The Best Superhero Series Stars The Worst Heroes
The ubiquitous rise of superhero content in Hollywood has given way to several prolific parodies and off-shoots. The Deadpool films utilize the title character’s fourth-wall-shattering self-awareness to lampoon common tropes within the genre, while shows like The Boys on Amazon take Marvel and DC concepts and crank them up to their most absurd and vulgar possible outcomes. Unlike those outings, one Max original series, Doom Patrol, showcases another side of superhero media, while also retaining a lot of heart, striking a perfect balance between quirky and realistic in the now-oversaturated landscape of off-beat hero teams.
The Strangest Team Of Heroes
Doom Patrol was adapted for television by Supernatural executive producer Jeremy Carver, based on the DC Comics series penned by Grant Morrison. The series stars a laundry list of incredible performers, including Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Riley Shanahan, Matt Bomer, Alan Tudyk, and Brendan Fraser. The show was originally made for the short-lived DC Universe streaming service, before folding into the now-defunct HBO Max, which was reconfigured to the current streamer Max.
Super Powers And Super Traumas
The series centers on a team of super-powered misfits called the Doom Patrol, as they navigate the proper use of their powers and learn to work together in an increasingly absurd world rife with super-villains and other traumatic hurdles. Each of the core characters received their powers from tragic circumstances, and have become shunned by society in the wake of their transformations. Many of the members of the Doom Patrol have been taken in and mentored by a medical doctor known as Chief (former James Bond Timothy Dalton), who allows his mansion to be used as something of a haven for super-powered freaks.
Defintely Not The Justice League
Key members of the Doom Patrol include Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero), a never-aging woman who struggles with dissociative identity disorder, Elasti-Girl (April Bowlby), whose morphing powers place her in constant danger of melting into an amorphous soup, Negative Man (Matt Bomer), who suffers from an evil spirit using his body as a host, and Robotman (Brendan Fraser), who had his entire body replaced with robot parts after experiencing a horrific car crash. Additional members continue to join the team in subsequent seasons, each bringing with them their miserable journey and traumatic baggage.
100 Percent Fresh
The series ran for four seasons from 2019 until 2023 and received heaps of praise throughout its run from critics and audiences alike. On the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, Doom Patrol maintains a staggering 98 percent certified fresh critic score as a series, with Seasons 3 and 4 both taking home coveted 100 percent fresh ratings. Many viewers have specifically praised the show’s performances, writing, and bold ability to take its story to weird and unexplored places within the superhero niche.
Four Wild Seasons On Streaming
Doom Patrol is available to stream in full on Max, in case you’ve been meaning to catch up on more DC hero stories while waiting for James Gunn to reboot the DCU. The show is incredibly unique and showcases the best of what DC adaptations have to offer, despite being based on a lesser-known IP.
