TV Review: Titans Season 2 Episode 3

Titans Season 2 Episode 3 “Ghosts”

Director: Kevin Tancharoen

Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Teagan Croft, Anna Diop, Ryan Potter, Curran Walters, Conor Leslie, Minka Kelly, Alan Ritchson, Chelsea Zhang, Esai Morales

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 47 minutes

This season of Titans feels completely different from season one. We know the characters, and it’s no longer “What’s going on with Rachel?” the whole time. Not only that, but I think they’re embracing the comic side of things more. The show still has that edge to it, but there’s a new life to it. It’s a lot more fun than season 1 is.

“Ghosts” brings the Titans together, mostly. Everyone but Kori is together at Titans tower, trying to tackle their Doctor Light problem. It’s not a happy reunion, as along with their old villain, they learn that Rose’s father is Deathstroke. With that taking a backseat, Dick, Donna, Hank, and Dawn try to take down Doctor Light. Meanwhile, Kori is with Faddei, a Tamaranean royal guard member, who’s trying to take her back to Tamaran.

Curran Walters as Jason Todd is such an ass. As a character, Jason Todd is annoying and headstrong, and someone you don’t want to like. But Walters is perfect in that role and I love it. With these enemies from their past coming back, there’s obviously going to be tension in the team, and you can feel it between the actors. Dick and Hank have been at odds since we first see them together, and Brenton Thwaites and Alan Ritchson definitely bring it. We see more of Deathstroke, Slade Wilson, than we have before in this episode. I love the costume, it’s straight from the pages of the New 52 comics. And Esai Morales is a good Slade Wilson. He’s quiet and intense in what we see, and it fits the character.

Doctor Light isn’t as comic accurate as I think he could’ve been. You can see the helmet is the same shape, but the rest is more of a mechanical harness. For as much as this show goes for it, there are some parts where it holds back for sure. And speaking of Doctor Light, I like that there are villains this time. Villains plural. We know Deathstroke is the main villain, but it’s cool to see what and who they’re pulling from the comics. There’s even a mention of H.I.V.E. at one point. 

There are teases of things that I’m sure we’ll be seeing come up, that are staples of the comic book Teen Titans. Rose mentions her brother is dead, and there’s a bunch of talk about why the Titans broke up. Fans who know the comics will see where the season is heading, and fans who don’t will soon discover. If I have one issue with this show, it’s always been the special effects. I don’t think it’s too bad in this episode, but it’s still something that I wish would get better. Besides that, I think “Ghosts” has everything that makes Titans such a good show. Great character interactions, some good fight choreography, and a story that takes heavily from the comic books.

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