Titans: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Titans: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Titans: The Complete Third Season propels our heroes forward in a universe that is both darker and grittier than what fans have experienced in the comics or the animated iterations of the team. At this point, the actors are very comfortable in their roles and with each other, and that familiarity shines through in every scene. For those who wish to catch up on what has come before, you can read about the first season here and the second season here. The third season provides each character with an arc that serves to flesh them out a bit more, and an overarching challenge and villain that impacts every single episode. Much more daring than the DC "Arrowverse" content on the CW, Titans is decidedly adult fare that rewards those who grew up reading the comics as well as those who didn't.

Official synopsis: In the explosive third season, Jason Todd's (Curran Walters) journey as Robin comes to a gruesome end, only for him to return to Gotham with a vengeance to take down his old team as Red Hood. Meanwhile, Barbara Gordon (Savannah Welch), the former Batgirl and current acting commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department is wary of the Titans being back in Gotham, but her history with Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites) convinces her to accept their help in the GCPD's investigation of the Red Hood. Also assisting the investigation is Dr. Johnathan Crane (Vincent Kartheiser), a onetime Super-Villan and current inmate of Arkham Asylum.

Season Three brings the Titans to Gotham City, which might as well be a giant neon sign indicating that a dark show is about to get even darker. Jason Todd is dead. The Titans, especially Nightwing (Dick Grayson portrayed by Brenton Thwaites), feel responsible. And that simple notion colors and influences everything this season. It's something that's hardly surprising and completely appropriate, because more than just about any other comic book team, the Teen Titans (or Titans), have always lived in the shadow of their fallen teammates. Perhaps it is because of their youth that loss and death resonate more strongly with them. They've not lived long enough to have had to say goodbye very often. Perhaps it is the reckless bravado of youth - they feel unstoppable and invincible - so that when they are brutally reminded that they can fail, that everyone doesn't always get to go home, that those deaths can bring them to their knees. Or maybe it's because as a Titan, they're not a sidekick, they're not a junior version of anyone bigger, stronger, smarter, and better. They are a full member of the team. The buck stops with them. So when they come up short and someone dies, it's a little sliver of doubt that slips in, nagging at them that they failed their friend and the team because, in their youth and in their rush to prove themselves, they weren't yet really enough to handle the situation they're jumping into. But, whatever the psychological underpinnings, death looms large in Season Three and it's inescapable.

Jason Todd has never been one of the best-loved DC characters. In the comics, his stint as Robin came to an abrupt end as fans overwhelmingly voted for the character to die. I'm not at all ashamed to admit that as someone who saw his version of Robin as whiny, difficult, and entitled, I was very happy to see him go and be replaced by the far superior Tim Drake. In this season, the best Jason Todd moments are when he's Red Hood. As a villain, he's much more compelling and likable than he ever was as Robin. He's no longer trying to prove himself. He also never really has to actually get along with anyone, even his "partner". But as soon as the mask comes off, he's the same Jason Todd. He's damaged, he's impatient, he's difficult, he's reckless, and he's irritating. All of this is, of course, to say that Curran Walters does a fantastic job in this "dual" role.

Another bright spot in the season has to be Savannah Welch's Barbara Gordon. In a series populated with colorful characters with amazing powers, Welch's enormous screen presence is undeniable and unique. She's instantly compelling and captivating, her character is smartly written and is expertly brought to life. No matter the situation, Ms. Gordon is never less than equal to those with whom she squares off, either mentally or physically. While I found myself wishing the Titans would leave Gotham and return to the coast so that we might meet their more traditional rogues gallery, the most significant reason for them to stay is Gordon. However, even outside of Gotham, there is a place at the table for her as Oracle.

The most frustrating part of the season is the tendency for the team to split up. While it is undeniably a team show, our heroes have a proclivity to peel off in pairs or go solo, usually espousing some version of, "This is something I have to do...alone." when they do it. Even after they make that decision and things go completely sideways they still maintain that mindset and try to handle things on their own rather than bringing the full force of the team to bear on the situation. At one point in the season, Beast Boy (Ryan Potter) even calls this out and reminds his peers of the negative outcomes they've experienced as a result of not working as a team. Does this impact things? Unfortunately, not really. But, as expected, when we get to the climactic battle, the full team finally rallies to try and defeat the evil facing Gotham.

The following episodes comprise season three. The brief summaries are intended to provide a general summary of each episode without spoiling anything that cannot be discerned or deduced from the cover art or the official synopsis:

Disc One:

Titans: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Despite Gotham's dark a gritty setting, the 1080p transfer is very solid and does a great job delivering depth and detail. Blacks are satisfying but don't crush or absorb elements that we need to see. As much as blues, greys, and blacks dominate the color palette of Titans, blasts of color abound. The purples in Starfire's costume are rich, vibrant, and wonderfully saturated, and instantly draw our eyes. The green in Beast Boy's hair also pops nicely, as do Red Hood's mask and Superboy's "S". Yellows of various shades and intensities appear in small amounts early in the season and grow more dominant and pervasive as Gotham becomes more and more infected by the drug plaguing the streets, offering a nice visual cue as to how bad things are getting. Environmental detail is also excellent, whether on Gotham's mean streets and dark alleys, or in the labyrinth hallways, nooks, and crannies of both Arkham Asylum and the infamous Batcave. Banding is an occasional issue, but that, thankfully, is the only video defect or issue on display.

Titans: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

From the opening strains of the theme song, it's clear that the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track isn't here to mess around. It isn't overlong, but the throbbing notes dominate the sound field with excellent texture and clarity. Once we get past that, the music is primarily there to support the action and is properly balanced with dialogue and sound effects. Action scenes and sounds are handled well, with explosions, and bursts of power from Starfire, Blackfire, and Superboy, bristling with intensity, satisfying crackles, and deep rumbles. But it's not all shock and awe. The track also handles the show's many dialogue-filled scenes perfectly as well, keeping dialogue prioritized and centered, with mood music comfortably nestled underneath, even in the quietest of moments. There are other moments where the music is allowed to swell and dominate, but that's all by design. Episode 5, Lazarus, was a particular favorite of mine with The Mission UK's Deliverance playing in the background, PiL's Bad Life getting showcased over the action, and New Kind of Kick from The Cramps being featured in the closing credits. The crispness and clarity of these tracks is astonishing and makes me wish for some remastered rereleases from these groups. It's a top-notch audio presentation.

Titans: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

All of the supplemental material is found on Disc Three. It includes:

Titans: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Titans continues to evolve and the third season benefits from a more cohesive and interesting unifying story, even if the characters drop in and out to participate in various side-quests. Some of those side-quests, specifically Jason Todd's transition and its aftermath, and the one exploring the relationship between Blackfire and Starfire, are particularly interesting and ripe with future storytelling potential. The just over 30 minutes of special features are an entertaining watch even if there is a small amount of overlap across the various segments. Thanks to very commendable audio and video presentations, Titans: The Complete Third Season springs to vibrant and detailed life and comes Highly Recommended to fans of the series and characters, both on-screen and in print.