Last night, the first season of HBO’s “Watchmen” reached its stunning conclusion. If you read my review of the series, you know that I am a big fan of what Damon Lindelof and the rest of the writers, actors, and other filmmakers were able to do in nine hours of TV. Last night’s finale not only served as a great end for the story being told in the first season but also serves as a pretty great series finale. And according to Lindelof, that very well might be the case.
From the beginning of the season until now, the “Watchmen” creator-writer has never shied away from saying that he crafted this first batch of episodes to be completely self-contained and to have its own beginning, middle, and end. Now that the story has been told, and done so in a truly breathtaking and masterful way (thanks in no small part to actress Regina King and the rest of the cast), the inevitable question of whether or not there will be a Season 2 has come up.
Speaking to EW, Lindelof said he understands why there could be a Season 2 of “Watchmen,” but he’s unsure if there will be and whether or not he’s the guy to help tell that story.
“This is a love letter and an examination of the original ‘Watchmen’… I wanted everyone to know this is not the middle of the trilogy, this is not the beginning of a seven-season run,” Lindelof said. “In my opinion, the best iteration of any season of ‘Watchmen’ would mirror the original [graphic novel] in that it would be a self-contained story with the resolution of a fundamental mystery. There’s always going to be space for more ‘Watchmen.’ I feel like this world is so expansive — hopefully more expansive now than it was before. You could call something ’Watchmen’ and not even feature any of the characters who were in the original or in this season as long as they all occupy the same world.”
In a world where a hit TV series that gets tons of awards consideration is a rare thing, it’s pretty incredible that Lindelof is admitting that he may walk away from this series after only one season. Maybe it is best that if there is a second season, “Watchmen” is led by a completely different creative team, telling a completely different story?
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“I think particularly when it comes to ‘Watchmen’ or ‘Fargo’ where we’re knocking the creators of the original, it’s sacrilegious and really hypocritical to say, ‘Nobody else can come along and do another season of “Watchmen.”’ If I was going to do another season of ‘Watchmen,’ I would need to have a really cool idea and a justification for doing it,” said Lindelof. “I don’t have either of those things right now. It doesn’t mean that they won’t come at some future point. I just finished the show four weeks ago. My antenna is up, but it’s like only getting static. I can’t say that there will definitely not be a second season and I can’t say there definitely will be. That’s kind of where my head’s at.”
Obviously, if “Watchmen” was critically reviled and hated by fans, Lindelof would gladly walk away from the potential franchise. But the thing is, not only was the series loved by fans, watched by millions, and will surely be considered one of the best series of 2019, but the creator-writer has actually done something that no one thought was possible — create a true sequel to the acclaimed comic book series that actually respected the source material and added a new chapter that feels like it can stand next to what Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons did in the mid-‘80s.
With that much goodwill, it would be hard for anyone to walk away without trying to do it a second time, right? But as the series showed, when someone is given unlimited power and the ability to do good, that doesn’t always happen and people are subject to their own hubris.
So, will there be a second season of “Watchmen?” Let’s be real, HBO will move mountains to make that happen, with or without Lindelof. But should there be a whole new season of “Watchmen?” That’s the real question.
Now, if your answer to that question is “OF COURSE! We need the backstory of Lube Man!” — never fear! Lindelof and the rest of the “Watchmen” crew have seemingly given your answer to the mystery of Lube Man in the latest Peteypedia entry. Enjoy!