
The Last of Us, Velma, and Doom Patrol all recently released new seasons on HBO Max. Are these streaming shows worth the watch? Here’s what Gabby had to say.
While we all impatiently wait for “The White Lotus” and “Succession” to return to HBO Max, here are new streaming titles to consider for your winter watchlist. Are “Velma”, “The Last of Us”, and “Doom Patrol” worth the watch? Here’s what I thought.
The Last of Us – 5 out of 5 Stars
Critics are already calling “The Last of Us” the best video game adaptation of all time, and I’m here to tell you; they’re not exaggerating.
Writers, directors, and actors were all fans of the source material and it shows. They manage to preserve everything that made the video game fantastic while also taking the audience deeper into its embattled post-apocalyptic world.
The show opens with a compelling talk show interview that poses a chillingly realistic hot-take on zombification. “The Last of Us” heads in a different, objectively more terrifying direction by introducing the idea that zombies won’t come from viruses or bacteria…maybe fungus will be the kingdom of life to take over the world. The United States becomes quickly overrun by Cordyceps, which is a totally real mushroom that actually can take over the minds and bodies of insects.
You may ponder…how can this one possibly top the million other zombie movies? Oh, but they have.
The introduction invites you into Joel’s (played by Pedro Pascal) origin story by starting at the beginning of the outbreak so viewers get a grip on this world and the main character’s head space twenty years later when the real story begins. Everything starts calm and normal yet there is this unshakeable ominous feeling as the show sets the stage for zombie apocalypse.
I had both hands on my cheeks throughout the entire first half hour.When Joel, his daughter, and his brother are speeding through town in his pickup as the outbreak hits, you really feel like you’re right there with them; panicking and desperate for a way out while miltary and zombies close in from every direction.
Pascal delivers fantastic acting as his character, Joel, is tasked with smuggling a young girl, Ellie, west across the United States. Ellie just might be the key to saving their world. Co-star, Bella Ramsey (known for her fan-favorite role as Lady Mormont in Game of Thrones) brings a lovable attitude, teen angst, and comic relief as Ellie to brighten each scene.
Reminiscent of what “30 Days of Night” did to make vampires scary again,”The Last of Us” reinvents the zombies we’ve become acoustumed to in media. The zombies’ movements are creepy in a new and startling way. They’re fast, they’re hard to kill, and they’re all connected to each other. These attributes lead to moments that are beautiful, in a terrifying sort of way.
I fully expect this to be an award season favorite this year at the Emmys. New episodes of “The Last of Us” come out on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. on HBO Max.
Velma – 2 out of 5 Stars
I grew up on Scooby-Doo, I love a good spin-off, and I’ve also been keeping up on the backlash Mindy Kaling (who voices the title character) recently received for the new show. So, I decided to give “Velma” a fair shot. Sadly, I wasn’t impressed but maybe the cartoon just needs to find its footing.
It’s clear the producers’ intention was to purposefully anger the internet by leaning into representation and playing with a much-needed “political correctness” for the franchise. Scooby-Doo desperately needed diversity. However, after watching for myself, I see why “Velma” may not be having the desired effect that writers were going for.
“Velma” has its moments of humor, but ultimately falls short in delivering a nuanced storyline. The mystery at-hand comes secondary to Velma Dinkley’s high school problems…and that doesn’t feel very Velma to me. The plot didn’t pull me in until finally digging into Velma’s backstory with her missing mother when viewers get wider sense of what really makes the character who she is.
The show turns its original Scooby-Doo characters on their head which is certainly fun; Fred and Daphne are cringey cliché popular kids, Shaggy is reimagined as Velma’s dorky friend. However, Velma herself is a difficult character to get behind; laughing at her Shaggy-inspired friend when he confesses feelings for her, making nasty comments to her pregnant stepmother, fawning over Fred when he treats her horribly. To my disappointment, it was difficult to root for this version of Velma.
Perhaps “Velma” could have been more successful if it were geared towards a teenage audience instead of adult. The show employs the dark adult cartoon elements exhibited in other recent comic book adaptations, such as “Invincible” and “Harley Quinn,” where body parts and curse words fly willy-nilly. The crude language over top of the high school setting feels disjointed.
If you never watched an episode of Scooby Doo, you might have a different take on “Velma.” However, I had a hard time setting aside my expectations for the Velma redemption that nerdy chicks like me have been hoping for all these years.
But, don’t let my opinion ruin your fun. New episodes of “Velma” come out on Thursdays on HBO Max, two episodes at a time.
Doom Patrol – 4 out of 5 Stars
I might be bias because it’s among my favorite superhero shows, but “Doom Patrol” is DC’s most promising project in years. The DC Comics’ universe should focus on what works about Doom Patrol’s portrayal to make its films more impactful, as the show enters its 4th Season on HBO Max.
Whereas Marvel and DC typically focus on high-action CGI scenes, Doom Patrol’s true power is rooted in its lovable misfit characters. There are fight scenes for sure, but it all comes secondary to the experience and growth of Doom Patrol’s members. The most rewarding wins for the group are actually more psychological in nature.
“Doom Patrol” is dark but, refreshingly wacky. Writers are not afraid to have a bit of fun with the plot, introducing the Were-butts early on so that viewers can be certain this isn’t another run-of-the-mill superhero team. No, the Doom Patrol members travel through time, become zombies, age in reverse, and battle villains literally named “Codpiece.” Silly as it all sounds, it’s those wild moments that make this one standalone in a sea of superhero shows.
Negative Man (Matt Bomer), Crazy Jane (Danielle Guerrero), Robotman (Brendan Fraser), Cyborg (Jovian Wade), and Elasti-girl (April Bowlby) are not your typical superheroes and perhaps that’s why this show made it to four seasons. They’re broken, stressed-out, whiny, emotional, and often not very good at being the selfless superheroes we’ve come to expect. Even though Crazy Jane can teleport erratically and Robotman is basically just a brain in a metal suit, it’s their tendency to make mistakes that makes them feel more human than those in the MCU.
Doom Patrol also manages to introduce complicated villains and heroes in a compelling way while DC films have struggled. Mr. Nobody, Flex Mentallo, Dorothy Spinner are all characters we’ve never seen before in a superhero story. Also, the show’s most shining achievement is its captivating portrayal of Danny the Street. How do you depict a superhero who is a sentient, living piece of geography? Doom Patrol accomplishes this beautifully with a heartwarming LGBTQA+ spin. The “Danny Patrol” episode is an honest-to-god masterpiece that dares to go there. While other superhero depictions still shy away from gender-identity plot lines, “Doom Patrol” has a genderqueer street and a cameo from drag queen, Katya Zamolodchikova.
This is certainly not a children’s show and its dynamics are often very similar to Umbrella Academy. It sometimes can get a little too ridiculous, even for me, but Doom Patrol is a fun ride if nothing else.
Season 4 is rumored to be its final season with Part 2 to debut sometime soon in 2023.