Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (2008)
I honestly don’t remember how I found this, but I do know that I have converted so many people to this series that it’s actually ridiculous.
Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) with his PhD in Horribleness runs a blog outlining his attempts to get into the Evil League of Evil and impress Bad Horse, who rules the League with an iron hoof. However, it’s not as easy as getting a letter of condemnation from the deputy mayor; his arch nemesis Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion) is out to foil all his genius plans and steal the woman of his dreams, Penny (Felicia Day) from right under his nose.
For those who have never heard of this (which will be most of you) and who read the plot summary and thought I had actually gone mad to review something like this… know that this is one of the best parodies on the entire superhero genre, it has a stellar cast, and was written as a “screw you” during the writer’s strike of 2008 by Joss Whedon. It’s such a shame that barely anyone knows about this miniseries (can’t call it a film, really… let’s call it a three-act-Shakespearean-tragedy) because it really should get more recognition than it does.
Like I said, this is a parody. It’s every single cliche from every single superhero movie mashed together with songs thrown in. Yep, the title isn’t misleading, Dr. Horrible (aka Billy) runs a blog, and pretty much the entire series is sung. If you’re looking for something that’s vaguely serious, the just avoid this all together. Believe me, I love this series enough to actually physically hit anyone who whines about how much they hated it AFTER I warned you to avoid it if you don’t understand this kind of humor. Honestly.
At the core of the thing, it’s a story about an awkward boy, Billy (aka Dr. Horrible), who has an insane crush on a girl who goes to his laundromat. He can never get up the courage to speak to her, so he imagines what life would be like if they were together, and how impressed with him she would be if she found out that he was Dr. Horrible. And as much as Dr. Horrible (and his PhD in Horribleness) believes himself to be the ultimate villain, he’s too nice. He won’t face an imposter nemesis in a park that has children playing in it, won’t kill a child who Hourglass (another supervillain) claims will grow up to be president, he won’t even smother old ladies. He’s the ultimate anti-villain.
Captain Hammer, on the other hand, is a dick.
To be honest I can’t actually say much about this movie without quoting songs to you. I can tell you that the script is one of the funniest and most clever works of genius I have seen on TV in a long time. My sense of humor (as previously mentioned in many a review and many a blog entry) is a little twisted – I prefer American Beauty to The Hangover – and a lot sarcastic. And this is both. I sometimes wonder if I love this series so much because I also happen to be incredibly immature at times but I don’t think so… because this isn’t toilet humor, this is bullied-beats-bully humor with some utterly fantastic lines thrown in. For anyone who has ever been awkward… this series writes the handbook on best lines ever if you want to stay that way.
I’m a huge fan of Neil Patrick Harris, which is actually how I came to find this little gem, but Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day are incredible in this. I can’t really comment on anyone else since all the minor characters are so minor they’re not even named, but I can tell you that Bad Horse is a scary motherfucker. He’s a horse behind a table, ok? He means business. Shit gets real with him.
9/10. Yep. 9/10 and not on my top ten. Why? Because it’s a miniseries not a movie. I should make a top ten series list too but reviewing a series should go by season and will just get so damned complicated and just argh. I’ll make a damned list, give me time. Anyway yes, this is one of the funniest and most brilliantly written (and acted) miniseries I have ever seen. I watch it semi-regularly and know people who watch it more than I do. And although many won’t admit it, I was the one that got them into it. A few resisted, considering the plot summary I gave them, and now deny they ever did. Silly people. You all know I’m awesome. I recommend this to everyone and anyone and then some. Seriously, if you can get hold of it, watch it. You will not be disappointed.
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