What I’m Watching: Watchmen

Watchmen: Season 1, Episode 6 “This Extraordinary Being” (B+)

This episode didn’t introduce us to a new character, but it did give us some deep and crucial breakdown on one we had already met. It was very disorienting to see Angela experience Will’s memories, occasionally showing up in his clothes to represent how she was living in these moments. Laurie was likely right that it’s not a good idea to take someone else’s pills since you could easily lose yourself, and even if Angela was willing herself not to be pulled out of it when her husband came to remind her who she was, she definitely wasn’t fully in control of the situation. I like that things we’ve seen before, like the movie playing in the theater in 1921 that was interrupted by the race riot, are being brought back into the story in a coherent and significant way, and opening this hour with the TV show starring Cheyenne Jackson as Hooded Justice was informative because it showed what the American public actually knows and what they absolutely don’t. This origin story was powerful, and Jovan Adepo from “The Leftovers” was a solid choice to play the young Will. I didn’t realize that it was Jake McDorman from “Limitless” playing Nelson Gardner, who initially seemed like a great ally for Will until he told him to deal with the black community’s problems all on his own. The most memorable guest star of this hour was the eternally dependable Glenn Fleshler, who has appeared in shows like “Boardwalk Empire” and “Billions,” as the man who burned down a Jewish deli, told Will that he wouldn’t remain in custody, and then didn’t even remember him when he met his death at Will’s hands. The mind-control video was disturbing, and, though we skipped over some years and details, it’s apparently what Will used to get Judd to hang himself. I’m completely hooked and eager to learn more.