Spoilers for Doom Patrol. You have been warned.
Doom Patrol: (From left) Cyborg, Negative Man, Robotman, Dorothy, The Chief, Elasti-Girl, and Crazy Jane
Fans of the unconventional superhero team from the comics would know of the substantially arduous task that would befall any production team should they endeavor to bring the Doom Patrol to the screen. After all, this whacky, highly dysfunctional band of heroes is famed for being written and drawn in a manner so utterly whimsical and bizarre in comparison to the more mainstream comic book characters that we know. Hence, it came as an absolute surprise to see the Doom Patrol materialize on the small screen in all their crazy glory back in 2019, and with the release of the show’s third season in less than two weeks, we decided to take a look at what we believe to be the three main reasons why we love this show.
1. The show’s faithfulness to the comics
Cover for Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison vs Live-action poster for Doom Patrol
Unlike most comic book adaptations that are quick to shed their more comic book-ish aesthetic when transitioning to live-action, Doom Patrol instead chooses to embrace its more eccentric side, of which there are plenty. This allows Doom Patrol to stand out among other superhero television shows by simply holding true to its whacky identity from the comics.
2. Doom Patrol resurrected Brendan Fraser’s career
Brendan Fraser returns to the acting world as Robotman
While the actor predominantly lends his inimitable voice to the Robotman character and appears in the flesh only during a handful of flashbacks, we cannot in any way discount the considerable amount of charisma Fraser adds to Robotman and the show as a whole. In fact, many fans have gone as far as to note that after experiencing Brendan Fraser playing Robotman, it is only the actor’s voice that they hear every time they read Robotman’s dialogues in the comic books.
3. Doom Patrol does not shy away from its more emotional story arcs
From left: Crazy Jane and Cliff Steele, a.k.a. Robotman
Despite the show being pegged as a wildly fun ride, for the most part, it nevertheless takes the time to incorporate some incredibly heartwarming and emotional scenes. These tender and tearjerking moments can be seen through the show’s examination of the pain that each member of the team carries with them, being the rejects of the world, and through the various interactions between the members of the Doom Patrol, such as the bond between Crazy Jane and Robotman. The inclusion of such scenes eliminates any inkling of the often formulaic and superficial storytelling beats that we have witnessed in many other superhero shows, creating a wholly organic and layered experience for viewers to enjoy.
With that being said, we certainly cannot wait to check out season 3 of the show.
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