Martin Carr reviews the third episode of Watchmen…
Never has an episode which hinges on one answerphone message been so compelling. Nor has an hour of television and two jokes had more narrative importance than they do here. Bitterness, regret and lack of closure are strong motivators which combine with sarcasm and bluntness to introduce Laurie Blake. Part FBI agent, part sniffer dog attuned to human weakness and with one pale blue ex-boyfriend stashed away, Blake is damaged goods.
Hiding more than clan robes in her closet, this is a woman with Watchmen history and accompanying scars both mental and otherwise. Cold and calculating, emotionally barren and lacking any degree of empathy Jean Smart dominates episode three, adding further layers to an already psychologically unbalanced ensemble. What Damon Lindelof has concisely set up as a result is a combative element between Angela Abar and Blake which will pay dividends.
Lori has no time for masks either on police or the public making her intentions known early on, when a graveside vigil turns into something more violent. Her disregard for method, procedure and protocol is symptomatic of a defence mechanism defined by past experience. Where Smart expands on Blake is through her exchanges with both Abar and Looking Glass, showing scant regard for their role in the game. She is revealed to be a true original in not just her working methods, whilst any long term intentions remain unclear.
Elsewhere Ozymandias comes clean, administers some harsh punishment and goes hunting. Irons dons a costume which will be familiar to fans and demonstrates how he has cornered the market in intellectual sadism. His inventions, erratic nature and buttoned down flamboyance are tied into a characterisation which allows him complete freedom. Either during meditation or strapping hapless servants into mechanical contraptions, Ozymandias clearly sees everyone as a disposable commodity to be manipulated accordingly.
Lindelof continues giving little away while the seventh cavalry remain a ghost story with one or two exceptions. There are allusions to Snyder’s film, musical cues which add resonance and visual tricks which add to the combative nature of this episode. There are no obviously easy answers offered up by this showrunner who continually asks his audience to work hard and pay attention. In an era defined by unseen threats both online and otherwise this call to arms remains unremitting in its intent to comment.
Martin Carr
