Key Takeaways:
– Hollywood veteran Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black actor to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, passed away in March 2024.
– Among his noted roles was in the HBO series ‘Watchmen’, set against the backdrop of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre.
– Despite receiving critical acclaim and eleven Primetime Emmy Awards, ‘Watchmen’ was not renewed for a second season and then reclassified as a limited series.
– Gossett Jr. expressed his disappointment over the show’s reclassification and questioned why it wasn’t renewed.
– HBO reclassified ‘Watchmen’ citing that any subsequent seasons of the show would also follow an anthology format.
On March 29, 2024, Louis Gossett Jr., one of the most prolific actors in Hollywood, passed away. His illustrious career spanned over seventy years, witnessing major shifts in the industry. Among his most acclaimed performances was his role in the HBO series ‘Watchmen’, a reinterpretation of the original comics by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons set during the Tulsa Massacre of 1921.
A Storied Career
Gossett Jr.’s illustrious career witnessed various milestones. Winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1982 for his role in ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’, he made history as the first Black actor to receive this honor. In addition, he was the recipient of two Golden Globes amongst numerous others.
His Role in ‘Watchmen’
In the HBO series ‘Watchmen’, Gossett Jr. played the role of Will Reeves. The show, which walked a fine balance between a sequel and a reimagining, was lauded widely. It succeeded in sparking conversations about white supremacy and racial prejudice in America. This inevitably brought acclaim for its representation of the Tulsa Massacre and a bold interpretation of the original comic. However, despite the rave reviews and a haul of eleven Primetime Emmy Awards, the future of the series remained uncertain.
Questioning the Non-Renewal of ‘Watchmen’
Much to the surprise and disappointment of its fans, ‘Watchmen’ was not renewed for a second season. Instead, in 2020, HBO reclassified it as a limited series. Gossett Jr., whose performance as Will Reeves was widely appreciated, expressed his confusion and disappointment at the decision, stating to Page Six, “I don’t know what the real answer is but I have a sneaking suspicion that we’re blowing up here.”
HBO’s Stance on ‘Watchmen’ Reclassification
Originally intended as an ongoing series, ‘Watchmen’ was set to span multiple seasons. The creator, Damon Lindelof, intended for the first season to act as a sequel set 34 years after the original comics. However, in light of the series’ completion, Lindelof revealed he had crafted it to last only for one season.
In an interview with Variety, Lindelof said, “Right now the space that HBO is in and that I’m in is we’re asking the question, Should there be another season of ‘Watchmen’? And if there should be another season, what would it be? I’m not saying I don’t want to do it, or it shouldn’t exist. I’m just saying, ‘Boy, every idea that I had went into this season of ‘Watchmen.’”
In 2020, HBO reclassified ‘Watchmen’ as a limited series, noting any subsequent seasons would adopt an anthology format, similar to FX’s ‘Fargo’ or HBO’s own ‘True Detective’.
Legacy of Louis Gossett Jr.
As tributes pour in for the late Louis Gossett Jr., his impact on Hollywood remains undeniable. Not only did he break barriers as an actor, but he also lent his voice to relevant topics via his roles, most notably in ‘Watchmen’. His challenging of the non-renewal decision shows a passion for meaningful storytelling that went beyond personal accolades, resonating deeply within an industry that continues to evolve.
