And now here’s where “Doom Patrol” asks for permission to be silly. It’s kind of been goofy before, but this episode—where the heroes find themselves trying to give in to their worst ideas at all times—gets silly. Even stranger is how effectively the “new” Diane Guerrero works as straight woman to the crew. Last episode surprise reveal Samantha Marie Ware took over the “driver’s seat” as far as Guerrero’s characterization and the new persona is this serious, thoughtful hippie-type. Sure, Guerrero’s regular persona is in the Underworld (her mind where all the personas live) and there’s something really ominous going on, but on the surface… new Guerrero’s a good foil.
Not quite a great performance or anything, which puts her behind everyone else at this point in the show, but a good foil. I don’t use positive adjectives for Guerrero often, not even describing her place in the plot. It’s a nice break and exactly the right kind of foil for the silly.
The silly has Joivan Wade, Karen Obilom (he brought her to Doom Manor, which is absolutely adorable), and Matt Bomer trying to fight their bad idea impulses while trying to save the day. See, guest star Mark Sheppard (who’s so good at this point it’s amazing how ineffectual he was at the start) sent a box to Timothy Dalton and the gang opened it instead. Because Dalton and Robotman (Brendan Fraser and Riley Shanahan) are both on their own side adventures, separate from the main plot.
The Sheppard-related A plot (seemingly) doesn’t figure into the bigger season stuff going on but it gives the show a bit of a breather, to drag things out in C plots (for Dalton and maybe Guerrero) while still amusing and getting in some character development.
The funniest stuff—not silliest—is April Bowlby, who goes to study local beekeeper Avis-Marie Barnes for her part in the community theatre and discovers a kindred spirit. Of sorts. And gets in some rather good character development.
There’s almost a full “Doom Patrol” music montage—I guess I hadn’t noticed Season Two doesn’t do them, which is too bad; this one seems truncated but it’s still good. Nice work from composer Kevin Kiner.
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