Watchmen, The Boys & Doom Patrol: Subverting the Modern Superhero

Despite toning down on the explicit content (which is purposefully gratuitous in the book, in a darkly satirical way), The Boys still packs a hell of a punch. It perhaps most closely depicts Moore’s definition of a “white supremacist master race,” run by the ultimate Nazi corporation, Vought-American, and its leader, the stoic Madelyn Stillwell (a radiant Elisabeth Shue). Its Supes, idolized by humanity, are rotten at the core. Corrupt and sexually-deviant, drug-addicted and narcissistic to the nth degree, they are mere puppets, doing as they’re told… But what if they take over?

“…leaves an indelible mark, that of a corroded society, where good and evil morph and become irrelevant.”

This show moves. It’s been a while since I’ve been this addicted; talk about binge-worthy. Aside from its nearly-flawless execution – from the SFX, production and costume designs to the acting and masterful direction – it leaves an indelible mark, that of a corroded society, where good and evil morph and become irrelevant. It puts a mirror to our own world, run by folks who abuse their power. It does contain Relevant Themes, but never trumpets them, focusing on telling a solid story first and foremost. Who could ever forget that dreadful airplane sequence, with its strong allusions to 9/11 and current-day misguided political ideologies? But the show is also darkly funny, as is expected from the twisted, unhinged mind of Ennis. The Boys’ unapologetic nihilism is refreshing, to say the least.

Doom Patrol

And then there’s DC’s Doom Patrol, based on Grant Morrison demented creation. Its omnipresent villain, Mr. Nobody (Alan Tudyk), who also acts as the cheeky narrator, penetrates through celluloid, shattering the 4^th wall, addressing the audience and challenging it, along with the heroes. Speaking of heroes – what a dilapidated bunch they are! A small group of outcasts (think bizarro-X-Men), they live in their Doom Manor, looked after by an “idealistic mad scientist”, Niles Caulder (Timothy Dalton), a.k.a. Chief (he’s subjected to a wheelchair, bringing to mind a certain other idealistic professor).

Racecar driver Cliff Steele (Brendan Fraser, welcome back), after a terrible car accident, gets “reinvented” as Robotman by Chief. Closeted homosexual Larry Trainor (Matt Bomer) used to be a test pilot, until an extraterrestrial force invaded him, almost frying him to a crisp in the process; he now wears bandages, resembling The Invisible Man. 1950’s actress Rita Farr (April Bowlby) abruptly turns into a blob, a.k.a. Elasti-Girl. Karen (Diane Guerrero), a.k.a. Crazy Jane, a.k.a. Driver 8, etc, possesses 64 personalities and, consequently, superpowers.

“Politically incorrect, psychedelic and utterly berserk…”

Curse words uttered by Karen turn into physical blades. A character bludgeons another with an intestine-covered lower part of a body. A donkey acts as a portal into Mr. Nobody’s parallel dimension. A giant cockroach with a power complex engages in an act of lovemaking with a rat. A twisted mutation of man, plant and dinosaur emerges from a lab. Politically incorrect, psychedelic and utterly berserk, Doom Patrol may lack the depth of the two aforementioned series, but its lightheartedness is welcome amongst all the doom and gloom. It certainly represents a step in the right direction for DC.

FX’s mesmerizing Legion arguably started the current trend of twisting audiences’ expectations when it comes to superheroic shenanigans. There have been other TV series and films that have injected the formula with a shot of originality – but none more so than Watchmen, The Boys and Doom Patrol. They found the perfect medium in streaming platforms, which allows them to grow their characters, expand their narrative reach, deepen their themes. Things aren’t as simple as a bunch of avengers uniting against an evil cosmic force. Sure, at their very core, they all contain wisecracking (anti)heroes with dark pasts who conquer life’s challenges. But, at the end of the day, doesn’t that describe us all?