Dr. Horrible Strikes Again

"The world is a mess, and I just need to rule it."

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog at once embodies the idea of a sing-along blog and then, occasionally throughout, and especially in the third act, transcends it. All of the actors, most from former Joss Whedon productions, do a wonderful job, but none flawlessly embraces the character the way Neil Patrick Harris, who plays Dr. Horrible, does. He manages to make an aspiring supervillian understandable and even sympathetic. It helps that the hero, played by the great Nathan Fillian, is, as Dr. Horrible claims, "a tool." Harris, most recently seen as the suave and consistently awesome Barney in How I Met Your Mother, nails Dr. Horrible (also known as Billy). His mannerisms, especially the rapid eye blinks while nervous, manage to shape the character in the too-short 40 minute show. However, when the plot calls for it, Harris convincingly morphs to a member of the Evil League of Evil. His way with dialogue elevates the entire production to a higher level that, even with Whedon's stellar dialogue and lyrics, it might otherwise not have reached. Fillian, the hero of the piece, is clearly having a ball with his over-the-top portrayal of a hero who is also sort of a jerk. Felicia Day does very well as the female lead, but is portrayed as rather one-dimensional, as almost too saintly to exist in the real world. Her voice, however, is lovely, and when it is contrasted with Harris' beautiful voice, it is stunning. Fillian's slightly rougher voice is perfect for the character, and his vocals are also quite impressive.

The songs, on the whole succeed very well. In the first act, Laundry Day/Freeze ray is probably the standout song, although when the three leads all sing at the end during the What a Man's Gotta Do song, it is amazing. In the second act, it is bookended by two amazing songs. I Can't Believe My Eyes is arguably the best song in the show, especially when Harris and Day sing across from each other. The lyrics deftly wind around each other, sometimes connecting, sometimes opposing. Brand New Day, although not my favorite song, really showcases Harris' vocal talents, as well as a transformation in his character that is shown almost entirely through his song. In the third Act, So They Say, which kicks off the final act, delivers a strong performance from all the actors, and even introduces some peripheral characters who add quite a lot vocally. It is the perfect build-up for the rest of the more serious third act.

Dr. Horrible ends on a fairly shocking conclusion, although any Whedon aficionado will not be surprised that it ends on a sad, and even tragic note. On first viewing the third act, I was upset and even mad. Upon further viewings, I reluctantly concluded that it was the ending that packed the most punch, that made the most sense with all of the characters.

Dr. Horrible will be taken down tonight. We can only hope that there will be a sequel, and that Day, Fillion, and especially Harris and Whedon, will get the accolades they deserve, and we, the viewers, will get the pleasure to see them in many more productions.