Titans Season 4 Review: New City, New Villains, Same Titans

When Warner Bros. and DC Comics unveiled their first streaming service with the DC Universe app, fans had no idea what to expect. Warner Bros. would go on to green light a series based on DC Comics' Teen Titans line-up of characters, and when the series finally released it was a massive hit. After airing two seasons on DC Universe, WB moved all of their DC Universe original series to their new HBO Max streaming service so Titans had some new life with a possibly bigger audience. Titans would go on to premiere its third season on HBO Max that primarily focused on an original take on the classic Red Hood storyline which most of their audience loved. There have been some recent rumors that seem to think that after their upcoming fourth season the series will be canceled due to the Warner Bros. and Discovery merger but that isn't stopping the streamer from promoting the hit series. Now, I recently got the chance to check out the first few episodes of Titans season four, and while there are some redeeming qualities about its supernatural plot, the new season kind of feels like more of the same.

HBO Max and DC Comics describes the plot of the fourth season of Titans as the team basically goes on a road trip back to San Francisco after saving Gotham City, and they make a pit stop in Metropolis where they wind up in the crosshairs of a Supernatural cult with "powers that they've never faced before". While I'm Metropolis, Connor Kent (Joshua Orpin) also gets the chance to meet one of his biological father's in Lex Luthor, which also stirs up some trouble. While all of this is going on, Nightwing (Brenton Thwaites) is showing new Titans trainee Tim Drake (Jay Lycurgo) the ropes. All of these individual plot lines somehow mesh into one putting all of the team on a dangerous mission.

While Titans tries to tread new ground in season four with its mystical storyline that involves a classic Raven incantation, it kind of feels like more of the same due to its lackluster direction and generic dialogue. The season starts off right where we left off, with the Titans in their R.V. and on their way back to San Francisco. They make a brief stop in Metropolis and wind up back on the road until Superboy gets invited to Lex Corp by one of his genetic donors, Lex Luthor. This is when the series gets a little bit wonky due to the ongoing subplot with Brother Blood and Mother Mayhem. The new season gives us some new costumes and some awesome looking tech that somehow could make a DC Comics fan forget about the flaws in the series.

From producers Greg Berlanti, Akiva Goldsman and show runner Greg Walker, Titans season four attempts to do something different with its supernatural cult storyline. Ultimately, it feels uninspired and kind of like a retread of previous seasons. The cast does a great job of carrying on the lackluster plot with Thwaites leading the charge. During season four we get introduced to live-action versions of classic DC Villains Brother Blood, Mother Mayhem, Lex Luthor, and even Jinx. But, even with some classic characters, the new season can't help but feel like something is missing to make it truly work.

Titans season four brings back Thwaites as leading man Dick Grayson / Nightwing, and he's definitely able to lift up the flimsy storyline with his charm and brooding. Alongside Lycurgo and Orpin, Anna Diop, Ryan Potter, and Teagan Croft return as their respective heroes and it barely feels like they missed a step. Season four doesn't exactly feature any groundbreaking performances, but you don't go into a series like this expecting that. When the series begins to really work is when the team is all together and working as one. Throughout the first few episodes, there are a few things you'll find enjoyable, and the cast is definitely one of those things.

If you enjoyed the first three seasons of the series, then you'll definitely enjoy season four. But if you're a part of the group that doesn't like the series, you'll probably not like the latest season of Titans. Titans is set to be split into two parts, with the first six episodes hitting the streaming service by December 1st and the latter half to premiere at a later date. Titans season four is a good time if you shut off your brain and just want to have fun. The latest season of the series probably won't elevate, but it's not like that's what the people behind-the-scenes set out to do. While Titans season four feels like more of the same, there are some enjoyable qualities and I'd definitely check out the rest of the season.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Titans Season four will premiere on November 3, 2022!