WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Doom Patrol Season 3, Episode 10, "Amends Patrol" now streaming on HBO Max.
The stakes on HBO Max's Doom Patrol continue to rise, and in Season 3, vendettas become more personal than ever. The hit superhero show typically ends each season with the team rallying together to save the day from the latest undefeatable threat, but in "Amends Patrol," Rita has one thing on her mind: vengeance.
In Season 3's "1917 Patrol," Rita time traveled, arriving in Iowa in 1917 with no prior memories. She ends up working in the mailroom of the Bureau of Normalcy and falls in love with Malcolm, another metahuman. But when her boss -- none other than Laura De Mille, aka Madame Rouge -- betrays them, things get messy quickly. Bureau guards murder Malcolm as he stands his ground defending Rita. Now, back in the present day, Rita must rise above her overwhelming hatred for Madame Rouge to stop the Brotherhood of Evil and rescue Cliff. April Bowlby spoke with CBR about this season's journey and Rita's vendetta.
CBR: Part of the fun of the Doom Patrol is the out-of-the-box, weird and wacky episodes. What bizarre narrative really caught you off guard this season?
April Bowlby: There are so many bizarre elements to our show. They layer on top of layer. I would honestly say the zombie episode. It's crazy with the zombie butts and all the characters as zombies. It was such a joy to create Rita in the way she speaks. And then, all of a sudden in this episode, everyone has to create their own zombie character and we all speak differently as zombies. Not to mention, the makeup is so intense. Not only were we different characters, but we were zombie characters. That was the wackiest.
How would you say this finale differs from previous seasons?
This finale -- I feel like at the end of this season, each character has truly been through so much with facing their subconscious. I think we have arrived at an "a-ha moment" as the Doom Patrol. Everyone has fundamentally changed. We are getting our shit together. It's kind of like when you date the person you know is going to break your heart. Eventually, you stop dating that type of person. You start choosing a better mate that is actually going to uplift you and support you. That's where we end. We are choosing so much better. We've had this awakening.
This season has been all about self-reflection and growth. What has Rita learned about herself?
Rita learned she is not a wet blanket. She learned that she can love. She can love so deeply that she is overwhelmed with revenge. She didn't want to put her foot into anything. Rita wanted to sit back and be in her movies and lament the past. I think she's really found that she's more than that. Rita is moving forward by taking charge and leading the team, especially in the finale. She believes in herself.
As the team comes together in these finales, it's all about saving the day. Where is Rita's headspace going into this episode?
Her mind is on revenge. Rita is blind with revenge. She forgets all about being part of a team, that this is her lovely, dysfunctional family. She becomes completely set on punishing Rouge. It causes a lot of issues for everyone, that we once again have to overcome and move through. She's mad with rage.
The Brain makes Rita an offer she might not be able to refuse. How long and hard does she have to contemplate that decision?
She thinks pretty hard. I know she has to make a decision pretty quickly. But there's definitely a dangerous moment for Rita when she is deciding. It's a real conundrum.
The Brain offers her everything she wants on a plate.
Yes, I don’t think it's an easy choice for her. She has to dig really hard to choose a better outcome and not go where one should not go.
Rita almost crosses the line with Madame Rouge, too. How much greater was that temptation to literally, and figuratively, throttle this person she hates?
For Rita to get her hands on Madame Rouge -- which she literally does, thank God for Rita's stretching. She's using her powers this season. I think she absolutely wants to kill Madame Rouge. Sadly, Madame Rouge is in her head and knows how to make Rita second-guess herself with the shapeshifting. But I really do think Rita, 100%, wants to kill Rouge and is going to do everything she can to make that happen.
From the beginning of the series, Rita viewed herself and her teammates as freaks and outcasts. In what way has that perspective shifted? And what does that mean for the team moving forward into season four?
Our show tells so many stories and one of them being shame, the shame we all have to deal with. That's why we felt so separated from the world and we didn't feel accepted, because we were treated this way. We are freaks and nobody loves us. We destroy everything we touch. We can't trust ourselves. This shame builds up and we are isolated. That's the story we go with, "We are not worthy. We are not a part of this. It's not our world. We have to build our own world."
The way they are, the Doom Patrol accidentally get in trouble, and they are exposed to the world. Each season is painful and hilarious, but they are actually growing through this experience. I guess practice makes perfect. In the beginning, it's just awful. You can't ride that bike and you fall over. You don't want to get back on, but you have to get back on the bike. That's where we are really at by the end of Season 3: they are learning to ride their bikes. Rita has a beautiful speech at the end. "Why can't we be heroes? Why can't we make out own story?" They embrace the freakiness. It's a positive thing. It's not shameful. It's actually fantastic.
Does that mean they will become full-fledged superheroes next season? Can they embrace that side of themselves?
I know Rita is going to. I say, "Yes!" I want our superhero costumes.
Are you leaning towards the old-school costume with the little skirt or something modern?
You know it. I like the old school with the skirt. But I wouldn't mind a pantsuit. As long as it's red and white, I am good to go.
And the headband?
Headband. Yes! Obviously, yes! And maybe a scarf, too.
All three seasons of Doom Patrol are streaming now on HBO Max.