The series takes place 34 years after the events of the comic series. In the comic's alternate history of the 20th century, vigilantes, once seen as heroes, were outlawed due to their violent methods. In 1985, Adrian Veidt (Jeremy Irons), formerly known as the vigilante Ozymandias, created a fake attack on New York City by a squid-like alien that resulted in millions within New York being killed, coercing nations to work together against a common threat and to avert a nuclear holocaust. Veidt's actions disgusted his former companions, with Rorschach (Trey Butler) planning to tell the world of Veidt's misdeeds before he was vaporized by Doctor Manhattan, who subsequently left the planet. Unbeknownst to Manhattan, Rorschach had sent his journal to be published beforehand.
The show takes place in 2019 Tulsa, Oklahoma. A white supremacist group, the Seventh Kavalry, inspired by Rorschach's writings and masked image, wage violent war against minorities and the police that enforce special reparations for victims of racial injustice. On Christmas Eve 2016, during an event that came to be known as the "White Night", the Kavalry attacked the homes of 40 police officers working for the Tulsa Police Department. Of those who survived, only two stayed with the force: Detective Angela Abar (Regina King) and Police Chief Judd Crawford (Don Johnson). As the police force was rebuilt, laws were passed that required police to not disclose their profession and to protect their identities while on the job by wearing masks, which includes allowing for costumed police officers. As Crawford's police force attempts to crack down on the Seventh Kavalry, Abar finds herself at the center of two competing plots to kidnap Doctor Manhattan, who has been working with Hooded Justice, the original masked hero and survivor of the Tulsa massacre.
Regina King as Angela Abar / Sister Night a Tulsa Police detective
Don Johnson as Judd Crawford the chief of the Tulsa Police
Tim Blake Nelson as Wade Tillman / Looking Glass a Tulsa Police detective
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Calvin "Cal" Abar (né Jelani), Angela's husband
Andrew Howard as Red Scare a Tulsa Police detective
Jacob Ming-Trent as Panda a Tulsa Police detective
Tom Mison as Mr. Phillips a series of male clones of the original Mr. Phillips, created by Doctor Manhattan to serve as Veidt's servants
Sara Vickers as Ms. Crookshanks a series of female clones of the original Mrs. Crookshanks created by Doctor Manhattan to serve as Veidt's servants
Dylan Schombing as Christopher "Topher" Abar (né Doyle), Angela's and Cal's adopted son whose biological parents, the Doyles, were killed on the White Night
Louis Gossett Jr. as Will Reeves Angela's grandfather, formerly known as Hooded Justice, the first masked hero
Jeremy Irons as Adrian Veidt a former businessman and the vigilante Ozymandias, the "smartest man in the world"
Jean Smart as Laurie Blake formerly the second Silk Spectre
Hong Chau as Lady Trieu the owner of Trieu Industries, a corporation that bought out Veidt Enterprises following news of his death, and later revealed to be Veidt's daughter by artificial insemination
James Wolk as Joe Keene Jr. a Senator and leader of the Seventh Kavalry
Frances Fisher as Jane Crawford Judd's wife
Jessica Camacho as Pirate Jenny a member of the Tulsa police
Adelynn Spoon as Emma Abar Angela and Cal's younger adopted daughter
Lily Rose Smith as Rosie Abar Angela and Cal's older adopted daughter
Alexis Louder as Ruth Williams the late mother of Will Reeves and great-grandmother of Angela Abar
Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Bian a young clone of Trieu's mother passed off as her daughter
Dustin Ingram as Agent Dale Petey an FBI agent
Cheyenne Jackson as an actor portraying Hooded Justice on American Hero Story
Henry Louis Gates Jr. as himself in the position of Secretary of the Treasury
Elyse Dinh as Trieu's mother the original Bian as an adult
Jim Beaver as Andy the Doyle children's paternal grandfather
Lee Tergesen as Mister Shadow a vigilante
David Andrews as Deputy Director Max Farragut Laurie Blake and Dale Petey's superior
Chris Whitley as Captain Metropolis
Paula Malcomson as Renee a radiologist
Jake McDorman as Nelson Gardner / Captain Metropolis one of the founding members of the New Minutemen
Danielle Deadwyler as June Will's wife and Angela's grandmother
Glenn Fleshler as Fred a racist shopkeeper
Eileen Grubba as Cynthia Tillman
Anthony Hill as Marcus Abar the father of Angela Abar
Ted Johnson as Joe Keene Sr. the Senator
Danny Boyd Jr. as Young Will Reeves
Steven G. Norfleet as O.B. Williams
Jovan Adepo as Will Reeves
Jamal Akakpo as Bass Reeves
Darrell Snedeger as Jon
Robert Wisdom as Seymour
Valeri Ross as Old Woman
Landon Durrence as Adorable White Boy
Victoria Blade as Mom
Charles Green as Preacher
Philly Plowden as Sam Battle
Nicholas Logan as 7K Spokesman
Jordan Salloum as Officer Borquin
Kyle McDuffie as Sheriff
Jaiden Bostic as Marcus
Phillip Trieu as Bartender
Steve Coulter as Simmons
Erik Palladino as Agent Art
Zak Rothera-Oxley as Young Jon Osterman
Charles Brice as Charlie Sutton
Anatole Taubman as Hans Osterman
Adam Drescher as Agent Jerry
Michael Graziadei as Carmichael
Philip Labes as Young Wade Tillman
Julia Vasi as Roxy
Greg Weeks as Paramedic
Wayne Pére as The Suspect
David Watts as Outdoorsy Man
Karen Beyer as Well Dressed Woman
Marissa Chanel Hampton as Lorna
Faithe Herman as Young Angela
Geraldine Singer as Ms. Sweetwater
Jennifer Vo Le as Officer Jen
John Newberg as Chief
Michael Rubino as Police Officer
Brook Todd as Kavalry Bomber
Thomas K. Belgrey as Werner
Erin C. Davis as Hostage
Ariel Milner as Child
Michael Hodson as Prisoner
Tim Peek as Elder
Sara Antonio as Another Reporter
Regina Ting Chen as Crew Chief
Miles Doleac as German Officer
James Dean Smith as Heavyset White Dude
Ryan Hope Travis as Jerry
Devyn A. Tyler as Elise Abar
Damien Dao as Video Store Clerk
Austin Freeman as Knot Top
Bobby Jordan as Mike Schach
Annika Pampel as Fraulein Mueller
Robert Pralgo as Jon Clark
Charlie Talbert as Desk Sergeant
Cabot Basden as Knot Top
Mahdi Cocci as Uniformed Cop
Jason Collett as Well Dressed Man
Junie Hoang as Vietnamese Headmistress
Jesse O'Neill as Radio-Schach
Christian Robinson as Delivery Guy
Christine Weatherup as Katy Clark
Jim Braswell as Singer
Trey Butler as Rorschach
Catherine Eure as Woman Getting Attacked
Han Soto as Vietnamese Cab Driver
Holly Stevenson as Older Woman
Ryan Homchick as White Cop (1950)
Jimi Kocina as Rorschach Tech
Hunter McGregor as Reporter
Mariana Novak as Guard
Brian Stapf as Tattooed Man
Hawn Tran as Puppeteer
Luke David Blumm as Newspaper Boy
Tiger Dawn as Ed Support Member
Shakirah DeMesier as Trieu Compound Guard
Quinten Johnson as Fireman
Denny Zartman as Teller
Dajour Ashwood as Mechanic
Ryan Czerwonko as Ringleader
Benjamin David as Ballcap Agent
Edelia Merida as Venezuelan Woman
Debra Nelson as Ed Support Member
Daniel Parvis as Reporter
Rowan Bousaid as Arabic Man
Denise Hillis as Ed Support Member
Maxton Jones as Clipboard Yellow
Sasha Morfaw as Mechanic's Wife
Vince Pisani as Cashier
Patrick Brown as Sergeant at Arms
Tevin Marbeth as Soldier
Jesse Mattson as Ed Support Member
Uyoata Udi as Curly (Oklahoma)
Kate Kovach as Dame
Omer Mughal as Moderator
Teresa Jade Wilson as Farmer's Daughter (Oklahoma)
Coley Campany as Moderator
Faye Yvette McQueen as Fashionable Lady
Jamie Miles as Nurse
Zsane Jhe as Roberta Sutton
Moses J. Moseley as Usher
Jason Turner as Receptionist
Victor Turner as Receptionist
Joe Sykes as Uniformed Cop
Gabrielle Manning as 4th Grader
Jay Amir as Curious Boy
Ethan Stormant as Tommy (Buzzcut)
Helena Hu as Girl
Joey Mekyten as One Kid
Ethan Levy as Fat Guy
The average duration of each episode is 52 - 67 minutes. Country of origin: United States. Original language: English.