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THE BLERD BINDER: A letter to the haters of HBO’s “Watchmen”

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Exciting, Insightful, and Incredibly Strange. These are the words I choose to describe HBO’s “Watchmen” series. HBO made the right decision in picking this material to adapt. Comicbook- and graphic novel-based material has shifted from campy and bright one-off stories to prestigious complicated narratives that take hard looks into our society. This is in part due to writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbon’s original “Watchmen” graphic novel.

Published

7 years ago

December 24, 2019

Oakland Post

Episode Three introduces use to an older version of one of the original comic book characters, Laurie Blake a/k/a Silk Spectre. Laurie has become an FBI agent on the Anti-Vigilante task force.

How is “Watchmen” so far?

By Noah Washington

The Blerd Binder covers nerdy news for the Black nerds of the world. We welcome all as we talk about subjects ranging from Movies to Music and Tech to Toys.

Exciting, insightful, and incredibly strange. Those are the words I choose to describe HBO’s “Watchmen” series. HBO made the right decision in picking this material to adapt. Comic book- and graphic novel-based material has shifted from campy and bright one-off stories to prestigious complicated narratives that take hard looks into our society. This is in part due to writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbon’s original “Watchmen” graphic novel.

This version of “Watchmen” has been adapted into a TV show set years after the original events of the graphic novel.

When the HBO series first aired, I wrote a commentary on it and what I thought.

Now, we are a little more than halfway through the series. We now know more about Watchmen’s created world and have heard more reactions to the series so far. I will go through the highlights of the episodes as well as my thoughts on them.

(NOTE: If you haven’t seen Watchmen, there are spoilers ahead for what has happened in the series so far through episode 5. You have been warned).

I am going to begin by addressing the hate that the show has gotten.

Generally, reviews of HBO’s “Watchmen” have been great, but certain fans of the original series have review bombed the show by leaving a one-star rating on the show’s Rotten Tomatoes website. This is in part due to the heavy racially motivated nature of the show. With this said, I’ll remind you, the reader, that the original comic was set during the cold war and looks at superheroes as “fascist dictators.”

The original “Watchmen” series was also a reflection of the then current nature of society. The reason that these viewers are upset is that the HBO show has decided to focus at least a part of the series on a marginalized group: African Americans.

I was talking with a White, colleague and he told why he believes some viewers don’t like the current adaptation of the material. “White people are tired of being reminded of all the shitty things that they have done,” he said.

I have a few feelings on this quote. I can empathize, because I wouldn’t want to be reminded of every bad thing that my ancestors have done. However, I amazed at how people can be so oblivious to the [racist] actions that are still occurring in today’s society.

So, please be open-minded to where creator, Damon Lindelof is taking the series. After all, he created “Lost” and “The Leftovers” so the series is in safe hands with him.

I have one thing to say to the haters of the show that coincides with the feelings marginalized people have whenever anything is created by us and marketed to the masses: “If You Don’t Like My Story, Then Write Your Own.” (Also the title of episode 4 in the series.)

Moving on to the actual look back on the episodes so far, we begin with Ep. 2, “Martial Feats of Comanche Horsemanship.” The episode title is a reference the 19th-century painting by George Catlin which is seen near the end of the episode. This can be seen as an allusion to the fact that there is an unsuspecting “war” happening in Tulsa.

The episode begins during WWI with the German army dropping propaganda for the “colored” soldiers, suggesting that they should question why they are fighting for the American military when they are blatantly treated so horribly. They suggest that if they were in Germany, they would be treated with the same respect as everybody else.

Episode Three introduces use to an older version of one of the original comic book characters, Laurie Blake a/k/a Silk Spectre. Laurie has become an FBI agent on the Anti-Vigilante task force.

The opening scene is her taking down a Batman-like vigilante by staging a robbery. This could be seen as a, “What if Batman existed in the world of Watchmen?”

The lore of the show grows in this episode as it is revealed that Nite Owl is in prison and that Laurie kept her time as a vigilante low key to her FBI colleagues and her relationship with Dr. Manhattan a secret.

This also shows how emotionally compromised Laurie has become as she picks a rookie FBI agent to accompany her just because she wants to sleep with him. A very unheroic decision.

We now go back to episode four, “If You Don’t Like My Story, Then Write Your Own.” We are introduced to Lady Trieu, a trillionaire geneticist who is building a giant clock.

She buys a farm from a married couple with a baby that she genetically engineered. It is such a tension-filled scene that you could scrape it off the walls. An object then proceeds to land at the farm.

This scene is then connected to Adrian Veidt, played sadistically and brilliantly by Jeremy Irons. Veidt is also using clones on the uninhabited island that he seems to be trapped on (more on that later).

The episode also contains a mysterious masked man called “Lube Man” as he slathers himself in an oily liquid and then proceeds to slide down a rain vent.

Episode Five, “Little Fear of Lightning” begins with Wade, a young zealot. It’s 1985 and Wade is trying to convince people to repent as the world is going to end at midnight. This is the same night as the original attack on New York by the giant squid in the comic book.

This traumatizes Wade into his adult life as he now counsils people who were affected by that night. This shows a side of superhero movies that has more recently been explored in superhero mediums like “Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Captain America: Civil War,” How do the actions of Superheroes affect the lives of everyday people they’ve pledged to protect?

As the episode plays out, we get a sense of the larger conspiracy as it is revealed that Senator Joe Keen is a member of the white supremacist group The 7th Calvary.

Senator Keen shows Wade a video revealing that Adrian Veidt was the one responsible for the attack on New York and proceeds to reveal his plan (which the audience doesn’t get to see). This prompts Wade to assist Keen by setting up Angela to be arrested. Is this a way for us to see an older Nite Owl?

There is so much more that happens in the series that I am not going to get into, here. If you have access to HBO, I strongly implore each of you to watch the series for yourself. The series’ history lessons alone will make the viewing worth it, in addition to the fact that it will be a very entertaining hour of your life spent.

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Smooth Ride! Car Suspension & Comfort Tested #shorts

Smooth suspension meets surprisingly spacious legroom. Experience true comfort on any road!

Published

3 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Car suspension test demonstrating a smooth ride, comfort features, and handling on various terrains.

Experience the difference smooth suspension makes on rough streets. Check out the surprisingly good second-row legroom – test it yourself for true comfort.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/l9Z571za5Gc

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61 years since Selma, Houston leaders say the bridge remains to be crossed

61 years after Selma, Houston leaders say the fight for equality continues. The issues that sparked the marches still impact Black Americans today.

Published

3 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Houston leaders discuss the ongoing struggle for civil rights 61 years after Selma, emphasizing the need for continued action.

It has been 61 years since the Selma marches. But political leaders in Houston say that the issues protesters were marching for still plague the lives of Black Americans.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

3 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.