[7.4/10] I was wary of this episode after Control Freak’s last appearance. But I needn’t have been! This is a great use for the superpowered fanboy character! On his end of the episode, the show pokes gentle fun at the fandom. And on the Titans East side of the ledger, there’s a strong throughline to them proving themselves to a skeptical city (and fanbase) as replacement heroes for the Titans West.
(As an aside, I like that after I mentioned in my last review that it’d be nice to see what the Titans East were up to, they show up in the very next episode! Thank you, writers from sixteen years ago!)
The shtick with Control Freak was a lot of fun. I enjoyed him plotting specific countermeasures for the Titans West, only to find them ineffective and less fun against the TItans East. (And I loved the 16-bit throwback vibe to it.) Even better is the spoof of fan reactions to everything. As someone who spends more time than I’d care to admit in those spaces, it’s amusing to see the kneejerk rejections, shipping, dumb jokes, and even eventual acceptance from the ranks of the Extremely Online:tm:.
But I like the Titans East bits just as well. There’s something relatable to their being substitute heroes trying to prove themselves and finding the public disinterested or, even worse, constantly comparing them to the mainline Titans. Their grumbling and desire to do the job well enough to earn their way into the city’s good graces is good stuff.
I particularly like how the two stories come together. Control Freak’s unique challenges for each of the Titans East are clever (despite the responses of his online echo chamber), and I appreciate that it requires our heroes to find smart solutions rather than just muscle or blast their way through. I’m always a fan of problems that the good guys have to work smarter not harder to solve, and the ticking clocks in each provide some easy but still solid tension.
The fact that the little victories and big splashes made by the Titans East earns them the respect of not only their suddenly adoring public, but Control Freak himself, is a great way to establish the team as just as good and worthy as our usual Titans. Overall, a fun and well-built episode.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-08-22T18:31:34Z
[7.4/10] I was wary of this episode after Control Freak’s last appearance. But I needn’t have been! This is a great use for the superpowered fanboy character! On his end of the episode, the show pokes gentle fun at the fandom. And on the Titans East side of the ledger, there’s a strong throughline to them proving themselves to a skeptical city (and fanbase) as replacement heroes for the Titans West.
(As an aside, I like that after I mentioned in my last review that it’d be nice to see what the Titans East were up to, they show up in the very next episode! Thank you, writers from sixteen years ago!)
The shtick with Control Freak was a lot of fun. I enjoyed him plotting specific countermeasures for the Titans West, only to find them ineffective and less fun against the TItans East. (And I loved the 16-bit throwback vibe to it.) Even better is the spoof of fan reactions to everything. As someone who spends more time than I’d care to admit in those spaces, it’s amusing to see the kneejerk rejections, shipping, dumb jokes, and even eventual acceptance from the ranks of the Extremely Online:tm:.
But I like the Titans East bits just as well. There’s something relatable to their being substitute heroes trying to prove themselves and finding the public disinterested or, even worse, constantly comparing them to the mainline Titans. Their grumbling and desire to do the job well enough to earn their way into the city’s good graces is good stuff.
I particularly like how the two stories come together. Control Freak’s unique challenges for each of the Titans East are clever (despite the responses of his online echo chamber), and I appreciate that it requires our heroes to find smart solutions rather than just muscle or blast their way through. I’m always a fan of problems that the good guys have to work smarter not harder to solve, and the ticking clocks in each provide some easy but still solid tension.
The fact that the little victories and big splashes made by the Titans East earns them the respect of not only their suddenly adoring public, but Control Freak himself, is a great way to establish the team as just as good and worthy as our usual Titans. Overall, a fun and well-built episode.