9 Reasons To Watch ‘Watchmen’ On HBO

1. There are superheroes, and there’s something about a superhero story that lifts the spirit.

2. There are people who don’t have superpowers but are still heroic in their fight for justice, goodness, and making sure the bad guys don’t win.

3. Nerds are celebrated. Lady Tries is a nerd. Bian is a nerd. Adrian is a nerd. Looking Glass is a nerd. Blake is a nerd. Even Angela is a nerd. Nerds are what run the world of Watchmen — science, exploration, innovation, and having a curiosity about the world around you is celebrated.

4. Although it’s based on a comic, you don’t have to have read it to understand the world of the show.

5. The special effects are wild. Dr. Manhattan, for example, is blue. And in the universe that is Watchman, there is nothing weird about that.

6. There’s some cloning happening, although I won’t tell you who is a clone. 

7. It is an adventure story, an action story, and a love story, too.

8. Laurie Blake (Jean Smart) is awesome. Laurie Blake, AKA Silk Spectre II, is a savvy FBI agent. She’s smart, she’s tough, and she’s funny, too. Some of the greatest comedic moments in this series are with Blake—and for as tough as she is, she’s pretty raw in showing her loneliness and her longing for her love. Sometimes superheroes can be painted as perfect and lacking in substance—Laurie Blake is anything but that.

9. Regina King. Watching any role that Regina King plays is like taking a masterclass on acting. It may sound cheesy, but it’s true, and it seems as if there is no role that she cannot do. Her portrayal of Angela Abar is what will keep you watching week after week. Abar is something of a force to be reckoned with—she doesn’t shy away from doing the hard thing, no matter what the circumstances may be. She’s outstanding at her job; she is ferocious in her love for her family and friends, too. If superheroes were a real thing, we’d all be better off if they were like Abar.