Doom Patrol: Subconscious Patrol
October 28, 2021 6:06 AM - Season 3, Episode 8 - Subscribe
Rita forces the Doom Patrol to face and ruminate upon their own secrets, insecurities and shames, which is certainly not what they would have done anyhow, not our heroes.
Not seen it yet, but it strikes me that someone who shits shapes is exactly the sort of person the Sisterhood of Dada needs.
posted by Grangousier at 2:49 PM on October 28, 2021
posted by Grangousier at 2:49 PM on October 28, 2021
This episode hit it out of the park! So many satisfying answers! So much resolution! So much bizzarity! So much genuine, heartbreaking emotion! I have no idea if the Eternal Flagellation would result in world peace, but in a just world it would result in a slew of Emmy nominations for our cast.
It was amazing that everyone got to make tear jerking soliloquies, twice in the case of Matt Bomer and Brendan Fraser. And I guess Diane Guerrero too, if you count her primal howls as she destroyed the pillow fort.
It was such a treat seeing Shanahan and Fraser playing against each other, and Zuk and Bomer playing against each other. Both pairs are so good at embodying the physicality of a shared character. And it was great to see Human Cliff and Robot Cliff screaming “Fuck YOU!” in each others’ faces.
There were a couple of episodes where I thought the show was spinning its wheels, but it turns out that it was just winding up for a haymaker punch. And narrative decisions I thought were off (like Cliff’s money troubles) turned out to work for me in retrospect, because of the underlying meaning. There are still two episodes left, but this feels more like a climax than Rita facing Madame Rouge. So excited to see what happens next!
Random bits that I loved:
• Rita admitting her plan is pretentious.
• Shipley narrating Rita’s return to 2021, and not giving a second thought about the cause and effect of her showing up at the resort to ensure her own death.
• The Brain and Mallah rejoicing in how evil Nobody DeMille’s accent is—and wait, does that name connect her to Mr. Nobody somehow? (Remember, Mr. Nobody was denied membership in the Brotherhood of Evil right when they took Monsieur Mallah on.)
• Human Cliff’s splay-legged run into the fog when the subs abandon Rita.
• And crap, Vic’s not Cyborg anymore!!
posted by ejs at 6:01 PM on October 28, 2021 [6 favorites]
It was amazing that everyone got to make tear jerking soliloquies, twice in the case of Matt Bomer and Brendan Fraser. And I guess Diane Guerrero too, if you count her primal howls as she destroyed the pillow fort.
It was such a treat seeing Shanahan and Fraser playing against each other, and Zuk and Bomer playing against each other. Both pairs are so good at embodying the physicality of a shared character. And it was great to see Human Cliff and Robot Cliff screaming “Fuck YOU!” in each others’ faces.
There were a couple of episodes where I thought the show was spinning its wheels, but it turns out that it was just winding up for a haymaker punch. And narrative decisions I thought were off (like Cliff’s money troubles) turned out to work for me in retrospect, because of the underlying meaning. There are still two episodes left, but this feels more like a climax than Rita facing Madame Rouge. So excited to see what happens next!
Random bits that I loved:
• Rita admitting her plan is pretentious.
• Shipley narrating Rita’s return to 2021, and not giving a second thought about the cause and effect of her showing up at the resort to ensure her own death.
• The Brain and Mallah rejoicing in how evil Nobody DeMille’s accent is—and wait, does that name connect her to Mr. Nobody somehow? (Remember, Mr. Nobody was denied membership in the Brotherhood of Evil right when they took Monsieur Mallah on.)
• Human Cliff’s splay-legged run into the fog when the subs abandon Rita.
• And crap, Vic’s not Cyborg anymore!!
posted by ejs at 6:01 PM on October 28, 2021 [6 favorites]
Cliff’s speech/soliloquy made me realize that they have all been chasing that feeling of special their whole lives and have sacrificed themselves in the process.
Larry went along with his loveless marriage because if he had been himself, he would’ve been kicked out of the Air Force — no more being a special test pilot for you!
Vic wouldn’t have had that rush of being a real hero!
Jane would’ve just been one of many personalities in Kay’s head, and not The Protector!
I really liked this ep.
Also, while it doesn’t include all the characters, I got a real Wizard of Oz vibe from this, with Larry as the Tin Man, Vic as the Lion, Cliff as the Scarecrow and Jane as Dorothy.
posted by drfu at 1:49 AM on October 29, 2021 [5 favorites]
Larry went along with his loveless marriage because if he had been himself, he would’ve been kicked out of the Air Force — no more being a special test pilot for you!
Vic wouldn’t have had that rush of being a real hero!
Jane would’ve just been one of many personalities in Kay’s head, and not The Protector!
I really liked this ep.
Also, while it doesn’t include all the characters, I got a real Wizard of Oz vibe from this, with Larry as the Tin Man, Vic as the Lion, Cliff as the Scarecrow and Jane as Dorothy.
posted by drfu at 1:49 AM on October 29, 2021 [5 favorites]
I didn't buy (and still don't buy) the heel turn into villainy for Madame Rouge. I think something is still missing or some part of her story wasn't told, or wasn't told as effectively as possible. It just seems forced for plot-convenience purposes.
That, however, is my only criticism of this episode. This is why I watch Doom Patrol: the human emotions and angst and pathos and love these characters exhibit.
I'm the first to admit that White Collar had its issue with writing and plots, but boy do I miss getting a regular glimpse of Matt Bomer all prettied up, wearing beautifully cut and tailored menswear. At some point, this show needs to have pre-crash-looking Larry escort Rita to some fancy award show gala, just so that we can look at two gorgeous people in elaborate formalwear sharing the screen together.
And there's the puppet episode that every high-concept TV show has to do. (Of course the other part of that mandate is the animated episode.) I must say, I just loved the red yarn coming out of the lamb's head representing blood. It was such a neat visual. Having the severed head hoisted by an puppet alter was also pretty compelling from a visual storytelling point of view.
posted by sardonyx at 7:05 PM on October 29, 2021 [5 favorites]
That, however, is my only criticism of this episode. This is why I watch Doom Patrol: the human emotions and angst and pathos and love these characters exhibit.
I'm the first to admit that White Collar had its issue with writing and plots, but boy do I miss getting a regular glimpse of Matt Bomer all prettied up, wearing beautifully cut and tailored menswear. At some point, this show needs to have pre-crash-looking Larry escort Rita to some fancy award show gala, just so that we can look at two gorgeous people in elaborate formalwear sharing the screen together.
And there's the puppet episode that every high-concept TV show has to do. (Of course the other part of that mandate is the animated episode.) I must say, I just loved the red yarn coming out of the lamb's head representing blood. It was such a neat visual. Having the severed head hoisted by an puppet alter was also pretty compelling from a visual storytelling point of view.
posted by sardonyx at 7:05 PM on October 29, 2021 [5 favorites]
which is certainly not what they would have done anyhow
Legit lol
One thing that struck me was how little distance Vic’s got from his younger self, compared to the others. He’s already SO much younger than everyone else in the house, and while they don't seem to hold that over him, comparatively speaking he was that little kid yesterday and he clearly knows exactly what he needed and didn’t get, even if he wasn't ready to say it yet. Anyway Vic is great, I love him carefully explaining the defenses of Kay’s blanket fort and worrying if there’d be enough snacks for everyone; he is such a deeply kind person but yeah, he also should at least feel like he has the option to put some of that down sometimes.
If anyone was going to give Kay her first beer I guess Cliff seems actually pretty appropriate. I find the way Larry and Cliff avoid talking to each other about being fathers kind of interesting, but once they do I can understand Kay being extremely low on hearing about it.
The dismemberment of Harry the Lamb was…just delightful.
posted by jameaterblues at 10:22 PM on October 29, 2021 [3 favorites]
Legit lol
One thing that struck me was how little distance Vic’s got from his younger self, compared to the others. He’s already SO much younger than everyone else in the house, and while they don't seem to hold that over him, comparatively speaking he was that little kid yesterday and he clearly knows exactly what he needed and didn’t get, even if he wasn't ready to say it yet. Anyway Vic is great, I love him carefully explaining the defenses of Kay’s blanket fort and worrying if there’d be enough snacks for everyone; he is such a deeply kind person but yeah, he also should at least feel like he has the option to put some of that down sometimes.
If anyone was going to give Kay her first beer I guess Cliff seems actually pretty appropriate. I find the way Larry and Cliff avoid talking to each other about being fathers kind of interesting, but once they do I can understand Kay being extremely low on hearing about it.
The dismemberment of Harry the Lamb was…just delightful.
posted by jameaterblues at 10:22 PM on October 29, 2021 [3 favorites]
Madame Rouge's transformation made sense to me. When the viewers see her, she enjoys being the protector and being subtly subversive. But as time moves on, the bureau becomes more important than the sisterhood so she betrays them to move up in the bureau and convinces herself it 's for the "greater good." Essentially who she pretends to be becomes who she genuinely is.
I felt the most for Cliff, probably because right now my body is falling apart so I empathize with facing his own mortality. That desire to try and escape through an endorphin rush is embarrassingly familiar.
posted by miss-lapin at 9:08 PM on November 1, 2021 [2 favorites]
I felt the most for Cliff, probably because right now my body is falling apart so I empathize with facing his own mortality. That desire to try and escape through an endorphin rush is embarrassingly familiar.
posted by miss-lapin at 9:08 PM on November 1, 2021 [2 favorites]
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posted by Catblack at 10:47 AM on October 28, 2021