Here’s where to watch Watchmen online and what streaming service (HBO, Netflix, Hulu) it can be found on.
Based on the DC comic, but set 34 years after the ending of the graphic novel series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen takes viewers into a dark, dystopian world, with a spark of hope lighting the way. Damon Lindelof, the creator of Lost, brings the fraught racial relations of the real world to light in this alternate history of 20th-century Tulsa. Don Johnson is back in the biggest way since his Miami Vice days, along with Louis Gossett Jr, Jeremy Irons, Jean Smart, Hong Chau and — best of all — Emmy-Award-winning actress, Regina King in what’s arguably her best role to date.
This limited series —only nine episodes were made — is ready to stream on Amazon Prime with a subscription to the HBO Max channel.
Watch Watchmen on HBO Max
What Watchmen is About
Watchmen begins with an old film reel depicting the terrifying beginning of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre during which dozens of black Americans met their violent deaths when mobs of white men — some of them from the local police department — attacked, looted and burned the thriving black community of Greenwood, known as the Black Wall Street of the era. The riot and destruction caused the death of nearly 300 people, mostly from the black community. From there the series jumps to an alternative 2019 when the city’s police hide their identities behind masks, and a Tulsa police officer by day and hooded vigilante hero by night — masterfully portrayed by the talented Regina King — fights against terrifying oppression in a dystopian world where Vietnam is the 51st state and Robert Redford is the long-time president who sets in motion a reparations policy that refuels racist attacks that never completely burned out but remained smoldering under the ashes.
Watchmen: the Movie, the Show, the Comic Book
This is not the first adaptation of the Wachman comic series. Zack Snyder made a movie version in 2009 that earned a cult following and is largely credited for evolving the superhero movie genre to be one that’s darker and more mature. With its all-star cast and renowned creator, the Watchmen series has a cinematographic mood described as visually astonishing. While newcomers to the Watchmen story may find themselves Googling for answers that only fans of the graphic novels already understand, the enthralling visuals and phenomenally-portrayed characters will make the effort more than worthwhile. With a world that’s both familiar and strange, the alternative history setting is not only thought-provoking but also morally complex. It takes an old theme and uses it to break new ground that pleases both fans of the original graphic novels and newcomers to the world of Rorschach’s legacy.
With stunning cinematography and outstanding world-building, Watchmen is a visual treat as well as truly masterful storytelling.
How Many Episodes of Watchmen Were Made… and Where to Watch Them
Sadly, only nine episodes were made of Watchmen. Creator Lindelhof has said that he felt like his series was complete and a second season was unnecessary. And indeed, with each episode jam-packed with exciting plot twists, complex backstories, and nerve-wracking moments, the show does draw to a satisfying conclusion. So next time you want to explore a little-known episode of history, and a compelling alternative-reality future that unfolds from it, stream Watchmen on HBO Max.
Watch Watchmen on HBO Max
