There's always been a certain allure for DC creators and fans to imagine a squad of sidekicks fighting crime and saving the world. The Teen Titans have been around since the 1960s and had a revitalization in the 1980s through comic books. Their enduring popularity had been seen in several animated series, the most significant being Teen Titans in the early 2000s.
A decade long build up for a new Titans story set the stage for an announcement in 2017 about a live action series titled Titans, which came as major delight to DC enthusiasts. Not only was the series well-received, but there's no shortage of talent in the cast. Teagan Croft has a great juxtaposition of power and vulnerability, heartthrob Brenton Thwaites became a perfect Dick Grayson, and Anna Diop was an all around badass Starfire. With so many stellar performances, it's hard to determine which one stands out the most.
10 Ryan Potter As Beast Boy Captured A Likable Essence.
Ryan Potter brings an adolescent charm to the character Beast Boy. Fans met Garfield Logan as a tiger, who shape-shiftted back to his original state and was unofficially adopted by the Doom Patrol. Gar's chance encounter with Rachel tempted him to question certain aspects of his adoption by Chief.
Beast Boy eventually joined the Titans and brought his friendly and loyal energy with him. Potter's appeal was his ability match the energy of the iconic shape-shifter that everyone loves.
9 Melody Johnson As Nuclear Mom Was Chilling
Melody Johnson is overlooked in an amazing array of villains this series provides. That may be due to her appearance in the first season being very brief. However, in the short time Johnson played the Nuclear Mom — who attempted to track down Rachel — Johnson nailed the creepy smile of a suburban mother turned brainwashed assassin.
The Nuclear Family as a whole nailed the chilling mood, but Johnson was the standout. It's unfortunate her character met an untimely demise because more could've been done with Johnson's character.
8 Iain Glen Brings A New Layer Of Complexity To Bruce Wayne
There have been plenty of iterations of Bruce Wayne and plenty of debate on who is the better Batman. One dark horse who isn't often mentioned is Iain Glen. The Scottish Game of Thrones actor has been hailed by fans for encompassing a complexity to the character of Bruce Wayne that hasn't been touched on in other mediums.
It's no secret Bruce Wayne is a tortured, brooding hero, but this is the one of the few times viewers may not like Bruce. Titans does an excellent job exploring the complicated father figure. Glen captured similar moments as Jorah Mormont with Daenerys (however that's way more complicated).
7 Alan Ritchson As Hawk Left A Mark On The Series
Alan Ritchson had previously played Aquaman in Smallville and fans weren't too crazy about his upcoming Titans role. However, Ritchson soared as Hawk. Ritchson's accomplishments with his performance could be aided by the growth of the character.
Seasons 1 and 2 of Titans saw Hank Hall as a more aggressive character whose protectiveness got the best of him. But as the series continued, Ritchson brought a sense of levity to serious situations, such as Hank's death. No longer a member of the cast, Ritchson's impression left a mark on the series.
6 Esai Morales Was An Intriguing Deathstroke
Morales had experience playing blood-curdling villains before Titans. TV fans might've caught Morales portraying the role of brutal cartel leader Camino Del Rio from the hit Netflix series Ozark. Morales carried this menacing vibe into his brief appearance as Deathtroke during Season Two.
As opposed to his character in Ozark, Morales' portrayal of Deathstroke is able to elicit empathy as a caring father figure. Much like other roles in Titans, Morales role was brief, but memorable.
5 Curran Walters Brings A Youthful Zest To Jason Todd
When Curren Walters came on the scene, he stood out as the Jason Todd diehard Batman fans have come to know. He embodied a boyish nature mixed with a dangerous and mischievous aura that's always embodied the tragic version of Robin. Walter's performance as Jason Todd was the perfect dichotomy to Thwaites' Dick Grayson.
Both Todd and Grayson had different feelings when they first met. These opinions varied from views of justice to their shared mentor Bruce Wayne. But their similarity was in their intense feelings and chaotic childhoods. Maybe it's the Walter's charm and good looks, but he definitely nailed the role of the infamous sophomore Robin.
4 Vincent Kartheiser As Scarecrow Is Accurately Sociopathic
Before Titans, many viewers were introduced to Vincent Kartheiser when he was the slimy ad executive Pete Campbell in Mad Men. Titans enthusiasts praised Kartheiser for capturing the sociopathic nature of Jonathan Crane. Kartheiser's performance as the Scarecrow rivaled Cillian Murphy's performance from Batman Begins.
Fans saw Jonathan Crane go from a likable loser to a demented supervillain whose character arc was nailed by Kartheiser's ability to make viewers like and hate him at the same time. The descent into madness added a refreshing take on a Batman villain who has rarely been explored in live action, on-screen mediums.
3 Anna Diop Is Stunningly Confident As Starfire
Starfire is arguably the coolest character on the show. Diop's demeanor added a cool and confident attitude to Kory Andrews — aka Starfire — aka Koriand'r. Fans were also treated to Kory's devilish coolness when she made a move on Dick Grayson in the first season, leading to a steamy love scene.
Diop brought value to her performance in a crucial way, able to bring a sense of enticing humanity to a character originally sent to earth to kill Rachel Roth. Starfire is definitely a badass but much like Rachel, her confusion over her immense powers also led to moments of doubt.
2 Teagan Croft Showed Vulnerable as Raven
Rachel Roth is an extremely important character. One of the most powerful Titans, Rachel is at times one of the most vulnerable. This incredibly powerful empathic Titan is sold by the stellar performance of Teagan Croft.
While the audience has respect for Raven's power, fans were also able to connect with her insecurity and loneliness. Croft achieved the balance of timid innocence mixed with powerful rage. A key player in Titans, her chemistry with Thwaites remained central to most of the story arcs.
1 Brenton Thwaites Nailed One Of The Most Important Roles As Nightwing
Many fans have argued that Titans' plot is really just a Nightwing story. Dick Grayson was such a central figure to the series, the showrunners needed someone to nail the role. Not only did Brenton Thwaites have the look of Nightwing, Thwaites's performance brought deep maturity to the grown up Robin — a crucial ingredient since Nightwing was the de-facto father figure and dealt with the youthful pitfalls of Jason Todd, Beast Boy, and Rachel.
Thwaites' Nightwing had to balance the responsibility of being a leader while battling his own demons and trauma. It's a Robin story that viewers often don't see. Many writers feel Nightwing was the glue holding the show together and that's no small thanks to Thwaites' acting. Fans are excited to see how Dick Grayson may evolve in Season Four.