How I Met Your Mother

Neil Patrick Harris is amazing.  This shouldn't be news to me, since I've seen a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother and delighted in his performances in both Harold & Kumar movies, but sometimes it takes an extra special project to really bring out an actor's greatness.  In Joss Whedon's Internet musical Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Harris has found a role that allows him to utilize his perfect comic timing, excellent singing ability and natural charm.  He's the hero, the villain and the heart of the piece, and in act two of the three act musical, which premiered today at DrHorrible.com, he really gets to shine.  The second part of Whedon's project is even better than the first, and it left me wishing that the adventures of Dr. Horrible could continue for years to come.

Read our reaction to part one of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Act two of Dr. Horrible starts off with the wannabe supervillain, who goes by Billy in his off time, following Penny (Felicia Day) and Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion) as they go on dates around town.  He sings an intensely powerful song called "Misery and Harmony" as he pines for the object of his affection, which is somewhat reminiscent of "Walk Through the Fire" from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode.  Billy strikes up a friendship with Penny at the laundromat, but he soon gets into trouble when his attempt to freeze time at the Superhero Memorial Bridge dedication goes horribly awry.  He gets a message from evil leader Bad Horse ("The thoroughbred of sin") telling him that he must kill someone or be assassinated himself.  Can Dr. Horrible, who likes to remind everyone that he has "a PhD in Horribleness," actually kill a man?

I enjoyed act one of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, but in act two I completely fell in love with it.  There are few movies or TV shows that require you to pay close attention to every single line of dialogue, but Whedon's web series demands that you do.  His subversive wit is infused in each and every line, and thankfully he's found actors who can sell the humor perfectly.  It's no surprise that Fillion and Day can speak his language since they've worked on previous projects with him, but Harris's aptitude for the Whedon-speak is a wonderful surprise.

Aside from "Misery and Harmony," the other great song in the second act is the closing number, entitled "Brand New Day."  Dr. Horrible steps up and decides that Captain Hammer must be eliminated once and for all, and the rock-tinged tune he belts is phenomenal.  Much like the Buffy musical that Whedon also wrote and directed, Dr. Horrible shows that he can tackle different musical styles and genres with ease.

Act two of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog can currently be found on iTunes or at DrHorrible.com.  The third and final act will premiere on Saturday, but the musical will be taken off the web on Sunday to build anticipation for a future DVD release.  Watch it soon, or prepare to lose your PhD in Horribleness!


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of The Los Angeles Times)