around Nyack, NY.
And at 28 episodes over 3 seasons it's relatively easily binge-watchable.
8
Wow- this show is absolutely incredible.
14
The episode's theme of mesmerism is an apt description of its seamless visual stylization and, oh yes, the spirit of Dennis Potter weaved throughout the soundtrack. Yet for all its spectral poetry, the episode never lost sight of either the characters or the big narrative ideas, engaging the viewer on every level - and likely inventing a few new ones. The effect was sublime. Easily one of the most stunning hours of television ever seen.
20
Great episode, and I was surprised to suddenly recognize Glenn Fleshler, who's been in a batch of HBO productions. Excellent actor and he really nailed being a hideous, racist deli owner.
Cool scene in the deli too, where we saw pretty much the reverse of the Hooded Justice clip from a few episodes ago, where he crashes in through the window instead.
Nicely done scene with the Minutemen too, with them out of focus but recognizably the same exact crew from the movie and graphic novel.
Looking forward to more of this, glad it's not just being mysterious for the sake of mystery.
15
@Dan Stackhouse
Excellent catch about that scene juxtaposition with 'TV Hooded Justice' vs. the real one.
No doubt there are dozens of 'easter eggs' like this sprinkled throughout.
2
A breathtaking episode. The gorgeous black and white material with the touches of color. The great dignity of the actor playing Reeves as a young man. The brilliant explanation of the hangman's noose. The way that the Nostalgia drug infuses the whole episode. Much enjoyed the recap, with one possible caveat: Why the "less plausibly, a sexual partner" comment? I for one found that sexual connection definitely plausible. And among other things, it seems to bring to the forefronts something that I believe underlies lots of superhero stories.
So eager for next week's episode.
21
@Jonathan I haven't read the graphic novel (though I've purchased it and will read it as soon as I have time, probably Christmas week at this point!) so I don't know if it is well known in that universe that Hooded Justice and Captain Metropolis were lovers. I know we saw the characters having sex in the AHS episode we saw Looking Glass watch last week, but that could have just been modern, Ryan Murphy-style storytelling. In any event, it surprised to me to *this* Hooded Justice and Captain Metropolis become lovers, as nothing about young Will indicated a sexuality other than a man in love with his wife until we saw him in bed with Nelson. So it was surprising to me in that way, though not necessarily unwanted.
I have to say, though, my favorite moment of the episode when the American Hero Story Hooded Justice was revealed to be played by Cheyenne Jackson, who has appeared in a number of seasons of American Horror Story. Very meta indeed.
I loved this episode, but I think it was overhyped for me when compared to other Lindelof entries, especially "International Assassin". With that comparison in mind the whole time, I kept thinking, somehow, that this episode was still a little too linear and I would have appreciated if it was more unclear.
3
@Andie As a frequent rereader of the book, and an enormous fan of this show, I too was struck by the "less plausibly" comment. The book does lay significant groundwork for a relationship between Captain Metropolis and Hooded Justice, so this isn't pure invention for the sake of modernizing the story. I think it was a brilliant and palatable (if brutal - "that's not the Minutemen's cup of tea" was a HARD-hitting line) aspect of Hooded Justice's mystery and absolutely added to his appeal.
2
That's probably one of the five greatest hours of television I've seen in the "Peak TV" era--the direction alone would mark it as such, even if it wasn't also so thematically audacious and cleverly plotted.
I'm a little disappointed that (unless I missed it), no one in the comments has called attention to the fact that the KKK Grand Dragon from the late 1930s was "Fred from Queens"...to me that seems like a pretty clear cut allusion to a certain real life historical figure with a scion in the White House. Or maybe that's just this show's version of the "OK" gesture?
46
@Eric42
I noticed that exact same thing also. I even commented to my fiance as we watched it together, "Huh, the KKK in Queens. Just like a certain parade that you-know-who's daddy marched in".
6
All I can say is wow to this episode! I have already re-watched it and plan to do so again.
17
A "powerfully wrought" episode, indeed. My husband and I have been watching the series with no previous exposure to the comic/graphic novel or movie on which it is based. The depictions of racism are so timely to now, while being beautifully and artfully depicted in the form of fascinatingly bizarre alternate history.
We still haven't figured out what is going on with Jeremy Irons' character.
17
@kimw "My husband and I have been watching the series with no previous exposure to the comic/graphic novel or movie on which it is based." Which is why you love it. It barely resembles the source. This just yells "White man bad!" What does that remind you of?
This week's Peteypedia is indispensable, and raises even more issues: Did Will Reeves assume Gardner's estate? Is Lady Trieu another daughter of the Comedian? Peteypedia also teases out the follow-up to come in next week's episode.
6
This has been a fascinating series so far and this episode was the best...and not just in the plot outlined here and the way it refers to and informs the original book. It's also brilliant technically and visually. The movement in and out of space and backwards and forwards in time is visually stunning and useful. The black & white noir feel for the 1940s that then transitions back to color for the earlier childhood memories. All in the context of a show that directly referenced Schindlers List in the last episode. I'm not sure how this show does in terms of ratings but it is some of the best crafted television I've seen. Game of Thrones got so much credit for ambition and scope and storytelling. This seems to have all of that but all serve the purpose of exploring actual ideas.
37
@SJG You have obviously never read the original book.
@Mike Hunt I've read the book many times and I love this show almost more than I do Alan Moore's original brilliant salvo.
3
Wow, what a show! It's getting more interesting show by show. The really mesmerizing thing is the music throughout the show that holds your attention together with the plot. I never read the graphic comic book, but I have to give this series top marks for inspiring people to read history and be literate.
34