Welcome to Queerty’s latest entry in our series, Queerantined: Daily Dose. Every weekday as long as the COVID-19 pandemic has us under quarantine, we’ll release a suggested bit of gloriously queer entertainment designed to keep you from getting stir crazy in the house. Each weekend, we will also suggest a binge-able title to keep you extra engaged.
The Subversive: Watchmen
Given the current climate in the United States, and given that this week marks the 99th anniversary of the Tulsa Wall Street Race Massacre, we thought we’d recommend a series that confronts both. Watchmen debuted as a limited series on HBO last year, and works as both a sequel and a reimagining of the classic graphic novel. Set in an alternate universe where superheroes–including the godlike Dr. Manhattan–actually exist, the series picks up with Sister Night (Oscar-winner Regina King), a vigilante unraveling a murder mystery tied to a white supremacist terrorist group, an eccentric billionaire, and Dr. Manhattan, in exile on Mars.
As weird a story as it seems–possibly more so–Watchmen benefits from a stellar cast that includes Jeremy Irons, Jean Smart, Hong Chou, Don Johnson, Louis Gossett, Jr. and Tim Blake Nelson, led by King’s commanding performance (we’re guessing she’ll have to move her Oscar to make shelf room for an Emmy). The series also confronts systemic racism, grassroots protests, police violence, government power and how vigilantism can both hurt and help society. Moreover, the many philosophical issues the series confronts come wrapped in an intriguing murder mystery destined to keep the audience guessing until the final episode. Even better, the series also features a gay relationship destined to start debates among fans. In our current predicament, Watchmen feels too appropriate–and too relevant–to ignore. Thank goodness, then, it’s great television.
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Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
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