Titans: Why DC Has Disappointed Me Again.

Robin looks like he's back in some teen angst phase. Credit: Christos Kalohoridis

Netflix leeches, myself included, rejoice! We’ve got another new Netflix Original, and it’s based on some much beloved DC characters, The Titans. But oh, my dismay when I excitedly sat through the first episode and saw a shadow of the characters I used to love. And I know my opinion is an unpopular one.

Let me get a few things straight first, I have no problem with the casting of any of the characters, my problem is with the characters themselves. All three of the characters we follow throughout the first episode, Beast Boy being the exception as he barely shows up at all, are presented as an angsty teen, an angsty detective and a memory less Starfire.

My problem is that none of the characters gripped me in their first appearance, and that’s a problem. I may not be the intended audience for the show, with my rose-tinted glasses for the mid-2000s cartoon series, but that doesn’t mean the characters should be this unrecognisable.

I understand the angle they have taken when it comes to Robin, edging more towards Nightwing than the traditional green tights and chipper character. But with Raven and Starfire just seem wrong and out of place. In short, they have gone too far to make the characters gritty.

Compare these characters to the few seconds of Beast Boy the viewers get to see. He’s stealing video games whilst transformed into a tiger. Ok, his transformation back into a human leaves a lot to be desired, looking like the CGI from a 2000s school movie project, but he’s instantly recognisable in both visuals and character.

So, should you watch Titans? Well, yes and no. If like me, you have an undying love for the Teen Titans animation then you’ll likely end up a mix of hopeful and disappointed. If you’re new to these characters than there’s a good chance you’ll like it, maybe even love it. The character designs are appealing, with the exception of Raven’s ‘It’s not a phase mom!’ hair, and the overarching plotline is interesting enough. In brief, Titans is not everything I wanted it to be, it is simplistic and overly edgy. But as easy watching it’s fun enough.