Most of Season 3’s episodes have focused on Rita and Laura’s stories, putting some of the other characters on the back burner. Doom Patrol –“Bird Patrol” – Michelle Gomez, Matt Bomer (Photograph by Bob Mahoney/HBO Max) “Subconscious Patrol” manages to achieve the same goals as something like “Dada Patrol” without feeling repetitive (at least in format, but we’ll get to Larry’s scenes in a minute).
This is a welcomed change, because as mentioned in my review of “Dada Patrol,” the format of the earlier episodes is becoming a crutch for the show that can undermine the emotional impact. However, this time, they are brought together - along with the subconscious versions of themselves - earlier in the episode and work through their feelings as a group. The beginning of “Subconscious Patrol” certainly follows that pattern. In that format, the gang is separated into different supernatural environments to work through their emotional issue before reuniting with everyone else at the end. Doom Patrol – “Bird Patrol” – Michelle Gomez, Hannah Alline, Catherine Carlen, Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby (Photograph by Bob Mahoney/HBO Max)
Initially, “Subconscious Patrol” seems like it’s going to follow the format of Doom Patrol Season 3 Episode 3 “Dead Patrol,” Doom Patrol Season 3 Episode 5, “Dada Patrol,” and a hand full of episodes from Season 1 and 2. Or, a subconscious version of themselves anyway.
On “Subconscious Patrol,” we see the gang transported into their subconscious, where they come face to face with themselves. When we left the team on Doom Patrol Season 3 Episode 7, “Bird Patrol,” The Sisterhood of Dada had zapped the team away somewhere, ending on a pretty big cliffhanger. The Doom Patrol takes part in a surreal group therapy session on Doom Patrol Season 3 Episode 8, “Subconscious Patrol.”