OPINION: How "Titans" misunderstands Dick Grayson

            It seems that I can no longer bite my tongue.  I am forced to confess that DC's Titans is, in a word, disappointing.  When the show was announced I was not unrealistically optimistic that it would be a great show, nor did I cynically believe that it would be a total dud.  In those regards, it seems I was correct.  Titan’s is neither a total dud nor is it a great show.  It’s somewhere in between, and sometimes that feels so much worse.

To think what could have been

            I should preface this by stating I am a huge fan of DC comics with a special interest in the Batfamily, specifically the boy Wonder, Dick Grayson.  I’m not in the minority of comic fans to call Dick Grayson my favorite Robin; he is probably the most popular DC character outside of the Justice League.  I think that’s why it is so hard to see the direction the DC streaming service decided to take with my favorite superhero.

Where did the charisma go, Dick?

            Brenton Thwaites plays Dick Grayson, and I, in no way fault Brenton for the portrayal of Robin.  I think that with a different direction Brenton could have been an amazing Dick Grayson.  Truth be told, despite the direction Titans takes its characters, the cast absolutely brings their A games and really brings life to the characters, even if those characters don’t feel like accurate reflections of their comic counterparts.

            There is a discourse when it comes to superhero movies whether live-action adaptations have a duty to portray their comic book counterparts accurately.  It is no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe often tweaks and alters the characters that appear on screen from the characters on panel.  I feel, however, there is an important distinction between changing middling, and relatively unknown or unpopular characters to better fit the overarching narrative connecting the films in the MCU and making drastic changes to fan-favorite comic book characters that don’t necessarily suit the story any better than the original character would have.

            Undoubtedly, the changes that befell the Titans characters cause the story to suffer.  The best example is Robin, who in Titans is a much darker, much more angsty character.  In the comics and cartoons, Dick Grayson is not always the brightest ray of sunshine (even though he's always smiling), let us never forget the time he punched Batman before leaving behind the Robin mantle, nor the time he led the Outsiders.  However, Dick, quite simply, is not the bitter, aloof, and overtly violent individual depicted in Titans.

Yup, he really does this. TV-MA y'all.

            Dick Grayson is a fun and positive character who rejected the darkness of his mentor and found his own way to be a hero.  He was the Batman who smiles during his tenure as the Dark Knight (or Dick Knight if you will). His so called superpower is his ability to stay friends with all of his ex-girlfriends, and his wit and confidence is just as an essential part of his arsenal as his mask.  Dick is a beacon of hope in the dark and scary cities of Gotham and Blüdhaven, and he is the heart of the DC Universe.  This is not to say that Dick Grayson is without flaws.  Dick has a penchant for secrets, a tendency to go his own way about things, and is a little less than cautious at times.

Holy edgy swearing, Batman!

 

            As mentioned before, however, Dick Grayson is NOT the aggressively violent individual he is in Titans.  He chose a different path when he confronted his parents’ killer, Tony Zucco, and chose mercy over vengeance.  This moment was an integral part of Dick Grayson’s development and Titans completely undermined this story beat.  Dick is driven to be a much darker and grittier character in the TV show which in turn causes his replacement, Jason Todd, to go even edgier by being a psychopathic kid who enjoys beating up police officers and is Robin not out of some sense of duty or justice, but for the thrills alone.

Really weird how nothing really separates these two.

 

            Dick Grayson’s storyline and characterization in Titans would have been a far greater fit for Jason Todd.  The characterization would have crafted a more sympathetic and understandable wayward son than just some punk kid whose more than problematic antics somehow slip under Batman’s radar.  A more comic accurate Dick Grayson, of course, would have been a better fit for the story and would have been a more honest impetus for the formation of the Titans as a team. 

            Unfortunately, I have spent far too long just on the characterization of Dick Grayson alone to go any more in depth on the other Titans members, but I would just like to say that before watching Titans I was told that if I watched the show, Starfire’s bizarre costume choice would make sense.  I can tell you, however, that I still don’t understand why they went that direction with her costume and she wears it for nearly the entirety of the show.  It’s a shame they put Starfire in such an ugly costume because it unfortunately does detract from a stellar performance by Anna Diop. 

For all the show's faults with portrayals, the acting at least holds up its end of the bargain.

 

              Titans isn’t without its high points.  It certainly has fun moments and even good moments.  Unfortunately, it feels like all its best moments are a part of episodes or scenes that don’t progress the plot and are instead more focused on setting up things for season 2 or developing characters, but never in a way that feels honest or meshes well with the rest of season 1. 

            The first season of Titans mostly feels like nothing happening over the course of eleven episodes.  Even when the stakes threaten characters we like, it never feels meaningful, and the bad guys never feel particularly threatening even when they very much should be.  It just feels like a challenge to get invested in a show that is more interested in setting things up for a second season than it is in crafting a good first season.

            Ultimately, I will be watching Titans season 2 because it seems I like to suffer (I’m still watching all of the DC CW shows even if last year was rough), but I don’t have high hopes for the second season.  I really want it to be good, and I would give anything to be pleasantly surprised, but I don’t think I am going to get what I want.  But what do you think?  Do you love Titans?  Hate it?  Somewhere in between?  Am I just some basement dwelling comic nerd who needs to get over faithful decisions?  Let me know.  

At least they're doing Superboy and Krypto the Super Dog on Season 2. That's gotta count for something, right?

And if you haven’t seen Titans, give it and the DC Universe Streaming service a shot.  And while you’re there be sure to check out the far better show Young Justice.  The first half of Season 3 is up and the second half continues this summer.

I did like the Doom Patrol episode though, and their show is now live in the service. Just saying.

Written by Zac Jones.

All opinions are his and do not represent the rest of Stat X Media.