Doom Patrol season 1, episode 15 review: Ezekiel Patrol

“Where’s the line, Niles? Cause I can’t see it anymore.” Minor spoilers for Doom Patrol season 1, episode 15 follow.

Mr. Nobody has forced Niles to reveal the truth about the Doom Patrol to them, causing an immediate fallout with the team.

Mr. Nobody sends them on their separate ways, seemingly having won his fight with the Doom Patrol.

The Truth is out

Now that Niles has told the Doom Patrol the truth about their accidents, this changes the entire context of the show. Niles is no longer the well-meaning leader of team, but rather the monster and arguably true villain of the show. And even though Timothy Dalton didn’t play Niles in Titans, this does line up with his characterization in that show, especially if this is supposed to be in the same universe.

Really though, now that it’s been revealed that Niles was the architect of their accidents, the flashbacks in this episode pack even more of an emotional punch. Not all of his plans went off without a hitch, namely Cliff’s, and even though you shouldn’t, you begin to feel sorry for Niles, despite seeing the mad scientist that he really is.

The Doom Patrol separated

Because of their lack of trust of Niles, the Doom Patrol ends up going their separate ways. Rita and Larry live together, while Rita teaches high school drama. Jane is homeless and possibly a drug addict, while Cliff keeps an eye on her from a distance. And Cyborg is back to trying to help people, even if it’s in the more metaphysical rather than the physical.

More from DC Universe

• James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy casts more major DC characters
• New Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer pushes Arthur to his limits
• 7 actors who could replace Ezra Miller as The Flash in the DC Universe
• Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will have a battle pass (and that’s a bad sign)
• Harley Quinn renewed for a fifth season on Max (and it’s well-deserved)

These portions of the episode truly highlight the tragedy that these characters lead, while also showing how far they’ve come as characters since episode one of the season. Despite their myriad flaws, they are characters that you’ve come to care for and root for, so to see them separated from one another hurts, even if it’s just for half the episode.

So to see them come back together and help someone who betrayed them and they all now ostensibly hate, not to help, but rather to help those who shouldn’t have been involved in the first place, shows how far they’ve come. They’re no longer the misfits with nowhere to belong, but now a family, and the show cements that idea extremely well in this episode.

Mr. Nobody wins

Mr. Nobody’s victory is turn his own downfall, though, as he no longer has any purpose. That is until he realizes that he has one more person at his disposal to ruin Niles’ life: Niles’ daughter. To accomplish this task of kidnapping Niles’ daughter, Mr. Nobody joins forces with Admiral Whiskers and Ezekiel the cockroach to kidnap Danny the Street. Whiskers and Ezekiel end up turning on Mr. Nobody, causing him to side with the Doom Patrol.

Honestly, this part of the episode is going to be where you either hate or love this episode and really, if you’re still on board with this series’ weirdness and pure insanity, you’ll probably love it. It’s so weird, yet it brings out some great character work while also being insanely humorous. The third act of this episode is something you really do need to see for yourself.

Doom Patrol ends its first season doing what the series has done best: combine the weird and dark and somehow make a show that is able to pull off both.