Parents' Guide to Doom Patrol

TV Online Action 2019
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Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Fun, heartfelt superhero reboot has language, nudity.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 17+

Based on 7 parent reviews

age 15+

Based on 9 kid reviews

What's the Story?

DOOM PATROL, a spin-off of the Titans series, is an action adventure story about a group of traumatized superheroes trying to protect the world that rejects them. When Cliff Steele (Brendan Fraser/Riley Shanahan) wakes up in a laboratory belonging to scientist Niles Caulcer, or The Chief (Timothy Dalton) years after an accident, he realizes that he's been given a new life as a robot-like creature. Now known as Robotman, he lives at Caldour Manor with The Chief, Larry Trainer, aka Negative Man (Matt Bomer/Matthew Zuk), Rita Farr, Elastic-Woman (April Bowlby), and Kay Challis, also known as Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero). They want to save the town they live in from an evil presence coming their way, but when new recruit Victor Stone, aka Cyborg (Joivan Wade) joins them, he calls them to action in order to protect the world from nemesis Eric Morden (Alan Tudyk). Villain name? Mr. Nobody.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 7 ):
Kids say ( 9 ):

This fun, funny, and sometimes touching series offers a new generation of DC Universe fans the chance to get to know this group of superhero misfits. Their superhuman abilities are much less glamorous in comparison to other folks like Superman or Wonder Woman, which makes it all the more entertaining. The sometimes-quirky interactions between the flawed (and occasionally pathetic) brood are also amusing.

It's a little hard to situate this rendition of the comic within the Titans timeline, and the similarities between Marvel's X-Men and Doom Patrol are obvious. But like the Marvel franchise, the story is a fable about people having to live with, and attempting to overcome, social rejection because they're different. As a result, it's a show with a lot of heart.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes superhero stories appealing to audiences? Is it the flawed hero? The attempt to fight good versus evil?

  • What is it about the members of Doom Patrol that sets them apart from other superheroes? Does this make them any less heroic?

TV Details

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