We’re watching the Watchmen

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, October 13. All times are Eastern.

Top pick

Watchmen (HBO, 9 p.m): At long last, it arrives. Here’s our own Danette Chavez on Watchmen, the HBO series premiering tonight from Damon Lindelof, who was probably not cursed by Alan Moore:

Alan Moore’s reflexive rejection of any adaptation of his work is itself the stuff of legend; he famously told Terry Gilliam that Watchmen—Moore and Dave Gibbons’ highly influential comic book series—was unfilmable, and later withdrew his name from the credits of Zack Snyder’s 2009 adaptation. Terry Gilliam seems to have agreed with Moore, in that he felt the beyond-intricate narrative of the comics would be better served by a miniseries instead of a feature-length film. Gilliam never got to make a Watchmen, and Snyder’s film, while faithfully recreating the look of the comics, misinterpreted the material by reveling in vigilante violence rather than condemning it. But, 10 years after that missed opportunity, a Watchmen series has come to HBO, bringing with it stellar performances, a potentially riveting deconstruction of racial inequality and policing in the United States, the desire to be many things at once (which is standard for creator Damon Lindelof), and Moore’s requisite disapproval.

Chavez’s thoughtful review is worth reading in full. This Watchmen probably won’t be for everyone, but it’s also almost certainly going to be the (fictional) thing the internet at large is discussing tonight, tomorrow, all week, and throughout the season.

Regina King stars. Joelle Monique recaps. Damon Lindelof tries to shake off that curse.

Regular coverage

Batwoman (The CW, 8 p.m.)
The Simpsons (Fox, 8 p.m.)
The Affair (Showtime, 9 p.m.)
Supergirl (The CW, 9 p.m.)
Mr. Robot (USA, 10 p.m.)
The Walking Dead (AMC, 10 p.m.)
On Becoming A God In Central Florida (Showtime, 10:30 p.m): first season finale

Wild card

Leavenworth (Starz, 9:30 p.m., series premiere): If you’re someone who simply cannot resist a true-crime documentary, Steven Soderbergh and Starz are prepared to oblige you.

It’s a stressful Sunday on the fancy cable networks.