TV Review: Doom Patrol (Season 1)

*This review contains some spoilers*

Watch my SPOILER review on YouTube

“Doom Patrol” is probably one of the most unique shows superhero shows of all time, full of zany humor, and yet still full of fleshed-out characters and emotional story arcs.

I knew almost nothing about Doom Patrol from the comics going into this series, so I had no clue what to expect. From what I researched, I think I would’ve been pretty satisfied by what we got. The lighter tone of the books is amplified here, with some bizarre visuals and a villain that breaks the fourth wall even more than the “Deadpool” films. While this is true for the entire season, it does get toned down a bit after the first couple of episodes. But, the show can get dark as well. It gets violent and bloody, but the personal hell our characters go through is where things really can get unpleasant.

The reason the series works so well is because of its lead characters. Everyone starts off in a really bad place, and even after making progress, they sometimes end up worse than before. But, the emotional journeys they go through feel earned, and watching them start to become the best versions of themselves is extremely satisfying. The strongest performances come from Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, and Alan Tudyk as Mr. Nobody. Guerrero pulling off all Jane’s multiple personalities is impressive, maybe not as much as James McAvoy in “Split,” but still very well-done. Meanwhile, Tudyk injects a lot of fun, and some serious menace when needed, to the villainous Nobody.

The plot is deceptively simple. It’s just a search for the missing Chief, and the threat of Mr. Nobody. But the individual character stories are really the most interesting thing. And besides, there are a few fun detours to the main storyline, ranging from a giant killer eye in the sky, to the original Doom Patrol, to a sentient non-binary street named Danny, to a hero that can alter reality by flexing his muscles.

The first season of “Doom Patrol” is a fun ride, even more out there than “Deadpool” and “Legends of Tomorrow,” but with well-written and well-acted character arcs that make these unbelievable heroes seem real.

**** out of *****

TV Review: Legends of Tomorrow (Season 4)

*This review contains some spoilers*

Watch the SPOILER review on YouTube

“Legends of Tomorrow” season 4 doubles-down on what’s been working for the show: Wackiness and heart.

For the most part, this works. The humor is often very self-aware, and even breaks the fourth wall a bit. But, it’s the character interactions that offer up the most laughs. And while the team still tends to screw things up, it’s not as bad as last season, so they don’t come off so incompetent just for laughs.

The plot is a bit uneven. The magical creatures stuff is fun at first, but as the monsters start to get pushed to the background, they get zanier. Killer unicorns and ruthless fairy godmothers get replaced by stereotypes like mummies and ogres. And while the nefarious plot by Nate’s dad holds some promise to get dark, it ends up shockingly silly. On the flipside, the Neron threat starts off quite dark, but then shifts to a lighter tone.

The show adds a few characters to the main cast this season. Nora Darhk and John Constantine are added full-time, and add magic use to the team. Despite his other appearances nailing the character, Constantine is less compelling in the comedy setting. Nora is much more interesting, but it takes a while before she gets integrated into the show. We also get the Mona character. She’s pretty fun at first, but her love story with a werewolf like creature isn’t very interesting. And, even after she gets her own abilities, she’s doesn’t really add much to the narrative. While not truly a new character, revamping the modest Amaya character into the much edgier Charlie helps make Maisie Richardson-Sellers one of the most fun parts of the new season.

As far as the show’s new villain, Neron is scariest when he’s hiding in the shadows. When we do see him in the flesh, it works because of his connection to Constantine. However, once he takes hold of Ray, he loses his edge. Brandon Routh never quite comes off as menacing. The overall evil plan is fairly solid, but the resolution is kind of nonsensical.

“Legends” still shows a ton of heart. No matter how goofy things get, the love and friendship between these misfits is strong. Even when they fight with each other, it’s satisfying to see them make amends.

“Legends of Tomorrow” season 4 can still get too silly at times, but the humor lands more often than now, and the team isn’t the butt of the joke as often as last season. The family dynamic carries the show through a bit of a weak plot that fails to mesh all its oddball elements.

*** out of *****