I’ve been anxiously awaiting the premiere of Joss Whedon’s little project for months now. I followed its progress, word-of-mouthed it to death, and read every tidbit I could get my hands on. It just sounded cool, you know? Despite all of that, I really knew very little about the plot. This is all I knew;

• It would be a musical.
• It starred Buffy/Firefly alum. Nathan Fillion (Evil Priest Caleb on Buffy and Captain Tightpants on Firefly, and Felicia Day, who played a potential Slayer in Buffy’s final TV season and currently enjoys much success with her web series “The Guild”) and much-admired actor of mine, Neil Patrick Harris.
• Joss and Co. (including brothers and wives of brothers) wrote the story during the writer’s strike and found a way to release it online. Something that’s become highly touted and “groundbreaking” - although there have been a lot of popular web series available online for some time. Perhaps not one on this scale though. Still, it’s not exactly new, is it? Someone clue me in on this.

That’s it. That’s all I knew. The power of Joss and the draw of the actors was enough to make this highly anticipated for me. Finally, though, artwork started to appear. Then Joss found a way to release it and we had some Real Live dates to look forward to. Oh happy day!

I think a lot of the hype centered around the way this thing was being released. It’s an experiment. An idea to perhaps release something for free, for a limited time online, and then make available to own through iTunes for a small fee (it ended up being a mere $3.99 to own all three acts), and then if it does well enough, try to capitalize on it by merchandising and putting out a soundtrack and DVD with extras.

So far it’s working. I watched it for free, loved the ever-loving crap out of it, plunked down my 4 bucks so I could take Dr. Horrible with me (indeed, I watched it on the ‘pod waiting for Batman to start yesterday ) and by God I will buy the soundtrack and DVD. Why? Because I am a fan. I’m in this Whedon fandom for the long haul and part of being a fan is supporting it. Plus I think that maybe the cast and crew would like to get paid

So! The show itself. I already mentioned I loved it. Yes indeed I did. I’ll refrain from a full-blown recap because you can find those anywhere with a little Googling (or, you know, iTunes. 4 Bucks. That’s all I’m saying.) Instead, my basic reactions following each Act ranged from, “Oh my God Nathan can sing!” to “Noooooooooooooo!”

I found myself feeling strange about rooting for a “bad guy” and disliking the superhero. Dr. Horrible’s quest to join the Evil League of Evil was alternately hilarious and tragic. Ok, I guess I can’t talk about it without some kind of recap. Here goes (SPOILERS - LOOK AWAY NOW IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN, FOR WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN CANNOT BE UNSEEN):

Dr. Horrible keeps making attempts to join the Evil League of Evil run by ultimate bad guy, Bad Horse - the Thoroughbred of Sin. Every time, he is thwarted by his arch-nemesis, Captain Hammer. On one of his attempts, he inadvertently introduces Penny, the girl of his dreams, to Captain Hammer and they begin to date.

Bad Horse informs Dr. Horrible that the only way he will be allowed into the ELE is by murdering someone. Dr. Horrible is conflicted. He’s got morals, and doesn’t think murder is a line he wants to cross. He only wants to rule the world and cause social change. And get the girl. Until Penny introduces him to Captain Hammer, who recognizes him, and taunts him, and suddenly, Dr. Horrible has found his victim. In one of the best songs in all three acts, Dr. Horrible decides Captain Hammer must die.

In the final act, Dr. Horrible carries out his plan to kill Captain Hammer. But things go awry, as they always do, and Penny is the accidental victim. His death ray explodes and shrapnel gets her. Her death is what gets him into the Evil League of Evil (where he joins with the likes of Fake Thomas Jefferson, and Dead Bowie) and his grief causes him to just give up on any semblance of being good. Presumably, he goes on to perform true acts of evil, fueled by that grief.

Okay, so there’s a quick recap. But watch it anyway, because there’s so much more to it than that.

The first two acts left me singing and tapping my foot. I enjoyed the sweet, gentle songs from Penny, a do-gooder who is trying to get funding for a homeless shelter. Captain Hammer was obnoxious and arrogant. Who might be gay. Jury’s still out, but he does enjoy lacy, wafting curtains I really wanted Dr. Horrible to do him in by the end of it. Hammer was only interested in dating Penny so he could do the “freaky” stuff and because he knew Dr. Horrible loved her. Jerk.

And the Doctor. The Doctor who put his blog and plans out there on the intertubes for all to see, not realizing the LAPD and Captain Hammer watched it and therefore were able to thwart him and toss cars at his head. Bumbling, inept Dr. Horrible who can’t get his foot in the door with Bad Horse, and who loved Penny terribly, and maybe should not use pie as a metaphor.

After I saw the final act, I have to say I was scratching my head a little. Joss, who seems incapable of going for the happy ending - not that there’s anything wrong with that, angstaholic here, kills Penny. A shocking moment in an otherwise fun and upbeat, goofball show.

This bothered me I guess. Until I thought about it.

Don’t a lot of “bad guys” in superhero stories usually end up evil because they’ve suffered some sort of trauma that disintegrated any shred of morality they might have been hanging onto? Something that pushed them over the edge? In watching all three acts, we’re really watching the evolution of a true bad guy. No he doesn’t get the girl in the end who saves him from himself and they live happily ever after and everything is sunshine and puppies. Instead we get a misguided misfit, who might actually have good intentions, has some semblance of morality, who then has every illusion he knows completely shattered all to hell. So, since he has nothing to be good for, he might as well go all out and become truly evil - something he only really ever had a vague idea about.

For me, it’s that context that makes Dr. Horrible work for me. The Evolution of a Bad Guy, with songs.

Thank you Joss, Jed, Zack, and Maurissa for writing this little gem. And thank you to your cast and crew who worked for peanuts (possibly literally) to put this together for us. I think it was a success

It’s exclusively available on iTunes now. Four dollars. Price of a gallon of gas. Less than a #3 at Mickey D’s. Less than a movie ticket. Slightly more than a gallon of milk. You probably have that much in change in your couch. Go buy it.

The first act is up and running. I laughed, I cried, I grinned like an idiot Oh Joss Whedon, how I wish I was half as talented. Oh Felicia Day, you looked so sweet. Oh Neil Patrick Harris, I loved the facial ticks and masterful mix of evil genius and bumbling, shy geek. And Nathan Fillion… Nathan, Nathan, Nathan. Words fail me.

I’ll be in my bunk.

So I’m trying to get back in the swing of things. Things have been, shall we say, whacked out crazy insane? around here for a while but it’s settling down. One of the things occupying a majority of my time is getting read for Music Madness. It’s a bit of a bear to get this tournament up and running by myself, but fun too. So that’s one of the Big Reasons I haven’t been posting. The rest I can’t talk about.

So what is on telly lately? Well, I finally finished Battlestar Galactica up through the phenomenal scene when Admiral Adama discovers who some of the hidden cylons are. I think that was the most powerful scene I’ve seen in a long time. Edward James Olmos’ breakdown was heartrending.

Now, after finding out everything I needed to find out, I’ve been rewatching it from the start. Slower this time and it’s almost… delicious to rewatch some of these scenes, knowing what I know (I’m trying to be sly so I don’t spoil anyone.)

Some things that I think might have been overdone or kind of tedious are the imaginary convos Dr. Baltar kept having with the #6 model cylon. At first it really worked in a greek chorus kind of way, but then they kept doing it. And kept doing it. And finally, I was tired of it. I think the religious themes were sort of heavy-handed as well. But I can put up with both if it means I get otherwise fantastic, the-way-it-should-be-done sci-fi.

What else… The finale of Hell’s Kitchen was the other night. I’m fine with the winner, and I’m damn glad the whiny, self-absorbed, crass, classless Jen was booted off. It always amuses me to see these chef wannabes argue with Gordon Ramsay, as if they know better. Come on now. He’s Gordon F***ing Ramsay. You just don’t argue with him. And a word of advice from a former kitchen grunt: if you’re booted off Hell’s Kitchen, but brought back to help the finalists out on the last service, don’t freaking ask Gordon for a letter of recommendation, and then act like a beeyotch the whole night. Sore loser, thy name is Jen.

Lastly, for now, don’t forget that Dr. Horrible’s first installment will be online July 15th at drhorrible.com! It’s getting rave reviews!