You Can — and Should — Watch HBO's Watchmen for Free This Weekend

If you missed HBO's Peabody Award-winning drama Watchmenwhen it aired last fall, now is the perfect time to watch. The series, from Damon Lindelof, stars Regina King and explores the legacy of white supremacy and systemic racism in America through a version of history in which masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws. And it's never been easier to watch; HBO is making the entire nine-episode limited series free to stream from Friday, June 19 through Sunday, June 21 exclusively on HBO.com and on demand. Plus, HBO is also airing a marathon on HBO and HBO Latino starting at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 19. 

The timing of this decision is significant, as this comes during a moment of worldwide protests against white supremacy and police brutality. June 19 is also Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day in 1865 when Union soldiers announced to enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, they'd been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued in 1863.

Releasing Watchmen for free this weekend is part of HBO's effort to highlight the Black experience and celebrate and honor Black storytellers. But Watchmen is not the only title being offered for free. A list of programs currently available for sampling, and those that will be free to sample from Friday, June 19 until Thursday, July 2, is listed below.

7 Great Things to Watch In Celebration of Juneteenth

Available now

Baltimore Rising
Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas
Notes From the Field
King in the Wilderness
Say Her Name: The Life & Death of Sandra Bland
4 Little Girls
We Are the Dream
Random Acts of Flyness
Insecure
Ballers
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Betty
Euphoria
The Shop
The Wire
We're Here

Available beginning Friday, June 19

Being Serena
Bessie
Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
United Skates
Jerrod Carmicheal's Home Videos
Lil' Rel Live In Crenshaw
The Apollo
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Treme
True Detective 

Black lives matter. Text DEMANDS to 55156 to sign Color of Change's petition to reform policing, and visit blacklivesmatter.carrd.co for more ways to donate, sign petitions, and protest safely.