Doom Patrol Season 2, Episode 5 recap: Friends and family turn on the team

The team is in disarray in Doom Patrol Season 2, Episode 5.

Doom Patrol Season 2, Episode 5 turns its focus on the team. Developing these characters has always been the show’s greatest asset and we’re back at it in this episode.

The team splits up with Cyborg trying to help Cliff get a new body, Rita and Larry visiting Larry’s son and Dorothy having a play-date with Jane’s Baby Doll personality. It all seems to go swimmingly but very soon things are on fire and people end up hurt.

Following the shenanigans of the first season finale, Danny Street was reduced to a brick. In the Season 2 premiere, Dorothy accidentally dropped the brick and broke Danny in two. In Doom Patrol Season 2, Episode 4, the Dannyzens – the people who lived on Danny Street – arrive at the Doom Manor to put them back together.

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Doom Patrol Season 2, Episode 5: Steele & Stone

Vic and Cliff haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but they’ve become close as two people bonding over their technological bodies.

Vic’s father Silas Stone (Phil Morris) had surgically grafted superior tech that allows Vic to have a close-to-normal life. Cliff, on the other hand, is little more than a living brain in a robot body.

Niles has been attempting to create a new body for Cliff that lets him feel sensation, but he’s decades away from succeeding. So, Cliff asks if Silas can help. Silas declines – he hates Niles and refuses to aid and abet his butchery of Cliff.

Cliff may be down in the dumps, but he perks up at the thought of him and Vic teaming up. Honestly, the trailer for Steele & Stone has me very excited at the prospect of these two patrolling together. The ridiculous 70s vibe and outfits are so on point, I really love it. Can we have a police procedural starring the two characters?

Related Story: Doom Patrol Season 2, Episode 4 recap

When Vic tells Cliff about struggling with his feelings for Roni, Cliff just tells him to jump back in and apologize for hastily ending their relationship. Roni accepts Vic’s apology and explains that she’s done a lot of bad things, including signing up with a covert organization that gave her powers. They also took the powers away when she failed. Vic forgives Roni for her mistakes and it seems like this romance is sticking around.

While Cliff is busy daydreaming about his buddy-cop team-up he catches two car thieves. But his arm malfunctions, sending one thief crashing into a nearby car and leaving the other without a finger when Cliff accidentally slams the door on him. Despite feeling terrible about the op gone wrong, Cliff pockets the bloody finger. But why?

Doom Patrol Season 2, Episode 5: Homecoming

Rita remembered details from her past where her mother’s nefarious activities with famous producers landed little Rita her starring roles. This has been a gut-punch to Rita’s confidence, which takes a tumble when she bombs an impromptu audition for a local theatre group.

To drown her sorrows, Rita accompanies Larry on his visit to meet his son Paul. Weirdly, the Trainor family seems to only have men in it – Larry, Paul, his son and grandson. Where are all the mothers and wives?

Larry is understandably emotional about reuniting with his family and his great-grandson Toby seems to get over his initial shock and really takes to Larry. Larry’s grandson, however, is aloof. It doesn’t help that Rita is on a tirade about her failed audition.

Paul is packing up his recently deceased brother’s belongings and Larry comes clean about him being gay and in love with John – he explains that his wife Cheryl knew about it, but he never gave her an out.

Paul tells Larry about how Cheryl was a wreck after Larry was presumed dead. She eventually moved on, and one of the men in her life told her about Larry being alive and part of a government cover-up. Cheryl became obsessed with conspiracy theories and even got Gary into it. Paul got out and tried to be a hero.

But that’s not all, Paul doesn’t believe Larry belongs in society and calls the authorities. As soon as Larry is surrounded, he sends the Negative Spirit to attack. This leads the trigger-happy SWAT team to fire – Rita is able to protect Toby, but Paul’s son is hit. Decrying Larry for bringing nothing but trouble to his family, Paul pretty much disowns his father as Rita and Larry attempt to escape.

Doom Patrol Season 2, Episode 5: Baby Doll on the Prowl

Jane is a mess. She’s the primary and main protector of Kay, but she keeps ruining things. Unable to take it, Baby Doll takes over as host. She’s a vivacious little girl and Niles knows exactly how to cheer her up. He introduces her to Dorothy.

Dorothy finally has a real person to spend the day with, instead of her imaginary friends, but Baby Doll is too exuberant, and callous. When she begs Dorothy to make one of her friends real, Baby Doll hurts the creature, angering Dorothy. Dorothy goes into a sulk, but Niles is able to patch up the friendship.

But, not so fast. Dorothy gets her own back at Baby Doll while they’re playing hide and seek. She scares the other girl who falls and hits her head. Enraged, Baby Doll (who is obviously unstable) locks Dorothy in a clothes dryer and threatens to set her on fire. Terrified, Dorothy makes a wish to the Candlemaker.

The creature enters Jane’s mind and starts destroying the Underground – it attacks anyone who comes in its way. A few personalities are definitely killed, including Baby Doll. The episode ends with Jane looking horrified at her fallen comrades with the marauding Candlemaker rampaging around her.

This episode took a turn! Doom Patrol Season 2, Episode 5 started off so sweet and innocent and now we’re unsure how many of the team are going to survive. There is no way Jane’s going to be the same again. A rift between her and Dorothy could spell doom for Doom Patrol.

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What did you think of Doom Patrol Season 2, Episode 5? Do you think there’s any hope that the team will stick together?