The Doom Patrol is one of those shows with the ability to introduce a guest character each week, further exploring the wild and outlandish history of the team since the team’s inception. The third season is no stranger to that, bringing us new characters like Garguax and some new fan favorites, the Dead Boy Detectives. Fans were excited to hear that some of the works of Neil Gaiman would be brought to life in Doom Patrol. Prior to this season’s debut, it was announced that a pilot had been ordered for a potential Dead Boy Detectives series exclusive to HBO Max. However, the boys and their friend Crystal may not be the same as when we first see them in Doom Patrol season 3. Fans have since taken to Twitter with the hashtag #KeepTheDeadBoysCast in the hopes the Powers that Be would stick with the current cast.
It’s funny to think that Doom Patrol originally spun out of a one-episode appearance on Titans and now the debut of the Dead Boys will serve as a type of backdoor pilot for the gang. But these situations seem to be a bit too familiar. The Doom Patrol we first met on Titans was a bit different than what we would get in the show, as Niles Caulder actor Bruno Bichir would eventually be recast with Timothy Dalton, while the rest of the cast would remain the same. The initial report that the Dead Boys would be getting their own show mentioned that the actors for Crystal Palace, Charles Rowland, and Edwin Paine (Madalyn Horcher, Sebastian Croft, and Ty Tennant) may not be set to reprise the roles in the potential spin-off and would be recast.
Essentially they may be doing the same thing they did with Titans and Doom Patrol. While it remains a spin-off, they would most likely set it on another earth to make sense of the recast and not be held back by prior creative choices, allowing them to start fresh. Fans who fell head over heels for the supernatural detectives have taken to social media to make their voice heard, supported by actress Madalyn Horcher, who plays Crystal Palace.
Dead Boy Detectives is in early development at HBO Max with Steve Yockey serving as writer and executive producer on the pilot project. Alongside Yockey are Greg Berlanti and Jeremy Carver who’ll be serving as executive producers as well. It is unclear if the #KeepTheDeadBoysCast campaign will be heard and heeded by those in charge of the spinoff series. We here at the Cosmic Circus loved the casting, so here’s hoping the actors stay cast.
For more about the Doom Patrol, check out my review of the first three episodes of season 3. I’ve also put together a list of Doom Patrol season 3 recommended reading, including for the Dead Boy Detectives!
[Editor’s Note: This article was written by John Sabato.]
