When Joss Whedon's internet project Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog was conceived during the 2008 writers strike and released independently to the internet, it in many ways represented old media venturing into the new. Whedon's team of established television writers and actors built on old media genre tropes of musicals and superheroes, but mixed in contemporary segmentation and a healthy dose of self-awareness for these savvy new internet viewers. The result is something that might be more at home in Whedon's world of fringe television and film; it doesn't exactly capture this wacky internet zeitgeist, but it does do a passable imitation and parody of it.
Neil Patrick Harris demonstrates some truly impressive singing chops as the titular doctor; his nerdy charisma propels the project throughout. Nathan Fillion is also great as the hilariously dickish Captain Hammer; he single-handedly provides nearly all of the project's laughs. Dr. Horrible falters when it skews too overtly jokey, but its clever songs and excellent cast make it a worthy addition the burgeoning new media canon, though most notably as the old media's first major entry in it. - TK 10/20/10
Neil Patrick Harris demonstrates some truly impressive singing chops as the titular doctor; his nerdy charisma propels the project throughout. Nathan Fillion is also great as the hilariously dickish Captain Hammer; he single-handedly provides nearly all of the project's laughs. Dr. Horrible falters when it skews too overtly jokey, but its clever songs and excellent cast make it a worthy addition the burgeoning new media canon, though most notably as the old media's first major entry in it. - TK 10/20/10