Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog became a huge hit in 2008 from Joss Whedon's Mutant Enemy Productions.
Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, and Felicia Day in a three-part romantic comedy musical web series, Whedon claims to have earned more from Dr. Horrible than from writing the first Avengers film. Fans swear by Dr. Horrible, and we think you should too.
The series aired in three parts, creating an iconic miniseries that we know and love today. The show combines the perfect mix of heart, comedy, and star power to create a cult classic that has expanded into a series beyond a cult classic -- it's the true epitome of geek culture.
The series follows the eponymous evil villain, Dr. Horrible, through his quest to join the Evil League of Evil and win the heart of his crush, Penny.
However, he is consistently thwarted by the handsome, buff superhero Captain Hammer, who Penny favors. Dr. Horrible is clever, catchy, and creative in so many ways. Read on to learn more!
1.
Collaborators
Dr. Horrible was created by TV creators and brothers Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Dollhouse), Jed Whedon (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), and Zack Whedon, as well as Maurissa Tancharoen (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), who is also Jed Whedon's spouse. Featuring Neil Patrick Harris as the relatable and adorably awkward Dr. Horrible, geek queen Felicia Day as his love interest, and Nathan Fillion as the heroic Captain America and Dr. Horrible's foe -- there couldn't be a better combination of leading creators. Mashing the Whedons' and Tancharoen's creative genius with the charming cast, the artists working on Dr. Horrible are a perfect combo.
2.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack to Dr. Horrible includes 14 iconic songs, some comedic and some heartfelt. Sung by Patrick Harris, Day, and Fillion, they'll get stuck in your head before you can say "Bad Horse." You can listen to it over and over again online or on Spotify now!
3.
Absurdity
The series takes absurd humor and runs with it -- Dr Horrible is eager to join the Evil League of Evil, led by a supervillain named Bad Horse. His henchmen (dressed like cowboys) pop up and sing his theme song whenever he is mentioned, creating a gleefully bizarre gag that makes the series wonderful.
4.
Costumes
When Dr. Horrible goes about his evil scheming, large goggles, and oversized white gloves -- what he sees as his supervillain garb. Meanwhile, Captain Hammer wears a tight black shirt with a hammer logo -- along with his own set of oversized gloves, except black -- when he's off saving the world. The costumes are simple but effective and add enough visual humor to make the characters delightful.
5.
Sidekick
Dr. Horrible's sidekick, Moist (Simon Helberg), rarely gets enough credit. Moist, as his name states, is moist -- all the time. He walks around dripping, and his superpower is being able to dampen things -- underwhelming at best, but it makes for great comedy. Simon Helberg plays Moist with great humorous skill, countering Dr. Horrible's antics.
6.
Comic
Dark Horse Comics released a tie-on comic book, written by Zack Whedon. If you watch Dr. Horrible and crave some more, check out the comics, which will hopefully help with your Dr. Horrible withdrawal -- some contain fascinating backstories and additional content beyond the web series.
7.
Chemistry
Although Dr. Horrible is a comedy, there is great chemistry between the actors on both a romantic (and a humorous) level. Patrick Harris is awkward as Billy and attempt to pursue Penny, but their adorable moments are enviable. Penny and Captain Hammer's moments are equally romantic, making the viewer side with Dr. Horrible's jealousy even more.
8.
Heroes and Anti-heroes
Superheroes are all the rage today, with TV shows and movies featuring these beloved characters. Dr. Horrible may be a supervillain, but he becomes an anti-hero in his relatable romantic pursuits and simply tries to succeed in life. On the other hand, Captain Hammer is the exemplification of pompous superheroes and the reason why so many supervillains exist.
9.
Heartfelt End
For those who haven't watched it, Dr. Horrible should not be spoiled. Nevertheless, the end of the three-part series is both heartfelt and heart-breaking -- an amazing ending to an amazing series. Those who watch it are sure to agree that the ending is inevitable but meaningful -- something that so many series try and fail to do.
10.
Sequel
Although Joss Whedon can't promise a Dr. Horrible video sequel, mostly due to scheduling, Dr. Horrible is getting a sequel -- in comic book form. Now, Dr. Horrible fanatics can continue the adventures of our favorite supervillain, written by Joss Whedon. Dr. Horrible fans, rejoice!
Olivia Popp
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