I was late to the party on Teen Titans, but I came to appreciate the show. It was so different from traditional DC animation at the time, as it adopted a lot of familiar tropes from anime. But that doesn’t mean it was bad. Just different.
Then it got cancelled.
Fortunately, Teen Titans at least had an opportunity to wrap up, unlike the fantastic Young Justice which just… ended (damn shame, too). Anyhoo, when I first heard about Teen Titans Go! I was pretty pumped. Especially when I came to learn that the original voice cast was back in the studio, giving life to our favorite teenage heroes. But then I saw the show and was incredibly disappointed. My step-son (who’s 13) loved it. But I absolutely detested the show. I wanted to see our heroes doing real stuff. Not being couch potatoes and arguing over sandwiches. But then recently, after a long day of work, I came home in the morning and the show was on. Pooped and just wanting to vegg out, I watched it…
And I laughed my ass off.
Teen Titans Go! is clearly aimed at young children. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t hilarious. Sure, there’s some misses, but most of the episodes are a good laugh, and if you’re a fan of DC comics, you’ll find plenty of inside jokes. The episode I first watched is one of my favorites. Titled, “The Best Robin,” it features Robin’s team he turns to when the Titans are being lazy and don’t want to fight crime. The kicker? The all-star Robin team consists of the 1950s version of Robin, possibly Jason Todd, and Carrie Kelly, who takes up the mantle of Robin in The Dark Knight Returns. Seeing the various Robins interact and eventually try to outdo one another was downright hilarious, and I feel is something most DC fans could appreciate – if they can get over the fact that this is a pretty slapstick show.
Yet despite the fact that Teen Titans Go! is anything but serious, it celebrates so many elements of the DC (and somewhat related Vertigo) Universe(s). From a batman poster here, to one of the characters dressing as Aqua Man or a Night Owl doll hanging out in the back ground, there’s clearly a lot of love for the source material. I’ve found myself poring over the entire screen during an episode, seeing what easter eggs I can spot. I also appreciate clips from the old show. The characters even comment on some of the clips from the original Teen Titans, breaking the fourth wall and adding to laughs. The humor is really well thought out, and as the series has moved on, has definitely improved. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nothing a 7-year old can’t understand, but if you’re a fan of the material, there’s so much more to appreciate. And that’s what I like best about Teen Titans Go.
So even though my heart still yearns for another Batman animated series or Young Justice, there’s still some quality DC stuff on cable right now. It may not be what you expect, or necessarily want, but I think that if you catch the right episode or really give the series a chance, Teen Titans Go will surprise you.
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