As a fan of the seminal graphic novel on which this is based, I was giving the show a chance. Quite frankly, I think it was kind of a mess but there was enough going on to hold my attention and I was curious where they were going with some of the story threads. Then the twist happened at the end of the second last episode and they pretty much lost me. In my opinion, totally out of character for that particular character based on where he is at the end of the graphic novel. I have not yet watched the next episode, "A God Walks Into ABar" and not really sure I want to continue. Although, I do want to know what happened to Looking Glass.
The New TV Series Recommendation Thread
- Thread starter Hugh Jass
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I watched the first season (8 episodes). It held my attention. Some interesting twists I did not see coming in the last few epidsodes.
JD
Just finished the third season of The Marvellous Mrs Maisel.
Funny, and terrific acting, sets, costumes and music.
Funny, and terrific acting, sets, costumes and music.
Ive finished episode 4 and know absolutely nothing about the graphic novel or comic book or whatever this is based on. I dont have a clue whats going on, why squid are falling from the sky, or tomatoes are growing on trees and what the fuck that guy is doing on Mars but Im still enjoying it...maybe because of the fact I have no back history...and also because Im a Regina King fan.
Here's the TL;DR version (with lots of SPOILERS - beware !) - based as much on the film as the comic:
Basically, it's a world where there have been "masked heroes" in the US since like the 1930's or something. The first group of them was called the "Minutemen", and then a second generation of them come about during the Cold War.
That group of characters was as follows:
- Night Owl, who was kinda Batman like and an all around good-guy, but kinda meek.
- Silk Spectre (today known as Agent Blake) - daughter of the original Silk Spectre and the Comedian, girlfriend of first Dr. Manhattan and then Night Owl.
- The Comedian - basically a smarmy villain, except that he worked for the US government and was branded a good guy so he could do his thug work on their behalf.
- Rorschach - a sort of Batman / Punisher hybrid; went from abused & child to fanatical vigilante; moral absolutist that is eternally disgusted with society's moral failings. Will murder for his cause or die for it.
- Ozzymandias - supposed smartest man on earth, and eventual trillionaire. Like a more high-brow Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark; has utopian ideals plus the brains & money to make it happen.
- Dr. Manhattan - only hero with actual super-powers (and no costume). Was a nuclear physicist, but was transformed in a lab accident into a being with god-like powers: can perceive time in its full cope; can alter matter at will (including destructively); can teleport to anywhere or in a way, anywhen. But as a result, is almost totally detached from humanity due to his omniscience & omnipotence.
So, this team were crime-fighters, government agents, and so on, during the Cold War. Manhattan becomes a god, then later the US government uses him to win the war in Vietnam using his god-like powers. Meanwhile, in response, Soviets (and US) keep stockpiling obscene amounts of nukes and getting closer and closer to using them. Post-Nam, Nixon is never removed as President, but US society still goes through all sorts of turmoil, so masked heroes are outlawed and most (except Rorschach) retire. However, Ozzymandias realizes that the world will likely be destroyed in a nuclear war, so he concocts a plot to stop it. It begins with the Comedian being murdered, and ends with Ozzymandias tricking humanity into thinking that terrible interdimensional aliens had attacked the earth, which forces the superpowers to end the Cold War. However, in doing this, he tricks Dr. Manhattan (who eventually leaves the earth), while the others, led by Rorschach find out what he has done. Rorschach has to be killed by Dr. Manhattan to keep the secret, because he refused to go along with the big lie. So Ozzymandias got the sort of world he wanted, but had to sacrifice millions of people in order to do it. Rorschach may have blown the whistle on this, in limited form, prior to his own death.
(The movie was different on some details, BTW.)
That was in the mid 1980's; this show takes place basically today, in the aftermath. The big secret is still being maintained, as far as the world is concerned, with a few exceptions.
Thanks. Actually episode 5 the Looking Glass centric episode cleared up a lot of the puzzles but you have cleared up a lot more.
Yup. I did the same. Binged it in one day. Could totally see the finale coming when she was asked to make jokes about you know who by his manager. In fact I cringed about what I could see was about to happpen so much, I considered not even watching the end of ep 8. I still like the show, but as much as I did in season 1. Not because the show has gone downwhill, but becuase I think the novelty of the show has somewhat worn off for me.
JD
Vikings last season that is.
