Doom Patrol “Doom Patrol” Review

Season 4 Episode 1 – As they struggle to function as a cohesive group, the Doom Patrol are confronted by a horrifying realization in the future. 

Please note, our reviews are based on likes and dislikes. These contain significant spoilers. If you haven’t already watched the episode, we recommend that you click off the article and come back once you have watched the episode. Enjoy!

What I Liked

1. The group is finally a superhero team. Rita is now the leader (with a hilariously over the top stylish costume) and has given the others their iconic comic book hero names. However, she gives Madame Rouge the name “Dogshit McGivens” as a very petty way of getting back at her for her actions in the previous season.

2. It turns out the secret to preventing amnesia when time traveling was for the team to wear a jellyfish on their heads (because of course it is).

3. The team has a showdown with Codpiece (one of the most ridiculous comic book villains of all time) and it is as wonderfully chaotic and bizarre as one would expect. 

4. The team still has problems during their battle with Codpiece, which makes for some of the funniest moments in the episode. Larry struggles with putting his new Negative Spirit named Keeg to good use, Rita forces Rouge to draw his line of fire and Cliff refuses to participate unless he gets to use the name “Cliffosaurus” as his alter-ego. 

4. Due to his powers being gone, Vic is forced to stay at the vehicle. When Codpiece’s IT guy comes out and claims to not want anything to do with this because he feels useless, Vic points out that by being there, he’s still a member of his crew. This unintentionally gives the IT guy a boost of confidence and reveals himself to have a blaster within his own butt. Despite it being over a year since season 3, this show still absolutely hits with the humor.

5. In yet another hilarious twist, Dr. Harrison (who is now the primary personality after season 3) is able to defeat Codpiece by simply being his therapist. 

6. Vic and Silas are able to make Cliff a new hand with the ability to have the feeling of touch. This makes Cliff filled with joy and he refuses to use it to touch anything until he first tries it out on his baby grandson. He puts an oven mitt on without realizing that he would be touching that. Fortunately, he refuses to acknowledge that it counts and forces the team to take the time machine to Florida where they can find Cliff’s daughter and grandson.

7. Now realizing that she will never get her forgiveness, Rouge tells Rita that she will leave the manor to make her happy, an offer which Rita spitefully accepts. Despite her actions in season 3, it’s hard not to feel bad for Rouge in this situation as you can tell she really is trying to change.

8. As the group travels through time, they hit the actress who portrayed Rita in a play about her and the time machine malfunctions, sending them into the future. It was quite humorous to see them considering letting the woman into the time machine before not risking it and just leaving her to her uncertain fate.

9. The group walks out to find their town in an apocalyptic state, with an older version of Vic meeting them. He explains that the world has been taken over by zombie butts after one of them escaped during their fight with them last season.

10. The older Vic has each of the group’s future selves meet their present day counterparts. We soon find out that Vic was the only survivor among them while the others are ghosts who are traumatized in their current future. However, we discover that the future Rouge’s fate is unknown after she left the house.

11. It is revealed that the future Doom Patrol was really just distracting our main characters so that the older Vic could steal the time machine. Before both versions of Vic can have a brawl, a horde of zombie butts attack the group. Just like last season, the fight with the butts is both intense and hilarious.

12. As more zombie butts attack them, the group goes into the time machine to escape. Unfortunately, Vic refuses to leave his future self behind. Rouge is forced to impersonate his father to distract him in a cruel but necessary move. As Vic looks out the window of the time machine, he sees his future self carve a message on the outside of the machine before he is eaten by the zombie butts. As we find out, the message states “You can’t have it all.”

13. Rouge ultimately decides to stay at the manor, much to Rita’s anger. It is sad that Rouge and Rita are still at odds, but it is good for Rouge to not run away from her problems this time.

14. Jane makes her way back to the surface after Dr. Harrison is seemingly killed by Kay, who finally reappears to Jane to demand that she stays away from her.

15. In the final scene of the episode, Kipling finds out from his superior who is a rabbit (don’t ask) that a new threat even more dangerous than the zombie butts is coming. He is given a photo of a crop field with the words written into them reading “Immortus will rise.” It seems that the main villain for this season will be General Immortus, one of the most famous Doom Patrol villains after the Brain.

What I Disliked

Nothing to report this week.

Favorite Moment

On their initial way to Cliff’s daughter’s house, the group starts singing “Sweet Caroline” together. It is both a funny and beautiful scene that signifies that despite their endless bickering and problems with each other, they are still a family who all care for each other.

Standout Character

The MVP of this episode is definitely Vic. Despite him having no powers, he is still the most heroic member of the team and refuses to leave his future self behind to a horde of zombie butts even though he tried to steal the group’s time machine and leave them to die in the future.

Verdict

This was a fantastic season premiere. It sets up the new conflict and threat for this season flawlessly and finally showcases our characters as a superhero team. Seeing that alone makes it one of the best episodes of the show so far. It will be very interesting to see the insanity and heartfelt drama that this season will deliver. 

Rating 10/10