Doom Patrol Review: 1917 Patrol (Season 3 Episode 6)
A trip to the past costs Rita her memory but gives viewers some answers on Doom Patrol Season 3 Episode 6, “1917 Patrol.”
At the end of Doom Patrol Season 3 Episode 5, “Dada Patrol,” Rita absconds with Laura’s time machine. Where and when Rita is headed isn’t disclosed until “1917 Patrol,” when she lands in 1917 Iowa.
In the process, though, Rita loses her memories just as Laura had. So, while viewers get some answers to questions about Laura and the Sisterhood of Dada, Rita doesn’t have any context to know what to do with them.
The B plots
As with much of Doom Patrol’s season so far, the most effective parts of the episode concern Rita and Laura’s story with the Sisterhood of Dada and the growing conflict in the Underground.
That’s not to say that Cliff, Larry, and Vic’s stories this season, or even on this episode, are bad. All three characters have standout moments on this or previous episodes. Vic’s story, in particular, has the makings of a very rich arc.
On “1917 Patrol,” Larry’s confrontation with his son is his the best scene so far this season. That is a moment that has needed to happen for a while now. It is satisfying to see Larry move past his guilt and defend himself against his son’s resentment.
Even Cliff’s story chiefly played for laughs so far, is building to something more significant.
Cliff, Larry, and Vic’s stories are no doubt leading to a compelling payoff eventually. Given the way the “1917 Patrol” ends, Larry’s story is likely going to pick up as soon as the next episode.
The problem with “1917 Patrol” is the boys’ stories aren’t as developed yet. They feel more like distractions than a value add on this episode.
It’s interesting to think about whether their stories would have benefited from this episode being broken into two separate episodes. One episode focusing on Rita’s trip to 1917, and another on everything happening at the mansion.
With only ten episodes this season, that likely wasn’t possible. Still, as things end up, those supporting stories fall a bit flat juxtaposed to what’s going with Jane and Rita.
Rita’s Trip Through Time and Space
Rita’s story is the main focus of the episode and offers viewers the most plot progression. The episode is more or less the first half of Laura’s backstory.
We still don’t know what causes Laura’s falling out with the Sisterhood but we do learn a lot about her and the Sisterhood of Dada. We also find out what their connection to the Bureau of Normalcy is. It begins to change the lens through with which we see both Laura and the Sisterhood.
The episode also offers a glimpse into who Rita would be without the pain and regret that has formed who she is most of her life. What we see is a lighter, more confident Rita. She isn’t that passive person crippled by fear and self-loathing. She is even a leader willing to take risks for what she thinks is right.
It’s lovely to see this version of Rita and see her truly happy for once. The future will inevitably call her back, though, and in all likelihood, her memories will return. Hopefully, when that happens, she can hold on to some part of that version of who she is without a past and have more agency in her own life moving forward.
Conflict in the Underground
Jane’s story on “1917 Patrol” is an escalation of the tensions that started brewing on “Dada Patrol.” Kay going above is a tipping point for the clash between Jane and the disgruntled personas led by Dr. Harrison.
It pushes Dr. Harrison and her crew from the typical grumblings and bickering of the Underground to openly discussing going after Jane. It’s only a matter of time before the other personas move against Jane and maybe even Kay.
As I discussed in my review of “Dada Patrol,” what’s so interesting about this story is thinking about it as a metaphor for the real-life battles we have with ourselves. We are all a collection of contradictions and uncertainties.
The way Jane and the Underground personify internal turmoil makes Jane a fascinating character and adds incredible depth to her story this season.
Overall Impressions
“1917 Patrol” is a difficult episode to assess. The parts that work well are as good as the best episodes of the series. Yet, the episode tries to do too much and leaves the multiple B plots underserved.
The result is an episode that one minute is entirely captivating and in the next loses focus. Compared to lesser shows, even the lackluster parts of “1917 Patrol” are excellent. But, Doom Patrol set a high bar for itself. It’s one “1917 Patrol” exceeds in parts but not quite often enough to make it of the same caliber as other episodes.
Stray Thoughts
- It took me a minute to make the connection, but Malcolm is the monster man from the afterlife on Doom Patrol Season 3 Episode 3, “Dead Patrol.” Now we know how the monster man knows Rita but not how he ends up there or if that’s connected to whatever is about to go down with the Sisterhood.
- That final scene of the Sisterhood taunting Laura through fire is just incredibly cool. It’s such a fantastic final visual to get viewers excited for the next episode.
- Is it only time travelers with significant regret or trauma that lose their memories like Rita and Laura, and does the amount of pain and regret one has impact how much of their memories they lose?
What did you think of this episode of Doom Patrol? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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New episodes of Doom Patrol premiere Thursdays on HBOMax.
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Sarah Fields
Sarah is an obsessive geek who likes to get into the weeds and over think things. She is passionate about Sci-Fi and comics and is a giant classic film nerd. Sarah cares deeply about media representation and the power of telling diverse stories. When she's not writing or watching her favorite shows she spends her days working in the non-profit world trying to make life a little better for those that need some extra help.