While Doom Patrol has been another success for the DC Universe streaming service, it hasn’t matched Titans in terms of popularity. DC Universe launched last year as a home to the bulk of DC’s films and TV shows, as well as to an expanding catalog of digital comics.
But any streaming service really stands or falls on the quality of its original content. DC Universe’s flagship TV series was Titans, a dark and brutal adaptation of a classic superhero adventure in which a demonic force attempted to invade the Earth. Despite mixed reviews, it was a hit; according to third-party analytics, Titans got ever more popular as the series went on. That’s understandably left viewers very curious about how the current show, Doom Patrol, compares.
According to data analytics company Parrot Analytics, who measure online demand for TV series, Doom Patrol has been another success. Running through March, it’s consistently been one of the most popular digital originals in the United States, with demand ranking slightly below CBS’ Star Trek: Discovery. However, Doom Patrol doesn’t compare as well to Titans, which is still the third most in-demand digital original - over three months after the season 1 finale aired.
It’s clear that DC made a wise choice in making Titans their flagship show. This, of course, reflects the strength of the Teen Titans brand; in 2003, DC launched a classic Teen Titans series that’s still considered one of the best-animated superhero shows of the last 20 years. The children who tuned in to Teen Titans in the early 2000s are adults now, and DC Universe’s far more mature Titans is aimed straight at them. DC evidently recognized that Doom Patrol wasn’t quite so strong a brand, using the fourth episode of Titans season 1 as backdoor pilot.
More concerning for Doom Patrol, however, is the fact that its popularity seems to be waning as the series continues. Although it started well, following a similar trend to Titans, demand has dropped through March. While Doom Patrol is still performing well enough to be a success, then, it’s not quite so much of a hit as Titans. It’s possible DC suspected this might be the case, as they’ve handled the two shows slightly differently. Titans was renewed for a second season before a single episode had aired, while Doom Patrol season 2 still hasn’t been confirmed. Any decision will presumably depend on the viewing figures by the end of this season.
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