Now, I've been wanting to watch this, I guess, mini-series, for ages. My sibling would turn it down, but recently they watched it without me. So, while hanging out with my friend, we decided to watch it! My first impression was roughly: "OMG! This looks SO good! Neil Patrick Harris as an evil villain who sings! What could go wrong?" So, I watched it. And... well, see what I thought.
Image Credit to IMDb
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
Let's start with Act 1-
We open with Doctor Horrible, a "super-villain" (wannabe), is making a new episode of his, I'm assuming, Video Blog. He talks about upcoming schemes, and answers Fan-Mail. When asked about a "Her" that he always speaks about, he gets emotional. He breaks into an emotional song about a freeze ray, and how he'll get the girl, Penny. He reminisces about his time seeing her in the laundromat.
His buddy, "Moist", (With "moisture" powers), interrupts, bringing in the mail. Dr. Horrible is particularly interested in a letter from "Bad Horse", the leader of the "Evil League of Evil". There is an absolutely brilliant interjection of song by "The Bad Horse Chorus". I thought that this was just such an excellent interjection, I was laughing my butt off! Anyway, the Bad Horse Chorus tells Dr. Horrible that the Evil League of Evil will be watching him, and will accept him if he commits a heinous crime.
Dr. Horrible plans to steal a case of wonderflonium for his time-stopping Freeze Ray. He has a remote control that he needs to concentrate fully on to use. Unfortunately, Penny is getting signatures for a petition to make sure that a building that is planned for demolition is re-purposed as a homeless shelter. She runs into him. He introduces himself as Billy, and Penny asks him to sign the petition. He obliges, but focuses on the remote control more than her. She leaves, and he is left alone. he is conflicted for a moment, but chooses to focus on the wonderflonium.
As Dr. Horrible remotely drives away the van holding the wonderflonium, Captain Hammer jumps on to the van, and smashes the device allowing Dr. Horrible to control the van. The van starts careening around streets and corners, almost crashing into many people. However, the van begins rushing towards Penny. Captain Hammer jumps in front of the truck, pushes Penny into the trash, and puts his hands out. Dr. Horrible begins rapidly pushing the "Brake" button, and the truck stops. Penny thinks it was Captain Hammer that stopped the truck, so she goes to him. Hammer forgets about giving a pounding to Dr. Horrible, and instead joins Penny, and they serenade each other. Dr. Horrible goes off, and escapes with the wonderflonium.
I don't have much to say about this Act. The jokes were just right, the songs well written and well performed, and Nathan Fillon was such a great pick for the douche of a man, Captain Hammer. Now...
Act 2-
Dr. Horrible begins to stalk Penny and Captain Hammer on their dates. This leads to a great song number, viewing both aspects of love, from the inside perspective of the girl, and the outside perspective of the boy crushing on the girl. This two perspectives are a perfect medley of a real life love triangle, or a fake one, whatever suits your taste.
Now, Penny and Billy are talking as friends, at the laundromat. They eat frozen yogurt, wait for their laundry to finish, and talk about hopes and dreams.
On his blog, Dr. Horrible talks about where and how he is going to use his freeze ray. The next post, which you see a second after he posts the other one, he talks about how he didn't realize that Captain Hammer and the Los Angeles Police Department watch his video blog, and were waiting for him. He then receives a call from Bad Horse, who tells him that the only way to get into the "Evil League of Evil", he has to assassinate someone. Dr. Horrible is not sure who he would kill, I guess he's conflicted? He doesn't really want to kill someone, but he really wants to get into the "Evil League of Evil".
Billy talks about his troubles with Penny at the laundromat. Penny drops the fact that Captain Hammer is going to drop by later, and Billy panics and tries to leave. Unfortunately, Captain Hammer arrives, and blocks Billy from leaving. He and Billy feign ignorance, and pretend to be meeting for the first time. However, after Penny goes to take care of her laundry, Captain Hammer taunts Billy, ah, I mean, Dr. Horrible, about his crush on Penny. He tells Dr. Horrible that he doesn't really care about Penny, but will have sex with her out of spite. (This is told through a series of fantastic comedy, and I would ruin this if I were to tell you.) This leads Dr. Horrible to not be conflicted any longer. His vision is set on...... killing Captain Hammer!
By gosh, this is just getting better and better! The songs are perfect, well written, and fantastically placed.
Act 3-
Captain Hammer has elected to help with the Homeless problem, mainly by signing the petition to open the new homeless shelter, thus making him the new "Hero". Penny thinks about her relationship with Captain Hammer. Penny is alone during this pondering, due to the fact that Billy has gone into overtime, working on his new and improved DEATH RAY (To kill Captain Hammer).
At the grand opening of the new Homeless Shelter, Captain Hammer gives a speech, to raise hopes, or... something. It's more of a downing, douche-y speech, condemning normal people. But, to the ears of his adoring crowd, it's awe-inspiring.
Suddenly, Dr. Horrible pops out, and freezes Captain Hammer. He rants about how Captain Hammer's disguise is slipping... I think. I was very confused about this song in particular. Dr. Horrible reveals the Death Ray, but just then, the freeze ray malfunctions, and Captain Hammer punches Dr. Horrible. As Captain Hammer points the Death Ray at Dr. Horrible, it backfires... ish. The Death Ray explodes, sending Captain Hammer flying backwards, as well as pieces of metal. Dr. Horrible runs over to Penny, lying and bleeding from a wound, caused by a piece of metal. She dies. Captain Hammer runs off, feeling pain, from the gun, for the very first time.
Dr. Horrible begins committing crimes, and gains infamy.
With Captain Hammer seeks psychiatric help for his new feeling of "pain".
Dr. Horrible joins the Evil League of Evil. He realizes that the death of Penny was exactly what he needed, but not what he truly wanted, to be able to join the League.
I love this ending. It shows how Dr. Horrible, at the beginning, wants the position more than anything. However, throughout the course of the series, he begins to realize that Penny is more important. When she dies, he realizes that his true desire wasn't being in the League, but to have Penny. But, he does enter the League. The way that the shots are done, and the music, it sets his mood. Perfectly.
This mini-series is just perfect. The music is awesome, the acting is perfect, and the cinematography is fantastic. There's not much else that i can say. Just.... Watch the Hell out of this mini-series!
Happy watching! And, again, Thank you for reading!
I don't have much to say about this Act. The jokes were just right, the songs well written and well performed, and Nathan Fillon was such a great pick for the douche of a man, Captain Hammer. Now...
Act 2-
Dr. Horrible begins to stalk Penny and Captain Hammer on their dates. This leads to a great song number, viewing both aspects of love, from the inside perspective of the girl, and the outside perspective of the boy crushing on the girl. This two perspectives are a perfect medley of a real life love triangle, or a fake one, whatever suits your taste.
Now, Penny and Billy are talking as friends, at the laundromat. They eat frozen yogurt, wait for their laundry to finish, and talk about hopes and dreams.
On his blog, Dr. Horrible talks about where and how he is going to use his freeze ray. The next post, which you see a second after he posts the other one, he talks about how he didn't realize that Captain Hammer and the Los Angeles Police Department watch his video blog, and were waiting for him. He then receives a call from Bad Horse, who tells him that the only way to get into the "Evil League of Evil", he has to assassinate someone. Dr. Horrible is not sure who he would kill, I guess he's conflicted? He doesn't really want to kill someone, but he really wants to get into the "Evil League of Evil".
Billy talks about his troubles with Penny at the laundromat. Penny drops the fact that Captain Hammer is going to drop by later, and Billy panics and tries to leave. Unfortunately, Captain Hammer arrives, and blocks Billy from leaving. He and Billy feign ignorance, and pretend to be meeting for the first time. However, after Penny goes to take care of her laundry, Captain Hammer taunts Billy, ah, I mean, Dr. Horrible, about his crush on Penny. He tells Dr. Horrible that he doesn't really care about Penny, but will have sex with her out of spite. (This is told through a series of fantastic comedy, and I would ruin this if I were to tell you.) This leads Dr. Horrible to not be conflicted any longer. His vision is set on...... killing Captain Hammer!
By gosh, this is just getting better and better! The songs are perfect, well written, and fantastically placed.
Act 3-
Captain Hammer has elected to help with the Homeless problem, mainly by signing the petition to open the new homeless shelter, thus making him the new "Hero". Penny thinks about her relationship with Captain Hammer. Penny is alone during this pondering, due to the fact that Billy has gone into overtime, working on his new and improved DEATH RAY (To kill Captain Hammer).
At the grand opening of the new Homeless Shelter, Captain Hammer gives a speech, to raise hopes, or... something. It's more of a downing, douche-y speech, condemning normal people. But, to the ears of his adoring crowd, it's awe-inspiring.
Suddenly, Dr. Horrible pops out, and freezes Captain Hammer. He rants about how Captain Hammer's disguise is slipping... I think. I was very confused about this song in particular. Dr. Horrible reveals the Death Ray, but just then, the freeze ray malfunctions, and Captain Hammer punches Dr. Horrible. As Captain Hammer points the Death Ray at Dr. Horrible, it backfires... ish. The Death Ray explodes, sending Captain Hammer flying backwards, as well as pieces of metal. Dr. Horrible runs over to Penny, lying and bleeding from a wound, caused by a piece of metal. She dies. Captain Hammer runs off, feeling pain, from the gun, for the very first time.
Dr. Horrible begins committing crimes, and gains infamy.
With Captain Hammer seeks psychiatric help for his new feeling of "pain".
Dr. Horrible joins the Evil League of Evil. He realizes that the death of Penny was exactly what he needed, but not what he truly wanted, to be able to join the League.
I love this ending. It shows how Dr. Horrible, at the beginning, wants the position more than anything. However, throughout the course of the series, he begins to realize that Penny is more important. When she dies, he realizes that his true desire wasn't being in the League, but to have Penny. But, he does enter the League. The way that the shots are done, and the music, it sets his mood. Perfectly.
This mini-series is just perfect. The music is awesome, the acting is perfect, and the cinematography is fantastic. There's not much else that i can say. Just.... Watch the Hell out of this mini-series!
Happy watching! And, again, Thank you for reading!