In Review: Titans (S3 – EP 1,2 & 3) Barbara Gordon, Red Hood, Hank and Dove

Synopsis: After having successfully foiled a crime. The Titans get a call from Bruce Wayne to inform him of a death in the family.

The Story

This third season of Titans picks up several months after last year’s show. Jason Todd aka Robin has gone back to Batman but still seems to be a bit too gung ho about going after the criminal classes of the city. When he manages to track the Joker and goes after him. Jason finds himself being killed by the clown prince of crime. But as most comic book fans already know. This is only the start of the story as Jason Todd is eventually revealed to be the Red Hood.

Whereas last year’s story arc led up to Dick Grayson becoming Nightwing. This season’s story arc roughly follows the events that we will have read about in the famous ‘Death in The Family’ comic in which Robin Died and Red Hood was introduced. But in this interpretation of events. It is Jason Todd’s familiar relationship with the Titans that makes his new guise of Red Hood particularly dangerous. As he uses those relationships to manipulate the former members of his old team.

The first episode introduces us to Barbara Gordon who has taken over as police commissioner from her late father. In the first episode, we see Dick Grayson working with Barbara to try and figure out who is responsible for the crime spree in Gotham. It isn’t until episode two that Red Hood reveals himself and he does so in an epic style as he throws down in a fight with Nightwing. A fight where neither wins.

The third episode is titled Hank and Dove and sees the couple rekindle their flame in the midst of a crisis. But it ends in tragedy as Red Hood shows us how far he is prepared to take things.

The Acting

Curran Walters puts in a solid performance as he shows us just how far into crazy that Jason Todd has gone since we last saw him. The scenes in the third episode where he manipulates Hank into meeting him were brilliantly done. Likewise so were the scenes where he gets Dove to also play his game. Brenton Thwaites also comes out the gate strong as Dick Grayson who has shed a lot of his demons from previous seasons and is now officially Nightwing. His scenes with Bruce Wayne are pretty solid, but it is the scene in which He, Bruce, and Barbara Gordon (Savannah Welch) meet for drinks that is the most revealing in terms of the character’s past. Welch’s portrayal of Barbara Gordon looks like it is going to have some layers to explore as the series progresses.

Joshua Orpin returns as Connor Kent aka Superboy and is a more established member of the team now. His scenes with Gar Logan aka Beast Boy (Ryan Potter) have a bit of a comedic feel to them.

Overall

Titans has a really strong start this year as we get introduced to the villain right out of the gate. These opening three episodes have a bit of a shock and awe factor to them. As we slowly see how far Red Hood is prepared to go. Additionally, we get some nice little easter eggs sawn in throughout the episodes. One hinting at the next person that will take on the mantle of Robin. In one of the first scenes of episode one. We see Tim Drake making some deliveries on his bike. Also in episode two Kory tells her therapist and love interest that there has been “A Death in the Family”. This was a nice little nod to the comic from which Red Hood originate.

Overall. A solid start to the season.