The world’s most bizarre team of superheroes is back in Doom Patrol Season 2. The second season feels more like a continuation of Season 1 than a new beginning. The season starts off with the team still “fun sized” from their climax (pun intended) in Danny the Street. And they have a new member of the group: the Chief’s daughter, Dorothy, who is equal parts early and modern human, and appears 11 years old, despite being nearly 100 years old.
The first three episodes of Doom Patrol dropped simultaneously to get fans, old and new, sucked into the story. It’s rather easy to get sucked into this series really. It is a treat to watch and nearly impossible to explain to people who haven’t watched the show. How does one explain that a reoccurring character is a sentient, genderqueer street that teleports around the world picking up misfits from all walk of life?
That is the beauty of Doom Patrol (DC Universe, HBO Max). It seemingly defies explanation yet is so fun to watch. Showrunner Jeremy Carver is no stranger to running shows with strange characters and stranger stories that work for some reason (Supernatural, Being Human). Doom Patrol takes the strange factor to the next level but still completely grounded with characters that are believable no matter what insane situation they’re thrown into.
Doom Patrol can take a minor villain, like Dr. Tyme, from the DC comic book archives and turn them into something both old-school and relatable to a modern audience. And unlike traditional superhero shows dragging out the villain of the week, the arrival of the bad guys feels organic and unforced in Doom Patrol.
What sets Doom Patrol Season 2 apart from its freshman début in 2019, is less self-loathing by the main characters. Oh, there’s still some loathing, depression, mania, and self-doubt in the Doom Patrol crew, but it’s not as acute. It’s evolving. The team is learning from their mistakes, accepting their situation, and trying to move on.
As mentioned earlier, Doom Patrol is difficult to explain. Not only are characters and plots bizarre, but the show can’t be easily pigeonholed. Yes, it’s a superhero show, but it’s much more than that. It’s equal parts fun, brutal, freaky, tender, dark, thrilling, and ultimately satisfying.
What’s most satisfying is how the show treats viewers with respect. The showrunners don’t explain every little detail because they assume the audience is smart enough to figure things out. They don’t sugarcoat violence because real violence is horrible and messy. Doom Patrol’s characters are flawed and make really bad decisions sometimes because that’s what real people do.
Underneath all the weirdness and insanity, Doom Patrol is a grounded, character-driven show that’s well-written, well-acted, and a lot of fun. If you haven’t gotten sucked into the series already, now’s a perfect time to join the Doom Patrol.
