the comic book genre. The series is a continuation of Alan Moore's groundbreaking graphic novel and is set in an alternate reality in which the masked heroes like Dr. Manhattan, Silk Spectre, and Ozymandias has disappeared from the world while masked crime-fighting is still an important part of society.
The show was filled with interesting and complex storytelling that paid homage to the source material while forging its own path. There were so many shocking, exhilarating and thought-provoking moments that helped make the first season an unforgettable viewing experience. Here are the most jaw-dropping moments from Watchmen Season 1.
Don Johnson's Early Death
Ever since Ned Stark lost his head in the first season of Game of Thrones, shows have been more willing to kill off big characters early in their story. Still, it was shocking to see Don Johnson's Judd Crawford die in the show's very first episode.
The marketing for the series successfully hid this twist by putting Johnson front-and-center making it seem like one of the main characters. Though he appeared a few more times in flashbacks, to see him hanging from a tree at the end of the first episode was a shocker.
President Robert Redford
Alan Moore's graphic novel had a lot of fun imaging how our reality would have changed with the birth of an all-powerful being like Dr. Manhattan, as well as the formation of the Minutemen and other crime-fighting groups. The show continues this trend by reimagining the United States of America in a new light.
One of the biggest and most interesting changes is the fact that Robert Redford becomes president in the '80s and retains his position all the way to 2019 when the show is set. Not only that, but the show makes the iconic actor complicit in a government coverup.
Silk Spectre Returns
One of the brilliant aspects of the series is how it balances the new characters it created with the established characters of the source material. Before the series aired, it was unclear which, if any, of the original characters would appear. One of the most welcome surprises was the inclusion of Laurie Blake, aka Silk Spectre.
Played by the excellent Jean Smart, Laurie is now working for the government helping to track down masked vigilantes. It's also clear that she is bitter and cynical because of the secrets she holds and still holds complicated feelings for Dr. Manhattan.
Ozymandias In Captivity
Another original character to be brought back in an exciting way is Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias. Jeremy Irons looks to be having a lot of fun with the grand role as the genius who is responsible for killing millions in order to save the world.
When we meet Veidt in the show, he is living in a seemingly idyllic country manor with very loyal servants. However, it soon becomes apparent that this place is a prison for Veidt and one that is not even on Earth. His attempts to escape were some of the most fascinating sequences in the show.
Looking Glass' Backstory
It's fun to see the new crimefighters that the show comes up with in this new story, and one of the most interesting is Wade Tillman, aka Looking Glass (Tim Blake Nelson). Wade works as a cop who excels at interrogation and wears a mirrored mask at all times. Though a man of few words, we get to know more about him through a fascinating backstory.
Wade was a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses who was on a mission in New Jersey to save the "sinners" when the attack of the interdimensional creature killed off nearly everyone in the area, leaving him as a survivor of the mess. It was interesting to see a key character who experienced the attack in such a personal way.
Lady Trieu's Evil Plan
Lady Trieu is another interesting new character in the series. She is quickly established as someone of incredible intelligence who is also perhaps somewhat unhinged. It makes perfect sense then that her biological father is Ozymandias.
When Lady Trieu's real plan is finally revealed, we see just how much she takes after her father. She reveals her plan to kill Dr. Manhattan and absorb his powers so she can use them to save the world. As Ozymandias himself its, a person like that is dangerous with so much power.
Dr. Manhattan's Death
The fact that the death of the most powerful being in the world is not the character's most jaw-dropping moment speaks to the amazing reveals throughout the season. Just as with Ozymandias' villainous plan in the original graphic novel, Lady Trieu's plan succeeds in the show, at least in part.
The moment is terrifying and heartbreaking as Dr. Manhattan keeps Angela by his side, so he is not alone when he dies. Tragically, he experiences their life together as his life is eventually obliterated.
Tulsa 1921
Though the show embraces its comic book insanity, it also deals with some very powerful real-world issues. The show opens with a horrifying sequence set in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921 which was the site of an appalling racist riot in which African-America citizens were targeted by a deadly mob.
The tragedy is something most people probably don't know about despite the death toll being in the hundreds. The show recreated this ugly chapter in American history, shedding light on the event and using it to build its own characters.
Hooded Justice Backstory
Hooded Justice is an original member of the Minutemen, the first crime-fighting group. The show surprisingly makes him a main figure in this story. He proves to be one of the most complex and compelling characters as we dive into his amazing backstory for an entire episode.
The show examines Will Reeves's life as affected by the Tulsa riots, the racism he faced as an African American cop, and his career as Hooded Justice. The idea of him posing as a masked white man because of the racist society he lived in is a powerful message set inside his own fascinating story.
Dr. Manhattan Revealed
Fans had not expected that Dr. Manhattan to appear in the show since he left Earth at the end of the graphic novel. However, with so much mention of him throughout the early episodes of the first season, people began to speculate that he would appear eventually.
As it turns out, he was hiding in plain sight. The god-like being was disguised as a human on Earth, eventually being revealed to be Angela's own husband Cal. The amazing reveal, the fact that Angela knew, and the subsequent backstory of their relationship is a powerful, creative and beautiful moment in the show.
