'Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog' to air on CW

Photo: Amy Opoka/Courtesy of Timescience Bloodclub, LLC

There’s a soundtrack. There’s a Blu-ray. There’s a book. There’s a comic. There’s merch galore. And, of course, there’s the original miniseries itself, which can still be viewed at any time — for free — on YouTube and various other evil websites.

Yes, Dr. Horrible seems to have conquered nearly every medium. But somehow, television has eluded his grasp… until tonight, that is.

Four years after its creation, Joss Whedon’s beloved, WGA-strike inspired web curiosity Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is coming to network TV. A slightly edited 42-minute version of the program will air on The CW starting at 9 p.m. ET; fans will be able to contribute to a live chat on Dr. Horrible‘s website as it plays, and star Neil Patrick Harris is planning to live tweet for its duration. The website hints that “special guests” may participate in the chat during Horrible‘s west coast airing, though the east coast airing will focus only on “fan based hilarity.”

But beyond the chat and the live tweets, the Dr. Horrible that will terrorize TV screens this evening will be nearly indistinguishable from the Dr. Horrible that’s easy enough to find online. And while it’s undeniably cool that fans and unindoctrinated viewers alike will finally be able to watch the show without having to worry about buffering — or buying a copy — I can’t help wondering what kind of ratings a four-year-old, readily available musical will garner when shown on television’s least-watched network.

So tell me, Hammer-heads and Horribilites: Are you going to watch the good bad doctor sing, scheme, and smirk on The CW tonight? And has your Horrible love diminished since the first time you laid eyes on Billy, the Captain, Penny, and Moist lo those many years ago?

(P.S. Whedon et al are reportedly planning to shoot a sequel in the spring. I’m cautiously optimistic about that news, though we’ve heard this sort of thing before.)

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