Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008)

In 2008, a musical comedy-drama miniseries called Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (2008) was created specifically for online viewing. Set and filmed in Los Angeles, the show follows the story of Dr. Horrible, an aspiring supervillain; his arch-nemesis Captain Hammer; and their mutual love interest, Penny. The series is divided into three acts, each lasting around 14 minutes. These were initially released as separate episodes on the Internet in July 2008, with a two-day gap between each release.

Act I. Dr. Horrible takes to his video blog to provide updates on his schemes and address emails from his viewers. While discussing the ‘her’ he often mentions, he breaks into a song about Penny – the girl he admires from the laundromat, unaware of his true identity as Billy. Horrible’s roommate Moist delivers a letter from Bad Horse, leader of the Evil League of Evil, stating that his acceptance into their ranks will depend on his next villainous act. The following day, Horrible uses a remote control device to hijack a courier van and steal wonderflonium for his Freeze Ray, designed to freeze time. At the same time, Penny approaches him with a petition to convert an abandoned building into a homeless shelter (‘Caring Hands’). However, caught up in his plan, Horrible dismisses her and her cause. As Penny walks away, Horrible is torn but ultimately chooses to complete his theft rather than listen to her plea.

Act II. In ‘My Eyes’, Dr. Horrible follows Penny and Captain Hammer on their dates. While at the laundromat, Penny befriends Billy, unaware that he is actually Dr. Horrible. On his blog, Horrible announces the completion of his Freeze Ray and his plan to use it the next day. However, in a later post, he confesses that his attempt was unsuccessful as Hammer and the police were monitoring his online activity. Bad Horse scolds Horrible for his failure and declares that the only way to gain entry into the Evil League of Evil is by committing an assassination. This leaves Horrible torn about whether he is capable of taking someone’s life. Later, while enjoying frozen yogurt with Penny and discussing their issues (‘Penny’s Song’), Billy becomes anxious when Hammer unexpectedly shows up. They pretend not to recognize each other but when Penny steps away, Hammer reveals that he knows Billy’s true identity. He taunts Dr. Horrible about his feelings for Penny and makes it clear that he only wants her to hurt him.

Act III. Thanks to Penny’s influence, Captain Hammer embarks on a mission to aid the homeless and address the city’s structural problems. Meanwhile, while Billy is nowhere to be found at the laundromat, Penny contemplates her relationship with Hammer. As for Dr. Horrible, he retreats into isolation to construct a death ray (‘So They Say’). During the opening of Penny’s new homeless shelter, Captain Hammer delivers a speech that quickly devolves into self-absorbed bragging (‘Everyone’s a Hero’). Feeling embarrassed and disappointed, Penny attempts to slip away quietly. However, before she can do so, Horrible appears and uses his freeze ray to leave Hammer unable to move. As the shocked crowd looks on in confusion, Horrible taunts them and unveils his completed death ray (‘Slipping’). Despite his initial desire to kill Hammer, Horrible hesitates due to concerns about what Penny will think if she witnesses such an act of violence. Suddenly able to move again, Hammer takes out his anger on Horrible by punching him across the room and damaging the death ray in the process.