Saturday Morning Watchmen

Saturday Morning Watchmen

Saturday Morning Watchmen is a 1:30 minutes-long parody flash movie, created by Harry Partridge (aka Happy Harry). It is in the form of the introduction and theme song of a hypothetical Watchmen animated series. It imitates the campy style of kid-friendly 1980s Saturday morning cartoons. It was uploaded on the website Newgrounds on 3/4/2009, and is also available on YouTube.

The movie features the Crimebusters team from the novel (although they are referred to as the "Watchmen", as in the film), portraying them as an upstanding team of superheroes, lacking many of the realistic flaws and interpersonal conflicts possessed by the original characters. The lyrics specifically refer to them as "united forever" and "the best of friends".

Character traits and references

The movie makes numerous references to central concepts from the Watchmen novel, but twisted to fit in with a kid-friendly style; it draws humor from the way '80s programming took themes from mainstream adult franchises (like RoboCop, Rambo, and many others) and sanitized them in order to be presentable in serial and kid-friendly form.

Ozymandias

Ozy is seen like the commissioner of the team. He watches what occurs around the world in his video wall in Karnak; he then dispatches "the Watchmen". Such scenes are seen in X-Men, The Real Ghostbusters, Filmation's Ghostbusters, or Thunderbirds 2086. He is also helpful to the Comedian whose life he saves from falling from a window, in contrast to the comic.

Nite Owl II

Mentioned to be the "leader" of the team, efficient and brave, portrayed as Batman: The Animated Series, unlike his portrayal in the comic as a troubled and timid man. He also "loves to party down".

Comedian

Shown as a hard veteran with a harsh manly voice. He is seen in love with Laurie Juspeczyk (as he fancied her mother in the comic), with no reference that she is his daughter.

Rorschach

A sociopath in the comic, he is portrayed as the "nutty" member of the team and slight comic relief. He is an animal lover, in contrast to his killing of Fred and Barney in the comics. His mask can take funny shapes, like smiley faces.

Dr. Manhattan

Can reduplicate himself and transform his body, eg. into a car (a possible reference to Transformers or Turbo Teen). His non-violent weapon is to cause cancer to the villains, referencing Ozymandias' plot to discredit Jon in the comic.

Silk Spectre

Dr. Manhattan's spouse and professionally a pop singer, a possible reference to Jem and the Holograms. As in the comic, she dislikes the Comedian, but here because he has a crush on her. She is seen reading a bedtime story to Manhattan's clones, rather than engaging in group intimacy as in a particular scene of the comic.

Bubastis

Ozymandias' sidekick, he is a cowardly talking animal and comic relief, like Scooby-Doo or Cringer from Masters of the Universe. Although in the comic he was simply a genetic experiment with no significant role in the story, the video portrays it as a member of the team; much like similar retcons done usually by such animated series adaptations.

Other concepts

• Archie: the flying aicraft makes an appearance as the Watchmen's vehicle, like the X-Jet.
• Alien Monster: Makes a brief cameo as a recurring arch-villain of the team.
• Soviet Union: The "Reds" are seen polluting the city lake, for no discernible purpose, much like the bad guys of Captain Planet and the Planeteers.
• Comedian's badge: The smiley face (here winking) is portrayed as the Watchmen's symbol. It is also projected in the sky in the time of danger, as in Batman or Thundercats. Instead of blood, a spot of ketchup dripped on his badge.
• Doomsday Clock: The clock seen in the comic volumes' back-covers nears to 12:00 while the silhouettes of the Watchmen beat up some thugs.

Other references

• Scooby-Doo - Ozymandias and Bubastis investigate a haunted house and are then chased by a mummy.
• Ghostbusters - The line "What will we do?" "We call... the WATCHMEN" is a possible reference to the motto "Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!"
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The team are seen eating pizza, the Turtles' favorite food.
• The "theme song" has lines like "united forever", "friends to the animals", "say no to drugs", "be in bed by 10", referencing the moral lessons in several cartoon series, usually by Filmation.

Theme song lyrics

Strong together,
United forever,
They're the best of friends.
But when trouble's about,
You'd best watch out
For the Watchmen!

Nite Owl is their leader,
And he loves to party down.
Rorschach's friends to the animals.
"Yeah when he's not clowning around." ("I'm Nutty!")

Beat up some thugs,
Say no to drugs,
Be in bed by 10.
But when trouble's about,
You'd best watch out
For the Watchmen.

Silk Spectre's a sensation
You should really never miss.
The Comedian's her biggest fan now.
"If I could only get that kiss!"

Ozy and Bubastis,
A couple of crime-solving superstars.
Jon can give you cancer,
And turn into a car.

Strong together,
United forever,
Come and meet your friends.
Have no fear,
Time's up, time's here!
For the Watchmen!

(Watch Out!)

Reception

Dave Gibbons, commented that he had seen the video and "loved it", remarking "The thing is, obviously they're having fun with it but the way it was done, you know that the person really cared about what they were doing... really knew Watchmen in detail."

External links

• Saturday Morning Watchmen at Newgrounds
• Wikipedia