‘Titans’ S02E01: ‘Trigon’ (review)

S2:E1 — The season premiere continues the apocalyptic events of last season as Trigon sets out to win the Titans over to his side by embracing their inner darkness.

 

A word before we start the season.

I can’t think of anything I’d love more than to be enthusiastic for this season. There’s a part of me that has a lot of optimism for what the show can be, based on DOOM PATROL’s critical success. And the last few trailers? Dynamite. I’d like to be enthusiastic, but I would be lying if I said as much. I don’t have high hopes, but I do have hopes. There’s nothing I’d like more than being wrong about this show. Amongst my friends, I’m possibly the only one I know that had anything positive to say. So, there’s that.

Reaction GIFs enabled. Atomic snark at hand. Let’s do this.

This show, man. It’s like one step forward/two steps back, and I’m frankly tired of trying to assign blame. For instance, every scene Jason is in? Gold, including the Robin v Robin fight (which, I’ll be honest, I’ll never tire of). A hint at WHO IS DONNA TROY? Incredible. But for all the wonderful things they’re doing, there’s just something getting lost in translation. For one, this Trigon story has run its course. I think that race was over last season, but clearly, you can’t leave on a cliffhanger without resolving it. I get it, but this is borderline “hate watching.”

If I were able to smack the face of what is wrong with this show (or, at the very least, this episode and last season), it would look like the human embodiment of “heroes that are willing to kill.” It’s really dumb that we have to have this discussion over and over and over again, but Jesus, man, the point of this whole storyline is “embracing darkness,” so CLEARLY, if you don’t kill everyone you come across that hurts you, you might, I don’t know, actually beat this guy!

Trigon even says to Rachel, “Your friends…are murderers.”

Ultimately, Rachel beats her father in a fight that’s not even a fight. It’s not even a battle. It’s…a minute of SFX.

However, the aftermath…the aftermath shows potential. Shows what the show could be as the Titans, though not a team, are making jokes, having meaningful conversation, and being, generally…familial. If you told me this scene was word for word lifted from a Wolfman/Perez issue, I’d believe it. It’s nice. It’s classic. It’s WELCOME.

And I’m sure it will be short-lived.

We’re next treated to the first shot of Esai Morales as Deathstroke, and I am here for it. Slade goes into town for some supplies, when he spots the TV showing Jason doing his “Titans are back, bitches,” and bro…Slade is SHOOK.

My man got TRIGGERED. He quickly leaves his cabin in the woods, gets a shave and a haircut (2 bits!) on the way back to civilization, and hooks back up with Wintergreen (I think) and it looks like he’s back on his bullshit. I do want to note that he seems a little…twitchy. Like, something is off. I’m sure this will be revealed throughout the season.

We shift to Gotham City, as Dick pulls up to Wayne Manor, and we meet Iain Glen as Bruce Wayne (psst, he’s secretly Batman). Bruce smiles when he sees Dick, and Dick…kinda smiles?

Glen has a weird accent (he’s Scottish, but putting on a refined American-ish air) and it’s a little jarring, but I swear to you, some of his facial expressions call to mind Adam West. It’s not something I can point to, maybe in the eyes, but it made his portrayal seem kind of familiar.

Their conversation is pleasant, not terse or tense in the least. Dick airs out some of his grudges, but there’s not a lot of finger pointing; instead, Dick is introspective about it, saying he had to let go of it. I really enjoyed this scene, if, for nothing else, because it wasn’t so angry and aggro. Dick says he’s thinking of starting up the Titans again, by cryptically saying to Bruce, “San Francisco.” Bruce clearly understands, and says he will agree to it on one condition; Dick has to take Jason. I thought we’d get the true Titans Tower, but this one? This’ll do just fine.

Episode started with a taste of licorice; ended with ice cream. And I’m ok with it.

 

EXTRA POINTS & NIT PICKS:

• Not for nothing…Trigon does look pretty cool.
• Conor Leslie in the Wonder Girl costume gave me legit goosebumps.

 

NEXT WEEK: ROSE

 

****

Vito Delsante is a comic book writer, graphic novelist, editor, letterer, and the co-creator/writer of STRAY with Sean Izaakse, and THE PURPLE HEART with Dean Haspiel and artist, Ricardo Venâncio. He’s written for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Image Comics, AdHouse Books, and Simon & Schuster, among others, and his stories have been reprinted in other countries. He lives in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife, Michelle, his daughter, Sadie, his son, James, and his pitbull, Kirby.  You can find him online at incogvito.com and you can follow him on Twitter @incogvito