If you haven’t seen HBO’s Watchmen yet then I would say you’re actually in luck because you get to binge-watch the whole season now! As an avid viewer, it was so interesting seeing the reactions to Damon Lindelof’s spectacular show. Some diehard fans of the graphic novel were dismayed by the first episode and others would claim that things didn’t heat up until Agent Blake’s character waltzed into the picture with all her bitter sarcasm. But, there was one character that held it down from the very beginning, who totally captured my attention: Regina King’s Angela Abar. 

As a quick recap, HBO’s Watchmen takes place 30 years after the original, mainly white, team of crime-fighters fell apart in the 1980s. This version follows Abar, a Tulsa Police detective, who takes on the disguise of Sister Night after police are targeted in a coordinated white-supremacist attack. The show is a wonderful mash-up of looking at what would the U.S. be like if we addressed certain socio-political issues while also including some beautiful sci-fi weirdness. Even watching the first episode, I was gripped by the aspect of policemen wearing masks, squids falling from the sky. Everything felt familiar but those moments shared how the timeline of the show is totally different from ours.

Also, spoilers ahead!

What Makes A Great Season

It’s incredible how leaning into the life of one character can explore a whole world we don’t often see on television. By retelling the beloved Watchmen story from a black woman’s perspective, we learn about a piece of history that was forgotten, take a realistic look at generational trauma, and relate to a superhero with a life that’s not so different from ours. The season recently finished with nine spectacular episodes that dive into race, family, science-fiction, blue gods and more. Starting with The Tulsa Massacre of 1921, the show instantly tells the audience ‘we’re addressing transgressions in our collective past that are too often ignored.’

This literally made me SOL Smile Out Loud👇🏾 https://t.co/HEjNQlgSwe

— Regina King (@ReginaKing) December 15, 2019

While watching the show, I had a strong urge to look behind the curtain and know who made up the writer’s room. To reflect such an authentic look at our society, it’s no wonder that out of the 12 writers on the show only four were white males and everyone else were women and people of color. As mentioned in the LA Times, showrunner Damon Lindelof mentioned he’d only dive into the source material if asking the question, “What is it like to be an American right now? What is the social anxiety? At the time I was asking that question, and even more so today, it felt that the answer was race — a reckoning of the camouflaged history of America.” 

Since the creator and writers choose to take this approach, Watchmen constantly turns over expectations of the hero genre. The show especially challenges the idea of who would become a masked hero/vigilante. It’s so funny how a certain image comes to our heads, probably of a young white male, when we think about superheroes. But, the series peels back this image and, in my eyes, presents something realistic yet groundbreaking: that the first masked hero in the timeline was actually a black man, Louis Gossett Jr.’s Will Reeves and he’s the grandfather of Angela Abar. When you narrow down what makes someone become a vigilante it’s often that they are fed up with the injustice they see and want to make an actual impact— who’s more fed up than people of color, black people in particular?  His familial connection to Angela is significant because it brings up the idea of how we cope with the past, or rather how patterns of trauma can manifest when steps haven’t be taken to heal the past. 

It’s All About Sister Night

Angela Abar will forever be one of the best characters Regina King has ever played. As mentioned in the tweet above, King has a character arc that’s often written for males and she embraces it fully. She reigns supreme as the crime-fighting, fierce, and powerful character. She’s a multifaceted look at black womanhood as a protector, a mother, a woman with flaws, and a bold superhero. As an adult, Abar fashioned herself into the character she admired as a child, Sister Night: The Nun With The Muthaf*ckin’ Gun. What I love most is how uncompromising she is, no part of her is toned down or concerned with how others might perceive her, which is the most refreshing aspect of her character. I have to credit this to the multicultural writer’s room. We couldn’t get lines from Abar like, “No uh-huh. Get the fuck up off the pool!” without a black woman or man on staff! 

Watching Regina King portray a smart, world-weary person falling in love against what she believes is her better judgement was so beautiful and moving. #WatchmenHBO

— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) December 9, 2019

I wholeheartedly agree with this tweet! I wasn’t expecting a love story to unfold in Watchmen but I’m so glad that we got to see a strong female handle her business, as well as love and be loved. It was a sweet plot twist as most of us were wondering why Yahya Abdoul Mateen II was sitting his fine-ass at home as Abar’s husband and not really exercising those stellar acting chops. The show brought back an iconic character, Dr. Manhattan, and never strayed from focusing on protagonist Abar.

What’s powerful was that even though Abar wouldn’t acknowledge it, growing up alone she wanted a family and genuine connection. She wasn’t looking for an all-powerful being to love her but it’s fascinating how Dr. Manhattan would come to her claiming to love her absolutely. There are so many great parallels in their relationship to spiritual beliefs like the idea that Source/God loves you unconditionally and also that nuns could be considered ‘married’ to God. Most of all, we see Abar being charming, vulnerable, and deserving of an unconventional love story that black characters don’t often have. After watching Yayha Abdul Mateen II as Dr. Manhattan you just might want to find your true blue love too. So if it isn’t obvious, episode eight was one of my very favorite episodes of the series.

If you haven’t seen Watchmen yet, you won’t regret watching Regina King own the screen and witnessing how diverse writers can create incredible stories. Episodes six, seven, as well as eight truly are stand out episodes when Angela’s character, her backstory, and connection to her crime-fighting lineage are deftly explored. What I couldn’t help enjoying about this show are the questions that arise. Such as, when superheroes and vigilantes exist in a comic book world who are they helping, what are they fighting for? Through Angela Abar and her grandfather, we’re able to see how conventional ‘superheroes’ can sometimes fall short and hardly affect change because they aren’t seeking to alter social systems, racism, poverty, etc. Yet, exploring a hero’s world through their eyes and stories can change all of that.

There’s so much more to appreciate in Watchmen, tune in if you haven’t already! And if you have seen the show, what was one of the most striking moments for you?

Follow Me: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Best,

Kai