Watchmen, the HBO series that followed on from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' iconic graphic novel, was our favorite television show of 2019. The show, which remixed parts of the original comic and proved incisive and intelligent in its examination of superhero mythology, race, gender, and the world Moore created, was a triumph both critically and commercially.

However, it looks as though a second season is unlikely, with showrunner Damon Lindelof (Lost, The Leftovers,) standing by comments he made shortly after the season wrapped.

On the official Watchmen podcast back in December 2019, Lindelof said that it was "unlikely" that he would make a second season, although he seemed open to the notion that a good idea might come to him. This apparently has not happened yet, and Lindelof has reaffirmed to USA Today that he currently has no interest in doing a second season, having told the story he wanted to tell.

Lindelof reportedly said that he has given HBO his blessing to move ahead on a second season without him, but the channel's programming chief, Casey Bloys, said that this was unlikely to happen. "It would be hard to imagine doing it without Damon involved in some way," he said.

However, it sounds like he's interested in whatever Lindelof's next project turns out to be. "We’re very proud of Watchmen, but what I’m most interested in what Damon wants to do." Bloys says that if Lindelof changes his mind, or wants to approach Watchmen as an "anthology" series akin to True Detective or Fargo, HBO would be keen.

While some viewers might despair over the lack of resolution to the seeming cliffhanger at the end of the series, it's worth noting that Lindelof has said that, in his mind, it's unambiguous what happens next.