‘Doom Patrol’ Season 1, Episode 8 ‘Danny Patrol’ Recap: A Tribute to the LGBTQ+

The Doom Patrol is not unfamiliar with strange things. On the contrary, they are accustomed to dealing with things beyond the bounds of normality. The Bureau of Normalcy, on the other hand, made it their mission to destroy anything odd to them. In this chapter, the misfits find themselves facing the Bureau while struggling to reconcile after a heated argument.

On Friday’s episode of Doom Patrol, Cliff Steele/Robotman (Brendan Fraser/Riley Shanahan) and Rita Farr (April Bowlby) meet Crazy Jane’s (Diane Guerrero) Karen persona. Meanwhile, Larry Trainor/Negative Man (Matt Bomer/Matthew Zuk) and Victor Stone/Cyborg (Joivan Wade) meet a sentient, teleporting, and a gender-queer street named Danny.

Unsuccessful Therapy Attempt

Previously, the team tried to have each other open up. Vic called for a team meeting to discuss their next move in looking for The Chief, Niles Caulder (Timothy Dalton). Almost immediately, Doom Mansion erupts in chaos. Rita has trouble controlling her powers. Larry and the spirit had a heart-to-heart talk. Elsewhere, Jane and her hammerhead persona argued with each other, one upset with The Chief. Perhaps the worst case was Cliff, who was having a psychotic breakdown induced by a literal rat inside his head, sent by Mr. Nobody. Returning to a sense of sanity, Cliff thought that Mr. Nobody (Alan Tudyk) wanted them to fight among each other so that their fate will be not much different from the first Doom Patrol team. While it started right for the team, the talk ultimately led to Jane leaving after Cliff makes her upset.

Danny The Street

DC Universe

While Rita and Cliff went away to in search of Jane, Vic and Larry receive a mysterious cake while staying at Doom Mansion. The cake contained an address and is designed with a map to find the place. However, Vic did not find such a location in his records. Because of this, he and Larry to follow the route on the cake instead. Once there, they see a suspiciously empty street that starts talking to them, pointing them to a club. Inside, Vic and Larry meet Maura Lee Karupt/Morris Wilson (Alan Mingo Jr.), a drag queen.

Maura Lee used to work for the Bureau of Normalcy, a government organization hell-bent on eradicating anything they deem abnormal. Larry himself once encountered those people who experimented on him and the spirit. Maura Lee’s former partner, Darren Jones (Jon Briddell) hunts down Danny to this day, thinking that Danny killed Morris. Contrary to this, Danny helped Maura Lee and a lot of other people accept their true selves, providing a haven to all that society damned. However, Danny cannot hide from Darren and the Bureau forever, hence his call to Niles, an old friend.

DC Universe

After some thought as well as much convincing, Vic and Larry agree to defend Danny and Maura against Darren and the Bureau. The standoff took shorter than expected, possibly done to prove a point rather than actually to take lives. Larry and Maura Lee get their chance to vengeance as they send Darren away with a message to the Bureau: Danny is off limits. Maura Lee, Larry, and the residents celebrate their victory while Vic tells Danny Niles’ situation, asking for his help. Danny was not able to help, but he thanked Vic and Larry before sending them back to Doom Mansion.

Almost Married

DC Universe

When Jane calls Doom Mansion, Cliff answers the phone. Surprised to hear her in such a good mood, Cliff tries to talk to apologize to her. As the call ended, Rita asks him about what Jane says. Noting Jane’s odd words, Cliff explains, and Rita dreads what she hears. Karen, one of Jane’s unpleasant personas is out there, terrorizing her on-off boyfriend, Doug (Brent Bailey) and his family. Finally reaching the house, Karen welcomes Rita in, hoping to have her help alleviate the situation inside. Sadly, Cliff remained outside due to his appearance. Luckily, a child (Jay Amir) approaches him and entertains him while he waited.

Inside, Doug’s family angrily reprimanded him for getting back together with Karen once again. To them, Karen was an abusive, good-for-nothing woman that ruined his life. The entire sequence was like watching a 90s’ era romcom as Doug fought for his undying love for Karen. It reaches a point where they make Doug choose between them and Karen, so Karen uses her abilities to hypnotize them, agreeing to have Doug marry her. When Rita confronts her for her actions, she uses her powers on Rita, too.

DC Universe

Thinking that her wedding would be incomplete if no one gave her away to her groom, Karen asks Cliff to walk her down the aisle. However, this action becomes her undoing. Not only did Cliff disagree, but Karen’s powers did not work on him, either, since he is a robot. Cliff carries her away, but Hammerhead takes over. Outraged, Hammerhead tries to kill Doug, but Karen gains the upper hand. Terrified, Doug runs to his family, despite Karen’s return. Moments later, Jane stops moving as a tunnel in Jane’s mind sucks Karen in.

‘Doom Patrol’ Season 1, Episode 8 ‘Danny Patrol’ Final Verdict

Each episode gets weirder and weirder, but it never becomes too odd to watch. In this chapter, the show tries to further divulge into representing the minorities of the society, such as the LGBTQ+. Larry’s stagelike sequence brought lasting smiles as he performed a song about unity. The episode presented something entirely different for the audiences but did not lose touch of them, nonetheless.

Doom Patrol continues Friday, April 12th with ‘Jane Patrol’ on the DC Streaming Service.