Welcome to Happy Harbor
Jay Oliva Directs with Kevin Hopps on script as we follow up the much acclaimed and well received post-pilot run!
This episode is embedded with a bit more teen angst, mis-interactions and surprisingly, a bit more gusto...from characters we'd least expect it from.
Jeff Bennett steals a lot from this episode for me with his vocal depiction of Red Tornado as he was spot on in this casting.
This episode follows the team getting to know their base a bit more intimately with Miss Martian, M'Gann', innocently invading the privacy of the team members. While her intentions are well-placed, Aqualad does display the proper leadership skills required to correct the scenario, but it's Superboy that adds the dramatic flair needed to tone the episode to serious levels. It's a blistering tirade when this kid flips his lid, and it could not come at worse a time, as Red Tornado sends the team on an investigative mission.
The youngsters come up against a re-imagined villain in Mister Twister, and while it's not an unfamiliar design, the re-tweaking and attitude of the villain is most welcome. The downfall here though is where Superboy is underpowered to a point where he seems peripheral, and with all due respect, the facets of Wally and Robin, are severely underwhelmed and underplayed. Sure, we need to see them weak and not at their strongest, but this was an elementary and literally elemental villain, that really these heroes should have taken down, even at their weakest point. It seems that the producers of this show may need a much stronger opposition cast if they're to not make the team seem like bumbling kindergarten kids.
The highlights do come in the climax with Aqualad and M'Gann showing their worth and no pun intended, true grit, as they deliver with the others, a well orchestrated finale, that even Red Tornado would be proud of. The strategist I thought would have been Robin, but the little twist was one that surprised me, and that says a lot...as this overall, proved to be a well-written episode despite the lack of team cohesion and performance, as expected.
Seeing T.O. Morrow and Bromwell Stikk rear their heads is just icing on the cake, as it reminded me that in addition to Blockbuster, seeing some obscure villains given a boost to take on these younglings...may well be a stroke of success by the guys shelling out this cartoon. It's a nice embroidery of Teen Titans and Justice League that we missed for a long time on the tele.
It's funny and witter banter, complimented by a well-rounded ensemble cast, solid voice-work, and a comedy of errors meshed in DC animated kickass 'tude...that said, this recipe continues to stomach pretty well.