Netflix This: ‘Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog’

Okay, I admit, I’ve been on a Joss Whedon kick recently.  I just finished watching two of his best shows (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly) and started up Angel.  Joss is a master of his craft.  His stories are great, his characters are deep, and everything looks amazing.  I really hope he comes back to television again because I’m running out of shows!  But, if he decides to stick with movies, it would be nice if he gave us a few more web comics.  Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is some of the most fun you can have watching… anything.

Neil Patrick Harris (yep, the NPH) plays Dr. Horrible, a wannabe super villain with a soft spot for Penny (played by Felicia Day), a local redhead he met on laundry day.  More than anything he wants to be a member of the Evil League of Evil led by the notorious Bad Horse, the Thoroughbred of Sin.  Sadly, his every attempt is thwarted by his arch nemesis, Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion), a ripped super hero who enjoys beating on weaker villains. Horrible’s heists and romantic encounters are all accompanied by some of the best and most catchy musical numbers in any show or film I have seen so far.

Yes, it is a musical, but also a fantastic character study.  Dr. Horrible, our sympathetic anti-hero, is not really a bad guy.  He simply thinks that the only way to reach his benevolent goals is to completely destroy the status quo.  He sees evil and filth in the world despite people like Penny doing what they think will make it a better place.  When he is told that he needs to commit a murder to gain entry to the Evil League of Evil, Horrible shows his true colors.  Even to achieve his life goal, Horrible refuses to take a life.  Conversely, Captain Hammer only completes acts of heroism to gain fame and favor with the community and, more specifically, with women he can sleep with.  When given the opportunity to dispatch one of his foes for good, he takes it, something a classic superhero would never do.  For once the villain’s motives are selfless and the hero’s motives are completely driven by self interest.  Whedon disrupts the status quo of the superhero narrative and gives us something entirely original.

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is funny, witty, sad, sarcastic, beautiful, and tragic; all without being heavy handed or too serious.  Originally a web program, it has quickly become a cult classic and critical success, winning a Primetime Emmy in 2008.  Running only 43 minutes, it’s about as long as an hour network television show but packs more music and comedy than any show I’ve seen.  For any fan of NPH or Nathan Fillion, Dr. Horrible’s is a must see.

Netflix This: Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

What Do You Think? Discuss.