Doom Patrol 4: Immortality Against Time

I'm ecstatic and then some that Doom Patrol: Season 4 lands this Dec 8 on HBO Max. Its trailers promise more over-the-rainbow surrealism, which is right up my alley, and thanks to the prior three seasons, the concept has collected quite a few fans even beyond its DC comic-book blueprint.

This season will touch upon themes and schemes related to a puzzling, "immortality" project, time travel, 12 Monkeys dystopia and something about jellyfish and downtrodden ghosts. The flamboyant cast is geared and steered to tickle each of these wacky nooks and crannies along the frayed way: Brendan Fraser and Riley Shanahan as the foul-mouthed Robotman; Timothy Dalton as the tormented Dr. Niles Caulder; Abi Monterey as his sweet, hybrid daughter, Dorothy Spinner; Diane Guerro as personality-twirling Crazy Jane; Joivan Wade as the bliss-seeking Cyborg; Mark Sheppard as the bunny-employed Willoughby Kipling; Matt Boomer and Dwain Murphy as the symbiotic-Keeg-wrought Negative Man; Michelle Gomez as the temper-bottled outsider-fitting-in, Madame Rouge; John Briddell as the diabolical, rotting-dead Darren Jones; and last but not least, heart-throbbing favorite, April Bowlby as the limb-springing/face-drooping Elasti-Woman, now in a temporary, leader-by-default role. Oh, and to up the eccentricity, Madeline (Twin Peaks/Californication) Zima's gadgety Casey Brinke (aka Space Case) hops aboard to insert some garish, Doctor Who-ish complexity, and for the psychological end, Timeca Serreti's Doctor Janus does a swell job screwing with the team's past perceptions. 

The previous, interconnecting plots often swung sideways, which has proven a huge part of the series' appeal. Doom Patrol is as dream-like as it's crass, as pensive as it's comedic. It's a top-shelf, ricocheting gift, strengthened by its superb quirks, which will no doubt make Season 4's eternal time-sliding super-favorable, in particular if those feral, ass-monsters (aka were-butts) reappear (and they will, albeit zombie-fied). And what of the scene-changing Danny? I'd bet a shiny, red dime on "his" spectral return, as well. 

Yep, I'm big-time anxious to see how it all rolls, and that's because I know my kooky, ol' chums will ensure such and at full, Dali-esque throttle, at that. 

Doom Patrol restarts Dec 8. (What a spirited way to usher the Christmas season, eh?)

Doom Patrol Season 3: Super-Eccentrics Return

I respect and admire Doom Patrol for its pushing-the-envelope wisecracks and bold, Baum-ish insinuations. It's DC's tune-laden answer to Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, as siphoned through the Uncanny X-Men, but with a darker, demented heart and placed, no less, in an alternate (and therefore superior) 2021. 

As should come as no surprise, all of our endearing, mad misfits return for Season 3: Timothy Dalton as Niles Caulder (in good, spectral shape); Brendan Fraser and Riley Shanahan as Robotman; Joivan Wade as Cyborg, Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane; Matt Bomer and Dwain Murphy as Negative Man; Mark Sheppard as Willoughby Kipling; and of course, there's my personal favorite, April Bowlby's enchanting and flexible-to-a-fault Elasti-Woman. (Gosh, if only there were veritable, Rita Farr movies I could watch, I'd be in friggin Heaven!) The decor-shifting anomaly named Danny also returns, but will Devan Long's Flex Mentallo? (I sure hope so.) 

The dependable scene stealer, however, is Abi Monterey's Dorothy Spinner, Caulder's meta-daughter. For fun, she's a great manipulator of tangible, imaginary friends. The series has come to represent her plight of self discovery, and if she were to depart (for a long, episodic haul, that is), all would no doubt fall apart. 

Joining spry Spinner's journey is Michelle Gomez's Madame Rouge, a steampunked, face-stealing vixen of the Brotherhood of Evil, and Stephen Murphy's Garguax, a vigilant, green extraterrestrial of a not-so-nice kind. 

I have no idea how these newbies will impact Dorothy and the Patrol, for Doom Patrol is the epitome of sardonic experimentation and sublime, (in)human possibilities. In other words, the less revealed, the better. 

Check out Season 3's first batch of episodes on HBO Max, and if you haven't caught any of the prior, please do delve in. All episodes have been queued for your convenient viewing pleasure. 

Welcome Back, DC's Doom Patrol

DC Universe's "Doom Patrol", which recommences June 25, has become a quirky anthem for being different, with a profane Lewis Carroll feel. It's also significant reason why folks are subscribing to the online, superhero source. (For the record, the series is now shared with HBO Max, which doesn't impress me one iota, but more on that gripe some other time.)

"Doom Patrol", like its comic-book foundation, is shamelessly irreverent, much in the Deadpool vein, but maybe such isn't so off course, since the Doom Patrol has always acted as DC's answer to Marvel's varied X-Men. 

To sustain the show's fearless flow, its unerring cast returns. Timothy Dalton leads the charge as Chief Niles Caulder. Brendan Fraser voices Robotman as Riley Shanahan wears the big guy's armor. Joivan Wade, meanwhile, breathes life into the ever practical Cyborg, while Matt Bomer becomes once more the anguished Negative Man, with Dwain Murphy beneath his Griffin-ish wraps. Diane Guerrero screams away as the super-complex Crazy Jane; and the drop-dead-gorgeous April Bowlby has no choice but to steal the scenery as the flexible-to-a-fault Elasti-Woman. Last but not least, Alan Tyduk (DC's Man of a Thousand Voices) hovers in the memorized backdrop as the oft-mentioned Mr. Nobody, though it appears for a time, Brandon Perea's Dr. Tyme is our surrogate baddie. Abigal Shapiro, meanwhile, joins the gang as the downtrodden but character-conjuring Dorothy Spinner, the ape-faced girl, who so happens to be Caulder's dear daughter. (I do hope that Devan Chandler Long revisits as Flex Mentallo; he pumped lots of ethical energy into the initial season's later episodes. The producers would be wise to make him a regular at some point.)

For obvious reasons, the pin-up fan within me makes the elastic Rita Farr my favorite misfit, though it wouldn't hurt to see Bowlby in a steady stream of bikini/lingerie shots. (She certainly wasn't shy about dressing down for "Three and a Half Men".) Beyond a doubt, she's the most underrated of today's sex symbols, and her fine, physical attributes (droopy elongation excluded) should be flaunted to the max. (Go on, condemn me for saying so. In the spirit of the Doom Patrol, I'll retaliate with a hardy spit in your eye, unless you so happen to be a match for the beautiful Bowlby, in which case I'll replace my fury with congenial constraint.) 

As to what Season 2's ongoing plot might be, I've no idea (beyond there being a pick-up on last season's "Dr. Cyclops" cliffhanger and something to do with time travel). To be honest, I don't care to know. I mean, why spoil the element of surreal surprise? In the least, it's gotta maintain its garishness (though less shopping on flashy Danny{the}Street would be beneficial, no matter how noble the intent). 

As such, the series should attract even more viewers once word of mouth spreads. (Interest in "Doom Patrol" could also lead folks to try "Titans", "Stargirl", "Swamp Thing" and "Harley Quinn".) Yep, there's no telling what good ol' "Doom Patrol" might inspire, but no matter what it is, it's bound to be offbeat and therefore worth our while.  

Doom Patrol Finishes with Fabuous Flex (More Or Less)

On the whole, I rather like DC Universe's "Doom Patrol". Granted, I don't care much for the Bureau of Agency execution. I'd prefer a twist on the "we're more opened-minded than you" dictum, which can be more dictatorial than any traditional bigotry. (I suppose, with a slight bending of one's brain, that irony can be perceived throughout "Doom Patrol", though I doubt its makers intended it, even with all the Lewis Carroll, hidden-meaning beef.)

Though absent in the finale, what made the season extra cool came in its near-to-final phases, when Flex Mentallo entered the action. Devon Chandler Long grants the hero enough chivalrous brawn and poignant vulnerability to please fans. His character also complemented Brendan Frasier/Riley Shanahan's bumbling but huge-hearted Robotman and perhaps to a lesser degree, Joivan Wade's steadfast Cyborg and Timothy Dalton's secret-scorched Chief Niles. 

In case one is unaware, Flex is a '90s Charles Atlas spoof, who became more profound as his magical muscle progressed within "Doom Patrol'"s panels. He was still underused within the vast DC universe. Glad to see the live-action version changing that. At this point, Flex could helm a spin-off series for DC's subscription source, whether in flashback or the modern-day form. (This also goes for Diane Guerrero's Crazy Jane, if only due to her many quirky personalities and linking "inner sanctum".)

To be honest, I like all the characters: each with his/her nuanced flaws, and that does include Alan Tyduk's devilish Mr. Nobody. Nonetheless, Matt Bomer's LarryTrainor/Negative Man (soulmates to Billy Batson/Captain Marvel and Hayata/Ultraman) strikes me as more weepy than resourceful. To a degree, this approach works for the sake of the sorrowful symbiosis, but let the damn duo seize the day and stay there for a spell. Besides, anyone who dons the Dr. Griffin/Invisible Man look deserves greater command.

My favorite character ended up being April Bowlby's Rita Farr/Elasi-Woman. Bowlby is a sex symbol/pin-up worthy of any age: an ascent that started with her recurring role on "Two and a Half Men". As the ravishing Rita, Bowlby is more serious and sad than innocent and undressed, but all the same--wow, oh wow!--as striking as ever...okay, that is, when not waxing away.  (At least Rita's Blob digression separates her from other elongating entities.)

Here's hoping that word of mouth brings more folks into the "Doom Patrol" fold. Yeah, it's a shame we gotta subscribe (shell out) to watch this stuff, but if it's quality (if it makes one think), it's worth it. Beyond a doubt, "Doom Patrol" is worth it. 

Doom Patrol Expands DC's Live-Action Universe

The pay-for-it DC Universe introduced its new, live-action series, "Doom Patrol" via a pilot planted within "Titans": the latter a series I praised until its finale, which left me mighty miffed. (My fingers are crossed that what transpired was, in truth, a sadistic trick, to be revealed and remedied at Season 2's start.) 

With that said, I did enjoy the "Doom Patrol" pilot and believe that its eleven-episode expansion could become DC's small-screen answer to Marvel's "X-Men", another excellent example of '60s, misfit fusion. 

"Doom Patrol'"s current cast features Timothy Dalton as the Chief (replacing Bruno Bichir); Brendan Fraser emoting Robotman (replacing Jake Michaels), with Riley Shanahan occupying the armor; Matt Bomer voicing Negative Man, with Dwain Murphy (allegedly) still under wraps; Joivan Wade as Cyborg; Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane; and the amazing April Bowlby as Elasti-Woman. For the record, Alan "Powerless" Tyduk animates Mr. Nobody, a living shadow cut from the more-or-less Lamont Cranston cloth, only inclined to screw with minds for the sheer fun of it. (Devan Chandler Long will eventually join the cast as magical muscleman, Flex Mentallo: quite an underrated/underused character in the DC universe.)

I like eccentrics with hearts of gold (I fancy myself one). I also like folks who work against the odds, whether they harbor special abilities or not. I'm presuming the live-action Doom Patrol could become an inspiration to dynamic underdogs everywhere. 

Like "Titans", the team's success rides on whether its characters stick to their roots. If they perform contrary to expectations (as shown in "Titan'"s initial season adieu), a righteous backlash could strike. 

No matter what the future may hold, I intend to see this one through, trusting that by time "Titans" and "Doom Patrol's" characters re-rub elbows, all the disconcerting infirmities will have bid bye-bye. 

"Doom Patrol" begins Feb 15, with an episode premiering per week.