Hasitha Fernando reviews the fifth episode of Doom Patrol season 1…
Things are looking rather bleak for our rag-tag band of misfits. The Cult of the Unwritten Book succeeds in their task of unleashing the De-creator; a perpetually glowing eye which gradually disintegrates all things in existence. Cliff and Crazy Jane are trapped in the lost city of Nurnheim while Cyborg, Negative Man, Rita and Kipling weigh their options to undo the end-of-world event which had just been unleashed. Mr. Nobody meanwhile, is also alarmed about the apocalyptic turn of events and releases Dr. Caulder from captivity to resolve it. The ingenious doctor hatches an ambitious plan. First, they scour Crazy Jane’s past-memory until they’ve come across a suitable persona who would be capable of manipulating individuals.
After identifying their requirement (an alternate personality named Dr. Harrison who possesses the power of persuasion) Mr. Nobody works his magic to alter the past, which happens to be the 1970’s when Crazy Jane’s been locked up in a mental hospital. He uses Jane’s alter-ego to persuade the staff and other patients in the psychiatric institution to form the Cult of the Rewritten Book that would bring about the… Re-creator. Utilizing the input and suggestions of the inhouse patients-which range from damn smart to the downright weird- Jane is ultimately able to influence the creation of Elliot’s opposite. In the present day, we find a more surefooted version of Dr. Caulder back at Doom Manor trying to convince his obfuscated teammates help him avert the transpiring Armageddon.
Once again conjuring the serenading horsehead Baphomet, they eventually pinpoint the location of the Re-creator- which turns out to be a run-of-the-mill pug. Using the animal, Kipling summons the De-creator’s antithesis and everything that previously disintegrated is restored back to normalcy. Cliff and Jane too are released from their icy imprisonment and they all reunite with Dr. Caulder in the manor. But much to their dismay, before a simple ‘goodbye’ even could be uttered, Mr. Nobody steals Caulder away. The curtains fell on this episode in the form of a flashback… A physically illtreated Jane is rescued from a potentially hellish fate by none other than our good doctor, who whisks her away to a safe sanctuary – Doom Manor.
Crazy Jane’s backstory hasn’t been explored in episodes prior. In this installment we get a brief glimpse of her life told in the form of flashbacks. Jane is an outcast through and through. And has no qualms about it. In the first opening minutes we see her dancing the night away, in a less than reputable underground rock music establishment of the 1970’s with punks, neo-Nazis and all manners of social rejects. As per usual, one thing leads to another and an altercation ensues with her being promptly tased by a local law enforcement agent in the end. Shortly after, Jane is dragged back to her mental institution where she is physically and mentally abused by the hospital staff. Since time immemorial mental health establishments have been playing fields for predators who prey on their weak subjects constantly. And Doom Patrol doesn’t shy away from exploring this dark subject matter.
It is truly disturbing the depraved depths some individuals sink to, to satisfy their carnal impulses. Alan Tudyk’s scenery chewing Mr. Nobody makes a memorable cameo in this episode, as does Timothy Dalton’s wizened Dr. Niles Caulder. Both churn out solid performances. These two episodes offered a refreshing diversion from the main narrative, exploring the world of the mystic arts and the addition of Mark Sheppard’s Kipling. All in all, a delightful oddball brew which packed an emotional punch. Let’s see what next week has to offer…
Hasitha Fernando
