HBO Max’s original series ‘Doom Patrol’ season four episode two entitled “Butt Patrol” starts with April Bowlby’s Rita Farr, as she talks to the rest of the team about how to change the future where the world is ruled by zombie butts. Unfortunately, Rita tries to control the entire team meeting in an effort to change her fate as well. In her mind, she wants nothing more than to be a great leader for everyone. She sees this as her last chance to change her fate so as to not fail at something again. However, her chance is lost as the team decides that it would be best if Michelle Gomez’s Madame Rouge lead them. This is a result of her not being around in the future which leads to them thinking that keeping her around could change things. In Rita’s mind, she sees this as a betrayal by her friends as she wanted to show them and herself that she could be a good leader. It could be argued by the viewer that she is only trying so hard to be a great team leader for selfish reasons. Deep down she knows that everything else she has done has not ended well for her. Having seen her future self-fail again on a project makes it seem as if she is no longer important. This need to be important can come from her days as a famous actor where the spotlight was only on her. Which is why she desperately wants to be good at something making her not seem like the best choice for a leader as her intentions are slightly selfish.
Additionally, Madame Rouge is shocked when they ask her to be team leader. However, she gladly accepts the opportunity to show them that she is trying to be a better person. In her mind, she sees that this opportunity could be a path to redemption from her past as a villain. It can be argued that in a way Madame Rouge is becoming more like Rita and Rita is becoming more like Madame Rouge. Madame Rouge is trying to prove to everyone that she is a better person. She currently is wearing her emotions on her sleeve where she wants to be accepted as a good guy. That is why she does not keep things to herself and instead talks to everybody to get their opinions. Meanwhile, Rita is keeping things to herself such as her true intentions for wanting to be team leader. Instead of wanting to be accepted she wants everyone to think that she is superior to everyone on the team, that is why she does not talk to get everyone’s opinions. Even if she does get the others’ opinions, she ultimately does what she wants disregarding everyone’s opinion.
At the end of the episode, Brendan Fraser’s Robotman has a moment where he feels something for the very first time. Unfortunately, he feels the cold body of someone he had killed to change the future. Which is sad due to the fact that throughout the episode he wanted his grandson to be the first thing he feels. It can be said that a cold dead body is all any of the team will feel as a result of their line of work. However, Robotman knows it was for the greater good as it was needed to change the future. This demonstrates how at some points in time being a superhero means sacrificing your own desires to save everyone. A lesson that Robotman seems to have learned thus giving him a fantastic character development. At some point they all will have to learn this lesson as a new potential cause for the zombie butt apocalypse is revealed.
Rating: 8.5/10