Doom Patrol season 2, episode 7 review: Dumb Patrol
By Scott Brown
“What is it?” “It’s a crate, Larry.” Spoilers for Doom Patrol season 2, episode 7 follow.
With Niles and Cliff gone up to space, the rest of the Doom Patrol has to go on with their lives in the latest episode of the DC Universe series. But, as it is wont to do, the team’s lives can’t be normal for even just one day.
While this is all happening, Cliff crash lands back on Earth and treks back to Doom Manor so that he can kill Niles.
Being dumb is fun(ny)
For many reasons, this is probably the funniest episode of Doom Patrol to come out this season. Where most every episode so far has balanced a serious tone with a weird, comedic tone, this episode leans much, much more into the comedic side. This isn’t a bad thing though because firstly, it’s really, really funny and second, it feels like a palette cleanser before facing off with Candlemaker over the last two episodes of the season.
What makes this episode so funny though? Well, much of it comes from Larry, Vic, Ronnie, and Jane (now going by Miranda) facing off with the scants, creatures that cause people to think dumb thoughts and subsequently feed on said thoughts. It’s patently ridiculous and patently Doom Patrol which is why it works so well. Not every piece of humor works, but the stuff that does work is incredibly funny.
Probably the funniest part of this though is when Larry and Jane go to visit Larry’s grandson in the hospital. Unsurprisingly, the Bureau of Normalcy is there and is called in by the nurse at the reception desk. One of Jane’s other personalities transports them away and Larry has the idea to put on some doctor’s coats on and act like doctors to trick the nurse. Obviously, this doesn’t work even in the slightest. It’s such a great joke that is indicative of what the best humor that this episode, and show, has to offer, and it doesn’t need to get overtly weird to do it either.
No one learns from slideshows anymore. pic.twitter.com/bqeoJPKOO8
— Doom Patrol (@DCDoomPatrol) July 23, 2020
Cliff’s journey home
While those four are dealing with the Scants, Cliff and Niles are both off dealing with the aftermath of going to space. Cliff is walking back to Doom Manor after falling all the way from orbit and Niles has gone back to where Dorothy’s mother lived. It’s a fitting dichotomy for the two of them to share. Both are set on a path to destroy something for the slights that have been done to them.
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In Cliff’s case, he’s obviously hellbent on strangling Niles until his head pops off because of, y’know, Niles throwing Cliff out of an airlock. Nothing of substance really comes about regarding that here, but it makes for a funny sequence of events on his journey back to Doom Manor. Most notably though is when he is forced to give shoutouts to people in order to use someone’s phone. It’s so funny and perfectly indicative of what someone would do if they met a robot.
As for Niles, he takes part in the most serious sections of the episode. In his attempts to protect Dorothy, he returns to the land occupied by her mother’s people and while there, he learns more about what Candlemaker truly is. It’s creepy and effective and efficiently sets the stage for the final showdown between Candlemaker and the Doom Patrol.
Rita and the beekeeper
Rita probably has the most normal day of anyone residing in Doom Manor though as she heads to a beekeeper to research for her role in the local play. A role that has one line though, so the beekeeper believes she’s going a bit overboard. Nevertheless, this ends up a cathartic experience for Rita.
Rita’s arc for most of this season has been coming to grips with her mother’s actions and well, it seems like she’s finally making some progress here. She doesn’t have the most elaborate or impactful journey in the history or television or film, but it works for the character and it shows when she’s able to control her stretching at the end of the episode. Rita is coming along and she should be proud of herself. Who knows how long that pride will hold up to scrutiny though.
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Doom Patrol presents its funniest episode of the season so far, while also paving the way for the final showdown with Candlemaker.