TITANS: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON / CERT: 15 / SHOWRUNNER: GREG WALKER / STARRING: BRENTON THWAITES, ANNA DIOP, TEAGAN CROFT, RYAN POTTER, MINKA KELLY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Special Features: 13 featurettes
Having debuted in the funny books way back in 1964 and then seen countless animated series and even movies based around them, DC Comics’ famed Teen Titans have now been brought to live-action live in Titans. How does this team of young heroes translate to the live-action format, though, and is this yet another hit for the ever-expanding world of DC TV projects? Let’s find out.
In Titans, we see the reformation of the titular group of heroes led by Dick Grayson (Thwaites). From the moment we see Dick murmur the words “Fuck Batman!”, the stall has been set out that this isn’t necessarily your regular cape ‘n’ cowl fluff piece that’s aimed at a younger audience. Instead, Titans has a darker and more adult slant to it than some of its contemporaries, with the levels of violence and the series’ themes certainly designed with a more mature audience in mind.
As for the Titans themselves, Dick reforms the group with alien royalty Kory Anders (Diop), tortured soul Rachel Roth (Croft) and shapeshifter Gar Logan (Potter). Each of these characters have their own personal issues, yet coming together as a team to explore an unravelling mystery with potentially huge consequences sees these troubled sorts finding their true place in the world. Much like Dick is desperate to put his memories of Gotham City behind him, the rest of the core Titans group are all looking to escape their own murky pasts as they struggle to get to grips with who they’re destined to become.
Is Titans’ debut season flawless? Most certainly not. But it is a whole load of fun, and the individual narratives of each showcased character are engaging and fascinating to see play out across these 11 episodes. What Titans does best, is that this first season doesn’t ever short-change any of its titular team or the supporting faces that we meet along the way. In fact, each episode sees a different character having the spotlight shone on them as we learn more of their own particular story. By taking this approach, we get a solid grasp on what makes these characters tick and the show likewise allows each character’s arc time to breathe.
Performance-wise, Titans is full of powerful, poignant performances from all involved. As alluded to, by taking the time to highlight particular heroes in each episode, Titans gives its core cast plenty to sink their teeth into – particularly as the dynamic between the group starts to take shape. And while the Titans themselves are all brilliantly portrayed, special praise must also go to Curran Walters for how much of an utter dick he makes his Jason Todd, aka the second Robin, as in the one who is ultimately brutally murdered by the Joker in the comics. Jason was always rash and brash during his time as Robin, and Walters perfectly captures that cocksure personality with his take on Todd.
For a debut season, Titans’ first year ticked a whole host of the right boxes for what was needed. Now, here’s hoping that momentum continues through with the show’s second season – which is expected to be made available to UK and international audiences this December on Netflix.
