Another superhero property is heading to the small screen with the upcoming Doom Patrol TV show. The new series, which is set to join the ever-growing lineup of the soon-to-be released DC Universe streaming service, features perhaps the strangest group of heroes from the pages of DC Comics. Here’s everything we know so far about the Doom Patrol TV show.
What is the Doom Patrol TV show about?
Unlike the Justice League or the Avengers, the Doom Patrol isn’t exactly a household name. The upcoming series is based on the comic book superhero team of the same name, which was introduced in the pages of My Greatest Adventure in 1963 before going on to star in their own series. While the Doom Patrol has appeared in the animated Teen Titans and Batman: The Brave and the Bold shows, this will be the group’s first live-action appearance.
Created by Arnold Drake, Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani, the Doom Patrol is a collection of the “World’s Strangest Heroes,” which some fans (and even Drake) believe inspired Marvel’s X-Men, as DC’s team also features heroic misfits who are led by an intelligent leader bound to a wheelchair, known as The Chief, Niles Caulder. While the Doom Patrol roster has changed its lineup over the years, the original team consisted of Caulder, human-turned-cyborg Cliff Steele, aka Robotman, as well as the shape-shifting Elasti-Girl (Rita Farr) and the radioactive Negative Man (Larry Trainor). All four characters are set to appear in the Doom Patrol TV show, along with famed Teen Titan and Justice Leaguer Cyborg, as well as Crazy Jane, a woman with multiple personalities, each of which contains a different super power.
Before their spin-off series premieres, the Doom Patrol will debut in DC Universe’s other live-action series, Titans, in the fifth episode titled The Doom Patrol. Although DC hasn’t revealed much about the plot for the Doom Patrol TV show, an official synopsis has been released, which you can check out below.
DOOM PATROL is a re-imagining of one of DC’s most beloved group of outcast Super Heroes: Robotman, Negative Man, Elasti-Girl and Crazy Jane, led by modern-day mad scientist Dr. Niles Caulder (The Chief). The Doom Patrol’s members each suffered horrible accidents that gave them superhuman abilities—but also left them scarred and disfigured. Traumatized and downtrodden, the team found purpose through The Chief, who brought them together to investigate the weirdest phenomena in existence—and to protect Earth from what they find. Part support group, part Super Hero team, the Doom Patrol is a band of super-powered freaks who fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them. Picking up after the events of TITANS, DOOM PATROL will find these reluctant heroes in a place they never expected to be, called to action by none other than Cyborg, who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is hard to ignore: their lives will never, ever be the same.
Doom Patrol TV show cast
The Doom Patrol TV show will surprisingly feature a star-studded cast. Former Fraiser and X-Men actor Kelsey Grammer will take on the role of The Chief, while The Mummy’s Brendan Fraser has been tapped to play Robotman, according to Deadline. The roles have actually been recast from the group’s debut appearance in Titans, where Bruno Bichir and Jake Michaels will play The Chief and Robotman, respectively.
Meanwhile, Star Trek: Discovery’s Dwain Murphy will play Negative Man and April Bowlby will take on the role of Elasti-Woman in both Titans and the Doom Patrol TV show. Not to be confused with Ray Fischer from Justice League, The First Purge actor Joivan Wade will play Cyborg in the series, while Orange is the New Black star Diane Guerrero will play Crazy Jane.
Doom Patrol TV show release date
DC has yet to reveal an official release date for the Doom Patrol TV show. However, the 13-episode, one-hour drama series is expected to begin production this year and is set to hit the DC Universe streaming service in 2019.
