OUR APPRAISAL: “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”

July 23rd, 2008 • Related • Filed Under

Our Appraisal logoWe recently reported on how Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon used down-time during last year’s writers strike as an opportunity to concoct Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, a mock video blog about a second-rate super villain attempting to gain control of the world.

(He’s also trying to woo a pretty lady at the laundromat. Life is apparently complicated for everyone, including meglomanaical ne’er do wells.)

Oh, and it’s a musical, too.

The entire three-part series clocks in at around 40 minutes. It was available for free viewing, but is now exclusively available at iTunes. Episodes go for two bucks a pop. Is Dr. Horrible it worth your time and cash? Here’s our review.

Dr. Horrible logoThe show, starring Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day and Nathan Fillion, is an irreverant send-up of the superhero genre. The first episode was surprisingly good for a shortrun side project: All the actors gave great performances and accomplished plenty, considering the tight 15-minute episode length. Neil Patrick Harris plays the desperate, but determined, Dr. Horrible with a combination of meekness and determination that makes the character instantly likable. Nathan Fillion chews the scenery in as the over-the-top, self-important superhero Captain Hammer. (Our favorite bit: No one knows exactly what he is a captain of.)

Captain Hammer’s arrogance should make him unlikeable, but Fillion’s campy performance makes it work perfectly. This is a musical, peeps — folks spontaneously burst into song, it’s insane — but the songs are catchy and very funny.

Dr. Horrible’s second and third episodes, although a bit weaker, are still successful, making this another triumph of Joss Whedon. The series ends unexpectedly, leaving the viewer questioning but begging for more. Sequel, anyone?

Mined by: Scott Spaziani

There Are 11 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Mark Kinney on 25 July 2008:

    If I remember correctly, the “Season Pass” option will snag you all three for about $4… *checks* Yes, it does.

  2. Comment by Ozzy on 29 July 2008:

    And now, it’s available on Hulu.com, for free….

  3. Comment by Derek Colanduno on 30 July 2008:

    And, there ARE going to be more episodes of Dr. Horrible. They announced recently at the Joss panel at Comic-Con.

  4. Comment by Alex Fayle on 1 August 2008:

    More Dr Horrible? How wonderful!!! You have just made my weekend!

    As for the whole piece, I didn’t find parts 2 and 3 weaker. In fact for me, the last one was classic Whedon - punched me in the stomach just when I was laughing the hardest.

  5. Comment by Tabitha "Tabz" Smith on 12 August 2008:

    Acts 2 and 3 weaker?

    I think if anything, the music of Act 2 is stronger. And the feel of Act 3 is so palpable - I literally was in shock when it was done - not a lot of things can do that to me.

  6. Comment by Matt on 2 September 2008:

    I loved, loved, loved this entire presentation. New episodes? RAD! It’s really too bad that my favorite character is unlikely to be on them… I hope that’s not a spoiler ;)

  7. Comment by Scott Spaziani on 3 September 2008:

    I’m not here to defend myself, but this was written right after I watched the final episode when it went live on Hulu during the initial release. At the time I think that I had really built up expectations that even the brilliance of Whedon could have completely satisfied. But now more than a month later and after watching all three acts in a single sitting… several times… I will say Act 2 is the strongest of the show but the overall work is so absolutely magnificent it’s hard to say which act was better. The song at the end of Act 1 is still the best, nothing can top how Whedon introduced Captain Hammer for the first time.

  8. Comment by Ginger Campbell, MD on 12 September 2008:

    As you noted “No one knows exactly what he is a captain of.” I also enjoyed that fact that Dr. Horrible is wears white and Captain Hammer wears black (especially those gloves).

  9. Comment by Herbwoman on 24 September 2008:

    Captain Hammer’s intro has it’s high points. I’ll agree with that. Though I think that “Brand New Day” and the few minutes right before it is a stronger point in the film. It’s where Hammer reveals his true colors and Billy finally grows a spine.

    One more point: Neither Billy nor Hammer actually love Penny. Hammer is only using her to hurt DH/Billy and a crush is not really love. Love has to be reciprocated.

  10. Comment by Kimberly Fortuner on 25 September 2008:

    I doubt that a sequel is possible without harming the integrity of the musical.

    Sort of like Terminator.

    Crap.

  11. Comment by SignalKari on 3 October 2008:

    Sequel or no….I can watch all 45 minutes of Dr. H over and over and over and over and over and over and over…. NPH is awesome and Joss is god.

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