Blog 8- Annotated Bibliography Source

As I am writing my rough draft, I am starting to agree with points that are brought up by Ben Walters in his Guardian article discussing Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog. His was the first article I found that labeled Dr. Horrible as absurdist and therefore emblematic of other Joss Whedon (“Whedonesque”) series. Those referenced in the article include Angel and Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, but other works that fall into this category could range from its early modern archetypes: Albert Camus’s L’entranger or Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, to contemporary viral videos: Funnyordie.com’s The Landlord or Schmoyo’s Autotune the News. These works are largely experimental, employ humor, and character driven wherein the audience is meant realize a truth about human nature. This realization is often in the face of fantastic circumstances e.g. Will Ferrell trying to reason with a foul-mouthed, alcoholic toddler, but purveyance of this theme can often transcend its outer nonsense.

Ben Walters’ article is more of a discussion of the creation/creative elements of DHSAB, but what he deems worthy of note in his evaluation supports his categorization. Apart from the previously discussed genre bending (see blogs 6-7), Dr. Horrible caters to the absurd by making many of the titular character’s failures an extension of his internet use. For example, Dr. Horrible’s video blogs, his way of almost advertising his criminal activities, are monitored by the LAPD and Captain Hammer causing one of his schemes to fall through. More figuratively, the eponymous doctor cannot talk to his crush because he cannot “find the time to find the words”, an issue alleviated by the digital communication. Even his weapon of choice, his freeze ray, suffers from a need to buffer, an agony shared by online video watchers everywhere.

The article’s analysis brings up ideas that certainly add to Dr. Horrible’s pedigree, but I am going to stick with webseries as my genre for now. One can easily enjoy the show without delving into these added meanings, and DHSAB’s effect on online visual media is far more quantifiable than its effect on fellow absurdist media. Till next time!