Watchmen — Series 1 Episode 8 — A God Walks Into Abar — A Review

10th November, 2020.

Right … it’s late — ish — on a Tuesday night.

And … ?   It’s late enough that going to bed with a James Bond novel — currently, I’m reading Diamonds Are Forever — is very appealing.

I wanted to get started on this post, though: to register a couple of points.

First?

My landlord was supposed to fix the main door of the building, today.

They’ve re-arranged it for the 20th!

Secondly?

I’ve seen the penultimate episode of Watchmen.

Things are hotting up!

~≈Á≈~

11th November, 2020.

Right … 

I’m now officially back: to tell you I’ve seen the penultimate episode of Watchmen.

But … ?   Do you remember me saying, only last night, that the door repair that had been scheduled yesterday, got rescheduled for the 20th?

It’s now been rescheduled for the 19th … 

I hate having to wait!

~≈Á≈~

But let’s talk about the most recent episode of Watchmen, series one, shall we?

Episode 8 — A God Walks Into Abar — opens with the usual summary of the previous episode: reminding us that Angela’s husband, Cal (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) isn’t who was thought he was.

The episode shifts into flashback mode: showing us a bar in Saigon, Vietnam: where a younger Angela Abar/Sister Night (Regina King) is drinking alone … 

Until being joined by a man in a Dr Manhattan mask: claiming to be Dr Manhattan … 

And asking Angela if she’s like to go for dinner, the following night.

Impressing her with his persistence … and the unlikely tale he weaves, about being on Earth, Mars and Europa at the same time.

And by some of his personal history.

Meanwhile?   We see flashbacks: showing us his arrival in New York, his building a mansion on Europa, and his love affair with Angela, herself.

And how he uses the body of a car crash victim to becomes Cal Abar.

The flashbacks tell us something else.

How Angela is uncomfortable with Dr Manhattan’s view of time: his ability to see past, present and future as a persistent now.

And how, in a Faustian deal with the smartest man on the planet … ?

Manages to lose his memory … 

Only to regain it … much later … 

~≈Á≈~

Now … 

What did I make of A God Walks Into Abar?

Did I enjoy it?

Did it fill in details … ?   Advance the story?   Fill in character stories?

Yes I did: it’s another very watchable episode that builds well on what’s gone before: and added more details to an impressive world.

Frankly?

Having seen this episode, and seen what it’s done to one of it’s main characters?

You can bet your backside I’m looking forward to the last episode.

I’ll see you next time!