5 Reasons Why Watchmen Season 1 Succeeded

5. Damon Lindelof

An oft-repeated discussion leading up to Watchmen's release was in regards to the direction of the show and what kind of story it was going to tell. Was it going to be original? Would it retain all of the costumed Watchmen members everyone knows and loves? Well, for anyone who knows Damon Lindelof, they knew the answer was 'yes and no, and also kind of, but not really.' Lindelof is, after all, not one to take the expected path.

Thankfully, this meant he was the perfect person to give Watchmen a completely fresh creative arc. Lindelof's ability to subvert fan expectations (properly, that is) was masterfully done. He'd have the storyline moving along as expected, then BAM! The follow-up episode is about Looking Glass and his background. Most showrunners would lose their minds trying to connect it all together, but Lindelof pulls it off.

In order for this to not be a stale, lifeless waste of the Watchmen brand, the show needed the bold direction that Lindelof offered. There are those who aren't as fond of his work, but there's no denying his brave creativity. Like him or not, Lindelof was the linchpin that Watchmen needed to thrive.