Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is a web series created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, which premiered on November 6, 2010. The show is a mockumentary-style comedy about Dr.
Horrible, a wannabe supervillain who creates a blog to share his schemes with the world (and to try and find a girlfriend). However, his blog becomes an online sensation, with users singing along to the songs he writes and posting their own videos of themselves performing them.
The show has been praised for its innovative use of web video technology, its clever writing, and its strong cast. It has also been criticized for its lowbrow humor, its uneven pacing, and its lack of coherence.
However, it has nevertheless remained popular, with Heidecker and Wareheim releasing two additional seasons (including a Christmas special) and announcing plans for a feature film adaptation.
While it is not clear why Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog was created, there are several possible reasons. First, the show could be seen as a commentary on the way in which popular culture can be used to spread ideas and messages – in this case, promoting the idea of villainy through Dr. Horrible’s creations.
Second, the show could be seen as satire of the way in which online communities can be used to build relationships and share information – in this case, through the users’ participation in Dr. Horrible’s blog. Finally, the show could be seen as an example of how web series can be used to create a new medium for storytelling – in this case, through the use of song and performance as elements of the show.