Although 'Watchmen's' first two episodes disappointed somewhat, while still having a lot of impressive elements, the show started showing signs of greatness with its first great episode (actually it left me near-blown away) "She Was Killed By Space Junk". The tightest paced, most playful and most interesting episode up to this point, characterisation and storytelling started to move forward and introduces the viewer to one of the show's most interesting character Laurie Blake.
Coming up to the halfway point of 'Watchmen', it would have been a big ask to match the level of "She Was Killed By Space Junk" or exceed it. Something that "If You Don't Like My Story Write Your Own", notable for introducing another new character in Lady Trieu, doesn't quite manage. To me it is a step or two backwards and closer to "It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice" and "Martial Feats of Comanche Horsemanship" in quality, though slightly better because things have at least progressed, the tone is more established and settled and the characters are more interesting, one also not feeling as disconnected.
"If You Don't Like My Story Write Your Own" is let down somewhat by the pacing, an aspect that had improved massively in "She Was Killed By Space Junk". Here though, it was a bit too slow again, a few scenes not going very far. Again, in terms of ideas (and there are some great ones here) the episode could have benefitted from trying to do a little less and focused more succinctly on parts it considered most important.
Did feel that it was a little too heavy on the talk, with some of the chatter not doing enough to progress the story and there to give some levity.
So much however works brilliantly in "If You Don't Like My Story Write Your Own". Lady Trieu is introduced here and she is very memorable, both alluring and suitably mysterious with touches of wackiness and creepiness. The main storyline is imperfect but still has intrigue, uncompromising boldness, playfulness and still doing a great job with taking a lot of recognisable themes and expanding upon them. Also making them more relevant and relatable today, in a way that's painful and scary which is probably why the content has not sat well with some people. Actually found Veidt's subplot the more interesting story this time and it and Veidt himself are not as disconnected as they were in the first two episodes (which is another improvement here). Especially since this is the first time where his presence even when not there in the scene is actually felt in the other world, especially when the main characters talk about him coming across his statue. Just love the character's eccentricity and what happens here is both disturbing and hilarious. The episode also boasts one of his best ever moments and one of the show's most memorable scenes that is often talked about, that with the clones in the water.
Like the previous three episodes, "If You Don't Like My Story Write Your Own" looks fantastic. The hologram scene is especially beautifully shot in an episode full of cinematic quality style and atmosphere. The score continues to unsettle and the pre-existing music choices are diverse and cleverly used. The Beethoven was especially well done, sublime piece used to stirring effect. The script is also not perfect but on the whole is gritty and playful, so closer tonally to the writing in "She Was Killed By Space Junk". On the most part, the episode is good fun but also very disturbingly startling and with ideas that have promise and continue to be built upon. Veidt's storyline especially. The characters are well done, with Laurie having settled very well and Lady Trieu is written with class and tension. Jean Smart is playful and tough as nails, Regina King shows more vulnerability here and Jeremy Irons steals every scene he's in, but classy Hong Chau kills it most.
Overall, was expecting more but well done all the same. 8/10