Welcome to Doom Patrol: Episode 14 “PENULTIMATE PATROL” discussion thread, where you can speak your blown mind freely!
It’s almost time to start talking about Doom Patrol in retrospect… BUT NOT YET! So let us know your thoughts, reactions, and theories of this very much happening episode in the comments below!
Just so good. The show has me hook, line, and sinker. Can’t wait for next week!
Great to see Danny and everyone else having (um) . . . such a good time. 
As for the ending . . .
" What the flaming fruitcake!"
How can the chief be responsible?
I laughed at Flex’s…uh…his first attempt at getting them into the white zone. I was wondering what was going on at first and then I caught on…then Jane kinda screamed what was happening and I couldn’t stop laughing. That was great. Rita’s “Give us a moment” was the topper.
@ larrytrainor1956,
Some spoilers taken from Wikipedia (because it explains better than me)…
In issue #57 (of Grant Morrison’s run), it was revealed that the Chief had secretly caused the “accidents” which turned Cliff, Larry Trainor, and Rita Farr into super beings.
Chief stated he caused them to gain their powers (or in the case of Robotman, destroyed his original body in order to obtain his brain to put into his robot body) because of his hatred for them.
He felt they were spoiled and narcissistic as well as shallow individuals, and that by turning them into “freaks,” he could “improve” them as human beings.
He further revealed that he lied about not being married to Celsius (the leader of the second Doom Patrol, who Caulder claimed was insane/lying about being married to him) out of anger.
He was upset over how the experiments performed on her (like with Elasti-Girl) only gave her super-powers and did not turn her into a freak.
As for my thoughts…
I totally wasn’t expecting the Chief reveal to happen this season.
The Doom Patrol finally defeated their demons this episode and accepted who they are, just to be brought back down with Chief’s revelation.
I also fell for Nobody’s fake-out. I looked at the remaining time and was like ‘that’s it?’ Boy, I’m glad it wasn’t!
I first felt something was off when they stood on the hill and struck a pose similar to the other Doom Patrol before getting killed.
Then when the event started to play over, I was like. OMG. They got duped!
Overall, another great episode.
I say this every time, but I really did love this episode.
The scene at Danny The Street was awesome and glad to have him back, and I cracked up at Flex’s umm… failed attempt at transporting them. Served not purpouse but a cheap laugh… but it was a fun cheap laugh so who cares?
Although there might have been a plot hole… Larry mentioned “didn’t I tell you about the Gender Queer Street” and they acted like they didn’t know, but Larry, Rita and Cliff a couple episodes back were talking about it and Jane mocked it specifically saying “gender queer street” which implied Larry or Cyborg or both must have told him. I might have missed something but that seems like a plothole.
Back to the episode, the scene with Mr. Nobody giving them all a chance to undo the accident that turned them was so well done, loved everyone’s wrestling with it. I would mention who I thought did it better but all four actors knocked it out of the park. Crazy Jane’s was kind of self centered in the sense she actually was less of a danger to others without her powers, and the “must protect the girl” part was 100% in character but went against the others theme of not undoing the past tragedy that made them, because they realized that they were not actually better off if they went back to the life they had, because objectively they were all selfish people who hurt themselves and others with their destructive behavior. But even if Jane’s contradicted the theme they seemed to be going for, it was all well done and highlighted their character development perfectly. I love that all the character moments are paying off in the last few episodes and we see how much they truly have changed from where we started when except for Cyborg they were all somewhat unlikable people.
The fake defeat of Mr. Nobody didn’t really get me in the sense that the episode had a good deal of time left and I knew we had another. So I figured even with this show wanting to subvery the expectations it couldn’t be that easy. But I didn’t know what was up until their deaths kept repeating themselves. I did love that scene where we got a tease of them as a “real” Superhero team, right down to outfits reminiscent of the original Doom Patrol costumes.
And then there was the reveal. I didn’t read the comics, which apparently the twist was taken from, but it wasn’t a huge surprise. But it was still well done, and I loved that the teaser didn’t show anything from next weeks episode because damn… what a cliffhanger.
It isn’t a surprise though because Cheif really had been a controlling jerkwad. He had “cured them” and but used the time to basically have Rita and Larry spend their time as willing prisoners in the mansion where they knitted and grew plants long after they likely would have been dead otherwise. Cliff even tried to go out and confront his life but The Cheif lied to him saying that it was because his daughter would never accept him but as a result kept him locked up in a basically pointless life. Even Jane it was clear was leaving largely because her personalities wouldn’t let her stay, Niles would have been glad to have just kept her locked in his manor it seems, possibly forever since apparently for unrevealed reasons Jane and The Cheif don’t seem to age.
I doubt the show will have them turn on him by the end, and might even give an actual good reason for it. But given what happened to them and that then they only ever even became anyone worth knowing with any kind of life because he was kidnapped and couldn’t keep them isolated. I would not blame them if they just said “Ok Nobody… knock yourself out” and went home. Would be funny if that was the ending but sure it won’t go that route.
I am torn as I can’t wait until next Friday, but genuinely am sad the season will be over. Especially since it is highly rumored that there will be a season 2, and Doom Patrol seems to be a success, but we don’t have conformation yet. I sure hope there is, I want Doom Patrol to run for years and years.
This episode was beyond incredible. Mentallo’s first flex had me absolutely floored lol and what a cliff hanger at the end. I’m definitely rewatching this show all the way through after the season finale. But I’m also really hyped for Swamp Thing because I’m starting to have a greater faith in the content of this streaming service
the unreliable narrator becomes the voice of reason … Mr. Nobody proves no person is an island, that we’re lost without others
just brilliant, the empty space between panels … Doom Patrol is telling stories like I’ve never felt
Loved it, obv, but Silas’s revelation and Vic’s reaction to it fell flat for me. After EVERYTHING, Vic’s already turned on his dad again, and because he lied…about WHEN Vic’s mom died? It felt like the whole thing pivoted on the wrong point and fell over. But it’s maybe the one misstep I can point to all season.
But “WE’RE ******* *******, MAN!!!” singlehandedly redeemed Jane’s Hammerheadedness. It was all worthwhile! And then Hammerhead saying they’re supposed to protect “the girl” was an oof. And Rita, always, but I never don’t-laugh when she yells at people.
P.S. I know there’s more to Silas’s lie than that, but, like, not really, from Vic’s perspective! He’s still just as responsible for his mom’s death as he ever was.
@biff_pow You know, I didn’t think about that. Victor blaming Silas for making him carry the blame for his mother’s death doesn’t really make too much sense since he is still entirely responsible for his mother’s death. If Silas hadn’t lied to him, Victor would probably still feel the same and he does at the beginning of the show.
I don’t like that they used the plot twist from the comics regarding the chief. It tarnishes his character. I was hoping they wouldn’t use it here
Just have to say “All… by… myself/ Don’t wanna be/ All by myself/” had me LOLing so hard I was dying. I have a feeling their choice in music might’ve been inspired from the prison shower scene in “Half Baked”.
The Silas and Vic scene was played so well with props to Phil Morris. I felt like the hadn’t had a heart to heart in a long time, maybe ever. Silas comes out vulnerable and selfish but the script handled it so poorly. He goes ‘your mom died right away. You lived, let’s do right by her and have you survive.’
Vic just gets so upset and blames the dad. This shows immaturity in both of them where the father didn’t want to be hurt or despised while the son deflects blame for something he still caused onto his father.
I wished they had just gone with a heart to heart with Vic just saying he had to finish what he started with Silas just being like, go on and be the Hero.
I also wished the Negative Spirit did something this episode. It was so strangely quiet. Maybe just budget constraints but I would have liked Mr. Nobody to have conjured up spikes to stab at it like Red Jack. Maybe the punch up will come next week and the show wanted to save that action for then.
I still thought this was one of the best episodes in what has been almost flawless.
I’m gonna be Somebody. Great read
Despite Silas giving Vic the real scoop to what happened the night his mom died I still feel he’s keeping something(s) from him…I don’t doubt what happened in his dads confession but I feel Vic may learn more truths about that and so much more given that we’ve seen the Grid OS be very easily duped by Mr N and that it was capable of going over the line eg the whole Cahz (sp?) incident. Still too much uncovered variables for me to make a hard decision but I don’t trust Silas ful stop and have always had side-eyed uneasiness regarding him and Chief as well. Right from the jump I felt Niles had more secrets that should they see the light of day, wld be very difficult to excuse. But that’s the thing…this show has more questions than answers and that’s paramount to why it keeps me entertained like no other show I can think of in recent memory! Thee best show I’ve seen maybe ever (to this degree of mystery and fan service) Hoping that in season(s) in the future we are still finding things to scratch our heads about but for now I’m looking forward to what the finale has especially since it’s titled Ezekiel Patrol and that insect is nowhere I’ve seen explained in the source material A wholly brand new character is playing more than just a minor part in the finale and I can’t wait to see what the writers have in store!
I enjoyed how fast paced this episode was. It feels like mr. Nobody really does have control of the narrative. I think the entire danny street sequence was both wrong and hilarious especially cliff trying to get kn on the action. The actual narrative though is great it both plays into expected superhero tropes and subverts many of them too. Mr. Nobody faking a heel realization and playing groundhog murder with the team was hilarious as the music starts to pick up. I think next week will offer up a satisfying conclusion because i suspected niles from the jump solely because of how convenient cliff’s car accident was with a truck just sitting there. Finding out that they really are going to be pushing morrison’s run just has me itching to reread his phenomenal run on the series. I like how each team member has finally come to terms with their shitty past behavior and purposely choose to live in the present. It really makes the previous episodes payoff in a big way
I said it before, and I’ll say it again: every episode just gets better and better. I am so glad to see the actual storylines from the comic being so well adapted to the medium. More Danny is always a good thing. Really hoping to see his storyline from the books come to pass (season 2? 3?). This show is my everything.
Whelp that episode was freakin great
@ ResQanjo,
I agree about Silas. I still believe that he caused the accident.
Then Niles stepped in and convinced Silas they could only save one (likely because Niles saw more potential in Vic as his subject than his mom).
Silas would have no choice but to have to agree as Niles held the cards, and he probably resented Vic for being the ‘chosen one’.
If Silas really had to choose, he likely would not have chosen Vic, despite how it would effect his marriage. He just seems selfish enough that he would choose his own happiness over anybody else’s.
And the footage planted in Vic’s mind of the accident is Silas’ way of making Vic feel responsible, because he does consider Vic responsible for taking away his wife.
That’s my thoughts on it.
Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to Ezekiel Patrol.
I’m expecting to see Mr. Whiskers, too!