[HBO] Doom Patrol

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Aug 11, 2021 12:32 pm

Season 3, coming next month.

What the fuuuuu....

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Aug 11, 2021 12:57 pm

I posted this in the HBO Max thread, but this show is so goddamn good it deserves its own.

Looks like we're getting the Brotherhood/Sisterhood of Dada. As well as Monsieur Mallah and his master Brain.

I'm looking forward to the insanity!

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:09 pm

Just starting this show and I'm embarrassed to say I had no idea about Doom Patrol (as a comic) prior to watching. I've always been more of a Marvel fan for the comics, but this whole series (and the characters) are completely new to me, which is highly unusual to experience. I wasn't sure where the first episode was going, but I'm really liking it so far.

Having just finished Harley Quinn, I'd say my HBO Max subscription was a good call.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Fri Oct 08, 2021 8:58 pm

I think I remember reading a Doom Patrol comic or two as a child, but never got drawn in and don't remember anything about it. I'm not much into superheroes and haven't seen the show but all the love for it here has got me curious.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:15 pm

Doom Patrol started off as an X Men rip off. But eventually Grant Morrison took over and he created one of the weirdest, most interesting comics around. And thankfully, that’s what the tv show uses for its source.

I’m an unabashed fan boy for DP. I mean, the show has a sentient street. How can you not love that level of originality? I’m also a big fan of Willoughby Kipling, the sorcerer who uses things like Beatles lyrics and bubble gun to power his magic. He’s the antithesis of Dr. Strange…and it works.

Still wish they’d not included Cyborg though. He’s the only thing I really don’t like that much about the show. But adding the great Michelle Gomez to season 3 helps offset that annoyance.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 12:31 am

hepcat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:15 pm Doom Patrol started off as an X Men rip off.

Yep. They ripped off X-Men by beating them to the press by three months.

Given the time it takes to launch a new book, there's every likelihood that they were one of those coincidences of simultaneous development. Neither existed when the other was created, unless someone behind the scenes leaked it one way or the other (and there's be no way to know which way such a leak went.)

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 4:08 am

Blackhawk wrote:
hepcat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:15 pm Doom Patrol started off as an X Men rip off.
Yep. They ripped off X-Men by beating them to the press by three months.

Given the time it takes to launch a new book, there's every likelihood that they were one of those coincidences of simultaneous development. Neither existed when the other was created, unless someone behind the scenes leaked it one way or the other (and there's be no way to know which way such a leak went.)

I has always assumed the Doom Patrol to be an attempt at a Fantastic Four type comic for DC.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 8:45 am

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sat Oct 09, 2021 12:31 am
hepcat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:15 pm Doom Patrol started off as an X Men rip off.
Yep. They ripped off X-Men by beating them to the press by three months.

Given the time it takes to launch a new book, there's every likelihood that they were one of those coincidences of simultaneous development. Neither existed when the other was created, unless someone behind the scenes leaked it one way or the other (and there's be no way to know which way such a leak went.)

Ah, my mistake. I found the article you must have read. It's an interesting read. I always assumed X-Men was first and never bothered fact checking myself on it. Still, Doom Patrol did try to mimic the X-Men after that series broke out in the 70s. Thankfully Morrison came along and turned it into the odd and wonderful team that I loved.

As for season 3

Spoiler:

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 10:23 am

So far it's giving me a bit of a Mr. Robot / Legion vibe, particularly with Mr. Nobody.

With the pilot, I was thinking it was more of a riff on classic horror monsters (Frankenstein, Invisible Man, the Blob) focused on the 4 elements but I can kinda see the connection (accidental) to the X-Men as well. Or the Fantastic Four.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 12:15 pm

...or the 60s in general.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:00 pm

It makes (loving) fun of many things as it goes on.

And yeah, it reminds me most of Legion. It can swing between outright silly and a bit scary within the same episode.

But at the end of the day, the show boils down to coming to terms with who you are, I think. It's about accepting yourself. Whether it's taking on mental illness (Jane) in a (mostly) compassionate manner, LGBTQ issues (Larry) or body issues (Rita).

...and of course adding Nazi puppet shows, giant clowns, etc..

JCC · Post by **JCC** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:53 pm

Waiting on the whole season to be available. This one had to grow on me a bit but I like it. Too bad about the abbreviated second season. Waiting for the whole new season to be available before I return to it.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 3:54 pm

I need to get into that habit. Just subscribe when I'm ready to binge watch. But HBO Max has so much stuff to binge that I'm having trouble dropping my subscription for even a month.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 4:03 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:00 pm But at the end of the day, the show boils down to coming to terms with who you are, I think. It's about accepting yourself. Whether it's taking on mental illness (Jane) in a (mostly) compassionate manner, LGBTQ issues (Larry) or body issues (Rita).

That's what's so amazing to me about the X-MEN (in terms of theme and what inspired their creation). For all we've done and all we've learned comic book authors were way ahead of the curve.

...and of course adding Nazi puppet shows, giant clowns, etc..

Well of course - that's how they manage to make it so relatable to what I experience every day.

JCC · Post by **JCC** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 4:12 pm

I get HBO Max for free with my interent but I don't watch any show week to week if I can avoid it. (with some exceptions)

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 4:21 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:00 pm But at the end of the day, the show boils down to coming to terms with who you are, I think. It's about accepting yourself. Whether it's taking on mental illness (Jane) in a (mostly) compassionate manner, LGBTQ issues (Larry) or body issues (Rita).

Which, oddly enough, are the same issues tackled by some of the CW Arrowverse shows.

They are an excellent contrast in how to do it right vs how to do it so badly that you drive your audience away.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 4:35 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sat Oct 09, 2021 4:21 pm
hepcat wrote: ↑Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:00 pm But at the end of the day, the show boils down to coming to terms with who you are, I think. It's about accepting yourself. Whether it's taking on mental illness (Jane) in a (mostly) compassionate manner, LGBTQ issues (Larry) or body issues (Rita).
Which, oddly enough, are the same issues tackled by some of the CW Arrowverse shows.

They are an excellent contrast in how to do it right vs how to do it so badly that you drive your audience away.

The only CW show I think I've watched in the last 3 years is Stargirl.

JCC wrote: ↑Sat Oct 09, 2021 4:12 pm I get HBO Max for free with my interent but I don't watch any show week to week if I can avoid it. (with some exceptions)

You kids today and you're "gotta have it all right now" attitude! Why, when I was a kid, we had to watch a show once a week...AND AT THE EXACT MOMENT IT AIRED! Sure, there were 423 episodes a season of everything back then, but that just meant we had to do away with the Gregorian calendar and create our own to fit a season into one year!

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:14 pm

I know I'm way behind everyone else, but the ~60 minute run time means it's going to take me a while to get caught up.

I just finished the cult story (Cult Patrol / Paw Patrol) from S1 and it reminded me so much of something from the Dirk Gently / Douglas Adams universe, which was a real treat. I've really come to enjoy Diane Guerrero who is clearly much more talented than what she was showing in Orange is the New Black. Not that she was bad on that show, but she is certainly doing much more heavy lifting on this series.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Oct 12, 2021 4:49 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:14 pm I've really come to enjoy Diane Guerrero who is clearly much more talented than what she was showing in Orange is the New Black. Not that she was bad on that show, but she is certainly doing much more heavy lifting on this series.

I spent way too long NOT googling to figure out why I recognized her. The character she is playing is so different I couldn't make the connection without imdb's help.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:00 pm

She won me over in Doom Patrol. When I realized who she was in the first episode, I rolled my eyes and expected the worst. But she really does a great job of jumping from personality to personality. Even her English accent as Penny Farthing doesn’t bug me.

Of course, Jack Straw and Driver 8 are my favorite characters of hers.

But you’re going to soon come across a street and a muscle builder who will make everything else seem positively tame so far.

Have I mentioned Doom Patrol has the most imaginative characters around?

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:37 pm

Meanwhile Brandon Fraser spent the last two episodes (the cult ones) pretty much just saying "What the fuck???" every time he encountered something - which made me laugh every time as I was thinking the same thing right before he stated it.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:42 pm

The best scene from the cult episodes you just watched is Cliff waking up and seeing the two giant Archons on thrones in front of him. He just mutters “Giant clowns?”. Then turns around, says “Nope.”, and walks away.

Also, he often drops the “what” when yelling “what the fuck”, which makes me laugh.

Meanwhile, Titans still annoys me. I don’t know why I occasionally watch an episode.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 9:03 am

Last night was Therapy Patrol (Admiral Whiskers, WTF???) and then Danny Patrol. That was, uh...yeah. Once again, it really reminded me of something potentially from the mind of Douglas Adams. The whole episode was unexpected and enjoyable. What a trip.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:09 am

The final moments of the song and dance bit with Larry was heartbreaking.

Spoiler:

Coming up for you, muscle mystery. I'm curious to hear what you think of that.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:35 am

Yeah, that whole scene was powerful. Wasn't expecting that resolution. The entire concept (Danny) is rather progressive. Was Danny part of the comic books too?

I was laughing because I can only imagine what would have happened if my wife came in during that entire exchange. It was difficult enough trying to explain why i was beating a bunch of Luchadores with a 6' rubber dong in Saint's Row the one time she randomly walked in while I was playing.

"No, no, it's about this genderqueer street that creates a pocket universe for itself and people that don't fit in, and it moves around the world helping people. The cabaret drag queen dance number was critical to the plot, I swear."

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:40 am

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:35 am Yeah, that whole scene was powerful. Wasn't expecting that resolution. The entire concept (Danny) is rather progressive. Was Danny part of the comic books too?

Yup. All of this stuff is pretty much taken straight from the Grant Morrison run of Doom Patrol. And this was over 25 years ago.

I was really surprised to find this to be the case as I honestly thought Morrison's run was practically unfilmable.

And I'm betting your wife would love Danny. You'd have to have a heart of stone not to.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:42 am

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:09 pmI had no idea about Doom Patrol (as a comic) prior to watching. I've always been more of a Marvel fan for the comics, but this whole series (and the characters) are completely new to me, which is highly unusual to experience.

It me!

I haven't started DP yet, but all your endorsements have me adding it to my list...

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:45 am

Huh. I'm still amazed that this never (not once) came across my radar. Not that I'm a comic expert or even very well read.I can only assume it was because of when it was released as I had gap in reading while I was in college (no money) and I spent the late 1990s and early 2000s catching up on what I'd missed between 92 and 1997 or so.

I'll need to add the graphic novel to my list then for sure.

And I'm betting your wife would love Danny. You'd have to have a heart of stone not to.

Maybe. I still haven't quite figured him out yet - they're doing a good job of slowly filling in the blanks on his character. But yes, he's definitely intriguing. Plus, I'm a lot like Cliff - a soft, sensitive brain encased in a hard, emotionless shell. I find him highly relatable.

Also, how did I not mention Karen. Holy crap.

Daveman · Post by **Daveman** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 12:45 pm

My son (who's 19 years old but for some reason anytime I mention him I imagine people thinking of a young child) had been watching a lot of DC shows on HBO Max so I asked him about Doom Patrol (courtesy this thread) and he said he hadn't watched it because he had heard it was too weird (in a bad way).

I binged it and absolutely love it. He passed by twice and the first time he sat down and watched an episode with me. It was one of the more emotionally powerful episodes with Jane and he was very impressed. Second time he saw the butt monsters and just kept walking. "But it's still good!" I called to him but that was that.

One thing I like is that many of the stories are two-parters. They seem to know they have a story to tell and don't care if it doesn't neatly fit into 50 minutes.

Hate to end on a negative note, but last weeks episode, "Dada Patrol" was the first episode that I didn't really care for. Maybe I should rewatch it... it was clearly setting up a new arc/villain but it fell flat for me. Cliff getting stoned and Rita referring to Michelle Gomez as "Doctor Who" were the only bits to get a laugh out of me.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:23 pm

It's got some weak episodes, like anything else. Like I said before, I'm not a big fan of them jamming Cyborg into the show (although he's gotten a lot better since the first season...especially once they started making his transformation into a form of victimization, allowing him to resonate with some of the other characters).

And yeah, the butt creatures probably didn't need a return episode.

The Dada Patrol episode felt like a setup for something bigger, as you mentioned. It's the first time we've seen

Spoiler:

Still lovin' Michelle Gomez in this season. She never disappoints.

Zaxxon wrote: ↑Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:42 am I haven't started DP yet, but all your endorsements have me adding it to my list...

Daveman · Post by **Daveman** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:50 pm

On a related note, I really hope we'll see The Sex-Men again.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:50 pm

We have seen the sex ghosts though!

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:55 pm

Are we still doing phrasing?

After giving it more thought, I went through my mental lists of favorite comics and oddly enough they're all mostly DC, not Marvel. I guess I have strong childhood connections to the Marvel characters, but in terms of what I actually enjoyed reading as a teen and adult? They're mainly DC titles and non-Marvel. Things like Transmetropolitan, Sandman, Watchmen. So I guess it's not surprising to me then that I'm liking this show as the tone is more in line with something like the Transmetropolitian than X-MEN (despite the theme being closer).

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Oct 15, 2021 3:24 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:55 pm Are we still doing phrasing?

Honestly, I hope to God we're not. I'm not proud of that post.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sat Oct 16, 2021 1:36 pm

Made it through Jane Patrol - which was quite interesting and actually rather helpful in terms of understanding bigger picture story elements. The portrayal of what's happening with Jane was unexpected.

But then it was...Hair Patrol. WTF???

I feel like I'm saying that non-stop with this show.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:57 am

hepcat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:09 am Coming up for you, muscle mystery. I'm curious to hear what you think of that.

(takes bong hit)

No, no. Hear me out. He's just like Scarlett Witch but instead of using magic to bend reality, he flexes his muscles.

This show is a real trip.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:06 pm

Flex Mentallo is probably my favorite character. And the actor they got to portray him is pitch perfect. He's a muscle bound hero with a heart of gold. He and Danny are probably the only truly good characters on the show.

Although in the comics, every time he would use his power, the words "Hero of the beach" would appear in a halo over his head. I wish they'd add that back in.

He also captures the timelessness of the show. He's obviously a character from an idealized version of the fifties. But he's ageless. Of course, they never really come out and say what year DP is happening, so we get mixes of current events (Cyborg) and stuff from decades earlier.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Sat Oct 16, 2021 1:36 pm Made it through Jane Patrol - which was quite interesting and actually rather helpful in terms of understanding bigger picture story elements. The portrayal of what's happening with Jane was unexpected.

I usually hate episodes that occur within someone's mind, or in virtual reality. They always feel like filler episodes where nothing that happens really matters in the overall scheme of things. But on DP, the Underworld episodes are some of my favorites. They go to great lengths to create some serious backstory for it all.

Daveman · Post by **Daveman** » Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:45 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:06 pmHe also captures the timelessness of the show. He's obviously a character from an idealized version of the fifties. But he's ageless. Of course, they never really come out and say what year DP is happening, so we get mixes of current events (Cyborg) and stuff from decades earlier.

I don't know the source material at all, but after a few episodes I started noticing, and by season 2 had a theory that I thought worked pretty well. Spoilery ahead...

Spoiler:

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Oct 18, 2021 1:58 pm

That's kind of how I view it. But at the end of the day, I think Doom Patrol is telling us "ignore the damn time period...it doesn't matter".

The show really is some kind of adult fairy tale series.

p.s.

Spoiler:

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Oct 18, 2021 2:01 pm

I think at the point he was introduced, his personality is even more of a sharp contrast to everyone else so far. I really enjoyed the "split" story where they went through what happened to everyone and focused a bit more on their own stories. I am kinda curious to see how he interacts with everyone else moving forward just because he's so...different.

I also keep giggling at the random news stories they keep dropping back in covering Animal-Vegetable-Mineral man. I appreciate that kind of callback.

EDIT: I just looked and of course he's real (First appearance in 1964 - even better