by Jack Grimme, Contributing Writer
DC’s Doom Patrol is one of those projects that felt special from the jump, pairing excellent writers with a brilliant cast, while drawing from the inspired work of fantastically weird writers like Bob Haney, Arnold Drake, and Grant Morrison. It was a clear recipe for success. Assuming of course that the studio and production team let the creative team be creative and generally untethered from many larger storytelling conventions. Season One started off strong, as a near-perfect mix of strange stories and heartfelt character work. Season Two, my personal favorite, confidently dove headfirst into the weird world inked in the comics and didn’t look back. The unreal depth it gives to its core cast during its sophomore season resonated with me in ways I haven’t felt since my first run through of Community. Unfortunately, Season Three didn’t quite hit the same highs. It’s a worthy entry for sure, but slightly underwhelming compared to its predecessor due to some confusing story beats. Regardless, my expectations going into this final venture were high because the potential is clear. After several delays, and a truly embarrassing spread of identical streaming services (HBO Go, HBO Now, HBO Max, and Max), the fans finally get to see how this story ends.
The new season finds DC’s most dysfunctional family struggling to fully embrace their new role as a true super group. Rita (April Bowlby) and Rouge (Michelle Gomez) are still at each other’s throats, Larry Trainor (Matt Bomer) and Robotman (Riley Shanahan) are still trying to understand parenthood, Jane (Diane Guerrero) is still unraveling the many mysteries in her head, and Cyborg (Joivan Wade) is still wondering if he is really Cyborg. Point being, their core issues are nothing new. Originally, this feels like a flaw. It seems that, character wise, we are treading water. However, as this idea develops into the one of the core thesis of the final outing, it begins to feel much more nuanced. Don’t get me wrong, there is some frustration with watching people you love continue to make the same mistakes for four consecutive seasons. But it is crucial to the story’s message, so I can see past it for the most part. Especially since the new world-ending threats introduced in this final story force the team to ask themselves some new, and genuinely insightful, questions about themselves.
If you go into this series expecting the bombastic action on display by many of its counterparts in the genre, you will be disappointed. Doom Patrol has many exciting moments, but it is largely a more contemplative exploration of the idea of “superpowers,” even though it is often disguised by immature humor and extraordinary circumstances. The show directly conflates the heroes’ gifts to their trauma, powerfully inspiring the audience to look within and ask some tough questions: Are we our personal trauma? Can the worst, most scarring parts of our life protect or empower us? It is a dark and deep deconstruction of the genre without the edgy and graphic elements of peers like Invincible or The Boys. Those are both solid in their own right, but Doom Patrol manages to resonate with me a little more by replacing gore with dialogue.
The theming and catharsis inspired by the character work are by far the show’s standout attribute, closely followed by the excellent work of the cast. From the beginning, Guerrero, as “Crazy Jane” and several other personalities, has consistently stolen the spotlight. She was handed the most challenging role the program has to offer, but she took it and made something truly inspiring. Brendan Fraser and Shanahan, as the voice and body of Cliff Steele, respectively, also continue to astonish in this season. The stiff movement partnered with the passion in every line delivery perfectly demonstrates the struggle forced upon Cliff by his new body. Every single member of the core cast clearly cares in a way that brings the best out of them, and I could easily spend this whole review showering them with praise.
I get the feeling that the crew never knew how many seasons they may get. Something this different and creative could flop or could be buoyed by the passionate support of the fans for an indefinite number of years. So I admit, it was probably hard to have a clear roadmap for this tale. That being said, there are a few things that ended up feeling rushed or underdeveloped. To avoid spoilers, I will just note that the fan favorite side characters suffered the most. I am not necessarily saying that they were mishandled, but it feels like many resolutions were cut for time. My personal favorite character, Dorothy Spinner (Abi Monterey), is a victim of this. She appears for a handful of episodes, but lacked attention, despite her status as an honorary member of the Doom Patrol. Fortunately, the main cast largely has satisfying conclusions to their respective journeys. Some happy, some painful, but earned in all cases, except one. I can’t explain without stepping into spoiler territory, so I will just say that one relationship is incredibly forced and confusing given that there was a much stronger option on the table.
Doom Patrol is undeniably flawed, but when the main goal is to explore how our flaws are a fundamental part of us, it works regardless. I am genuinely sad that I will not be able to spend more time with these characters. Shortening this journey after years of underserved turbulence is just one more example in an endless list of ways Warner Bros. Discovery has let down fans. At the end of the day, this crew has given millions a new group to commiserate with when they are feeling overwhelmed by their past. And Doom Patrol is a powerful testament to the value of a family when you are fighting to understand where your trauma fits into your identity.
Rating: Loved It
Doom Patrol is currently streaming on Max
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