'Titans' Is Underwhelming, but Has Potential

Titans is the pioneer series of DC Universe, the Internet streaming service of DC Entertainment that launched in 2018.  It is the first live-action adaptation of the DC superhero team Teen Titans – which already have been depicted prior in a couple of animated projects (including a theatrically released film this year) – and features its iconic lineup (sans Cyborg): Robin (Brenton Thwaites), Starfire (Anna Diop), Raven (Teagan Croft), and Beast Boy (Ryan Potter).

Before the web series ever aired, I was already prepared to hate it.  Based on the trailers and promotional stills, it struck me as being a dumpster fire in the making.  It was as if it was trying hard too much to be edgy.  The viral “F--- Batman” clip especially felt awfully pretentious.  Meanwhile, among the characters, only Robin appeared to have potential.  Looking at the ensemble photo (see above), it seemed like most of the budget went to Robin’s costume, and what was left was just barely enough to outfit the rest with what could be found from a thrift store.  Furthermore, Brenton Thwaites really looks the part, while the rest of the cast look… well, off.  Especially Starfire.  No, this wasn’t necessarily because the actress is black; it’s because she’s not orange.  In addition, her character design resembles that of a hooker.

However, after watching the 11-episode debut season, I suppose it isn’t as bad as I first thought it was going to be.  Now, I still think it’s a bad show, and I still mostly adhere to the preconceptions I mentioned in the last paragraph.  But it’s definitely not a dumpster fire.  I can even admit that it has potential.

What I like most about the series is that, unlike the DCW shows, it’s set in a universe that is more or less the same as the mainstream DC Universe.  Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are straightforwardly mentioned to be existing in this world.  Furthermore, I like how it’s introducing DC super heroes as fast as it can.  Aside from the four main characters, these characters also appear within its 11 episodes: Hawk and Dove, the Doom Patrol (who, by the way, will have their own spin-off show next year!), Jason Todd/Robin, and Donna Troy.  Ironically, although they are just recurring characters, I derived more excitement from seeing them than following the main cast.

Among the four lead characters, Dick Grayson a.k.a. Robin is the most likable.  I like when his adorable, socially awkward personality comes out, and I like that he’s having a “road to Nightwing” arc.  However, there are also aspects of the character that don’t sit well with me.  I don’t like that he’s a police detective in this universe, because the character isn’t traditionally known for being one.  And I don’t like the “dark” facet of his characterization, when he’s not really the “dark”-type of character that Batman is (that’s why when Dick Grayson took up the Batman identity, the shift in personality for the character was a delight).  Lastly, it’s disappointing that he’s still not yet Nightwing by season finale.  Nevertheless, all in all, Robin is worth getting intrigued about.

Meanwhile, I couldn’t care less for Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy.  They’re just, you know, there.  I couldn’t think of them being greater than the mere fact that they are part of the story.  It’s fun when Starfire incinerates things, but I can’t get over the fact that she looks like a hooker.  Probably due to a limited CGI budget, a tiger is the only animal form that Beast Boy can transform to so far, which cheapens the character.  And Raven, who is depicted as someone who has no grasp of her powers yet, is just a glorified plot device at this point.  Rarely were there moments where I begin liking them as characters.

There’s also no remarkable antagonist.  Okay, the show’s interpretation of the Nuclear Family is kind of awesome.  They are legitimately creepy and menacing.  But there’s no point where one would think they are going to be more than disposable henchmen.  They aren’t the big bad.  Meanwhile, Trigon debuts late in the season.  But instead of being in the form of a red, intimidating demon that the character is famously known for, he just looks like Castle’s Detective Kevin Ryan.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love Ryan.  But I need Trigon to look like Trigon.  Now, there’s still the likelihood that he will assume a more demonic form sometime in the future.  But debuting the character in such a whimpery way simply serves as another lowlight for the show.

Titan’s debut season proves to be underwhelming.  Although it’s not exactly a dud, it suffers from conceptualization problems.  Moreover, it feels incomplete.  With shows like this, the first season should be an “origin” arc of sorts, and at its end, the titular team should be already concretely established moving forward.  That didn’t happen here.  Not only is there still no official status for a team, but none of its members is really done with his/her own self-discovery.

But, again, Titans shows potential.  There’s a sense of intrigued set up for the next season (SPOILERS: in relation to this, I need to mention that the post-credits scene in the finale, which implied that Superboy and Krypto are going to show up in season two, gave me such a rush), though most of that is because it will be the one finally resolving what were left unresolved at the end of its first season.  In addition, it has an entire universe to explore ahead.

Nonetheless, there’s a lot of improving that needs to be done moving forward, especially if DC Universe wants to replicate the The CW’s Arrowverse success.