Watchmen — Series 1 Episode 3 — She Was Killed by Space Junk — A Review

6th October, 2020.

Right … 

It has to be said: I watched episode 2 — Martial Feats of Comanche Horsemenship — of Watchmen, last week.

I watch it on Tuesday … and, having had the day I’d had?

Started the review on Tuesday evening.

Then went to bed: and finished the review on Wednesday.

Right at the moment … ?

It’s a Tuesday, I’ve just watched the third episode: and I’m going to do it again: get an early night.

But … ?

To keep myself motivated, I felt it important enough to get started on this write up.

Bed beckons.

But not before I tell you’ve seen the third episode of Watchmen, series one.

~≈🤪≈~

7th October, 2020.

Right … Just to confirm things: it’s now the day after: and … ?

And I want to tell you about episode three …

 

Picking up with a brief summary, Episode 3 — She Was Killed by Space Junk — has a framing story.   It introduces us to FBI Agent, Laurie Blake/Silk Spectre 2, (Jean Smart) after she’s arrived in Tulsa.

The framing story — Agent Blake leaving a recorded message for Dr Manhattan, at his Martian base — shifts into the main story: being ordered to help Tulsa’s masked police investigate the Seventh Kavalry, and the death of Chief Judd (Don Johnson)

Arriving in time to find the Tulsa Police burying their fallen colleague … before the investigation’s completed … but as a Seventh Kavalry suicide bomber almost kills the mourners.

The bomber is shot by Agent Blake … and the bomb blast prevented by Angela Abar/Night Sister (Regina King) throwing the bomber into the open grave … and covering the blast with Judd’s coffin.

In the wake of the wake … ?

Angela — distrustful of the FBI agent — meets Laurie: whilst exploring the tunnel the suicide bomber used to infiltrate the funeral.

Warned by Agent Blake that both know of the Klan outfit Judd had in his closet.

Whilst this is happening?   The Lord of the Manor (Jeremy Irons) receives a latter: from the mysterious Gamekeeper.

The Game keeper knows of the Lord’s former identity, as Adrien Veidt … 

And really doesn’t like how Veidt’s behaving.

The episode’s final scene … ?

Gives us the punchline of Laurie Blake’s joke … 

Car-crashes … can be fun … 

~≈🤪≈~

Now … 

Am I enjoying this series, or what?

Lord, yes!

Again, the background world is looking fantastic!

And it’s being done with little things.

There’s a throwaway line in the original graphic novel: something along the lines of “God exists, and he’s American.”

Religion, in the Watchmen universe has gone in a funny direction, when you think about it.

Laurie Blake’s spent some of the episode recording a message to Dr Manhattan … the only creature the Watchman universe can honestly call God.

In what we could call a phone booth … but that we could also call a confessional.

Jon Osterman’s had a funny effect … 

There’s other things.

One that caught me?

Laurie’s a fan of something that looks — at least, to my uneducated eyes — like pop art.

Which tells me the the Watchman universe invented the genre.

There’s little bits of detailing like, that, doing the rounds … 

That … and some incredibly strong characters.

Regina King’s Angela Abar isn’t the main focus of this episode.

In one sense, that’s a shame: Night Sister is an incredibly strong character.

But … ?

With this episode, Watchmen has told us exactly what’s been happening to the Silk Spectre, has reminded us who her father is: the name’s a clue … as is the wisecracking … 

And, frankly?

Given us one HELL of a personality.

Can I ask you one thing?

Will you be join gin me, this time, next week?

This is one hell of a story …