Since its initial announcement at Comic Con, fans of the comic have been wondering what the live action version of DC’s Teen titans would be like. Will the show be like the fan favorite animated cartoon or a goofy rendition like the “Teen Titans Go” show. However, based on the initial trailer release at the convention, fans were exposed to a more mature theme which would be the basis for the show.
Now before I go into the review of season one, for the benefit of those readers that are NOT familiar with the Titans superhero group, let me give you a brief history of the team:
The Teen Titans members (as the name suggests) are teenage superheroes, most of which were sidekicks to members of the Justice League. The team’s founding members consisted of Kid Flash (Wally West), Robin (Dick Grayson), Aqualad (Garth) and Wonder Girl (Donna Troy). The group first appeared as a team way back in The Brave and the Bold #54 comic book published in July 1964. Later as the members matured, their name was changed from “Teen Titans” to just “Titans.”
Over the past few decades, DC has cancelled and relaunched the Teen Titans comic several times. The comic would not become a hit with fans until its 1980 relaunch with Marv Wolfman and Artist George Perez. This version of the team consisted of the characters currently appearing in the Titans TV show: Starfire (Koriand’r), Raven (Rachel Roth), Beast Boy (Garfield Logan), and Nightwing/Robin (Dick Grayson).
SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t had the chance to watch the Titans season 1 on DC Universe’s new streaming platform, this is a warning that the following synopsis will contain spoilers of the show.
Season one of the TV show Titans, created by Akiva Goldsman, Greg Berlanti and Geoff Johns, is an origin story for the characters. The show revolves around Dick Grayson (aka Nightwing/Robin) and his involvement in the formation of the Titans group.
The story begins with Raven (aka Rachel Roth) dreaming of the death of Dick Grayson’s parents. Dick Grayson (aka Nightwing/Robin) has separated from Batman and is seeking to move past his mentor (Batman). Dick works as a police detective that encounters Raven after her mother (caretaker) was killed by a unknown assailant with meta-human abilities.
In his quest to help Raven, Dick returns to his old allies Hawk (hank Hall) and Dove (Dawn Granger) for help where he intends to leave Raven in their care. As the story develops, a familial relationship forms between Dick and Raven – with Dick ultimately realizing he needs to help Raven come to grips with her reality and defeat her manifesting darkside.
Beast Boy (Garfield Logan) shows up and befriends Raven and introduces to her to his current group Doom Patrol. After an incident with the leader of Doom Patrol, Raven and Beast boy leave and venture off on their own until they hookup with Starfire (Koriand’r), who has lost her memory. Starfire, oblivious to her original reason for coming to earth (to stop a prophecy wherein Trigon leaves his dimension and takes over our universe), becomes friends with Rachel.
In the final episode, Dick and Raven are betrayed by Raven’s biologicial mother as she tricks Raven into bringing her father Trigon in the world. Dick tries to help by entering into the house where Raven and her family are at, however the other Titans are unable to help as they are locked out of the premises due to Trigon’s magic barrier surrounding the house.
A dark ending to season one, that leaves viewers with a cliffhanger for season two….