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Back when Firefly was all the rage, ThinkGeek used to sell shirts that said, “JOSS WHEDON IS MY MASTER NOW.” They eventually went on clearance and disappeared - much like the man himself, after the cancellation. He popped briefly back into public view to make Serenity, then to announce the Buffy comic, then was gone again…until now.

And the blogosphere is buzzing with news of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. (I’ve progressed to using the word “blogosphere” without a hint of irony. The transformation is now complete.) I think we all feel the massive responsibility of watching, reviewing, and loving this project - it is low-budget, charming, and most of all, gauranteed to go unnoticed by traditional media. It’s our job to talk about it, because no one else will.

Plus, it has the word “blog” in it.

Dr. Horrible’s etc. will be released in three acts, which are all currently available at DrHorrible.com. I’ll begin with an examination of Act I.

We are introduced immediately to Dr. Horrible, played with effortless awkwardness by former teen star Neil Patrick “Doogie Howser” Harris. After sinking into obscurity following the end of his reign as T.V.’s wunderkind, he has returned in recent years to self-parody, come out of the closet, and don a white lab coat and goggles. Every actor’s dream.

Dr. Horrible is an aspiring villian, strongly reminiscent of Whedon’s “Trio” in Buffy, particularly Andrew. Timid and unsure, he puts on a brave face for his video blog, in which he answers critical letters and tries to make himself sound like a successful bad guy.

Soon enough, we learn that Dr. Horrible has a nemesis. Captain Hammer - here, Nathan Fillion proves he can play almost anything, as long as it has a vaguely Southern accent - who is basically virtuous, yet abrasive and shallow. We also learn that Dr. Horrible’s love interest, whom he often encounters at the laundromat, doesn’t even know he exists.

While executing his plan to freeze time and determine how to talk to Penny, explained in song form, Dr. Horrible runs into his lady love by chance. But Captain Hammer comes between them, sending Dr. Horrible home with his tail between his legs.

Yes, it’s a musical, and it works. Harris can sing, as can Felicia Day as Penny. Fillion really can’t, but he sells it anyway - the mark of a true actor. Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is more entertaining than anything else I can think of, off the top of my head, that you can watch 24/7 for free. So give it a shot.

Tags: recreation, hobbies, pop culture

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