How to watch Doom Patrol season 2 online: stream every new episode today
Traumatized superheroes look to cope with their betrayal
Doom Patrol is back this summer, with some of DC Comics' most complex characters returning for an emotionally-charged second season. The show centers on a team of reluctant, traumatized superheroes given their superpowers by way of horrific, permanently disfiguring accidents. They're a far cry from the perfectly-jawlined crime fighters of yesteryear - so even at a time when darker comic book adaptations are increasingly the norm, the show is still a massive breath of fresh air. Want to see why? Here's how to watch Doom Patrol season 2 online and stream every new episode from anywhere right now.
The first two episodes of Doom Patrol season 2 come to HBO Max and DC Universe on Thursday, June 25 in the US, airing the same night in Canada on CTV Sci-Fi Channel at 9pm ET. Any subscribers to those services who happen to be abroad can use a VPN to watch just like they normally would at home.
Warning: Spoilers for Doom Patrol lie ahead. If you haven't watched all of season 1, you might want to scroll down to the viewing guide below.
Season 2 of Doom Patrol picks up right where season 1 left off: with the shocking revelation that the group's 'Chief', Dr. Niles Caulder, is actually responsible for the accidents that disfigured them.
The Patrol are left reeling from the betrayal, with Riley Shanahan and Brendan Fraser's Cliff Steele, aka Robotman, consumed by his anger again. This leads to friction with newcomer Dorothy (Abigail Shapiro), who the group rescued at the end of season 1.
Perpetually 11-years-old, her superpower is the ability to imagine things into reality - but she's also Caulder's daughter and therefore an instant divisive presence in the group. In fact, Joivan Wade's Cyborg deserts the team altogether to get his head straight.
This all means that the nine-episode Doom Patrol season 2 doesn't appear to have a typical comic book 'baddie' (like Mr Nobody in season 1) or even a discernible story arc , but rather focuses on the emotional villainry of Caulder - played with aplomb by British actor and former James Bond star Timothy Dalton.
Rounding out the cast is Matt Bomer's Negative Man, Elasti-Woman (April Bowlby), and Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero). Read on as we explain how to watch Doom Patrol season 2 and stream one of the most original comic book shows in years today.
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How to watch Doom Patrol season 2 from outside your country
Travelling abroad? Then trying to stream Doom Patrol like you would at home could prove impossible, due to geo-blocking. These are essentially digital borders, which restrict access to certain content and services to specific regions - so Service A might be available in the US, but not in the UK - or vice-versa.
Fortunately, there is a solution in the form of a VPN. This nifty bit of software changes your IP address so that you can access all the content you normally would at home, only from anywhere in the world.
While there are hundreds of VPNs to choose from, we always recommend ExpressVPN. As well as being fast, simple, and straightforward to install, it's also compatible with a whole host of devices - Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS and Android to name some of the main ones.
Plus, ExpressVPN's flexible 30-day money back guarantee is difficult to argue with. Even better, you can purchase an annual plan for a 49% discount and 3 months extra FREE – a brilliant offer for an essential bit of software.
Once installed, select the location of your home country and simply click connect to watch Doom Patrol at home from anywhere on the planet.
How to watch Doom Patrol season 2 for FREE in the US
Doom Patrol season 2 lands in the US on Thursday, June 25 and will be available to watch on both the HBO Max and DC Universe streaming platforms. The first two episodes are set to drop at this time, with future episodes going live on Thursdays as well.
Both are standalone services that don't require (or even encourage) a cable subscription - if they're new to you, one obvious point of comparison would be Hulu, which you might have heard of.
HBO Max costs just $14.99 a month, but it offers a free 7-day trial - so you can effectively watch the first two episodes of Doom Patrol season 2 for free. Having only just launched, it's already a great all-rounder, offering original shows like Love Life and Legendary, as well as a rich library of on demand content that will appeal to DC fans - including movies like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman
Similarly, DC Universe is a streaming service dedicated to all things DC and can be had for just $7.99 a month. It also offers a free 1-week trial, so there's another way to watch Doom Patrol season 2 for free. It also has all of season 1 to watch on demand, making it a great option if you're new to the Patrol.
Anyone from America who wants to access either service from abroad will need to use a VPN to do so. If you're signing up from scratch, have your US credit card details handy to get streaming faster, as many services require these - though some (such as DC Universe) accept PayPal.
How to watch Doom Patrol season 2 in Canada
It's good news for DC fans in Canada, as Doom Patrol season 2 is getting a double-bill debut on June 25 at 9pm ET on the CTV Sci-Fi Channel - making the episodes available more or less at the same time as they are in the US.
CTV Sci-Fi can be streamed via the channel's website or by using its app - you'll need to register with details of your TV provider, but provided you can do so, there's no extra charge to watch online.
CTV also says it's making the first two episodes of Doom Patrol season 2 available to watch 'for free', which may mean you can watch them without logging in - though this won't be 100% certain until the episodes actually start airing.
Those wanting to catch-up on or watch season 1 can do so via Canadian streaming service Crave - where there's a free 30-day trial on offer.
Anyone in Canada from abroad who'd prefer to watch using a different service need only download a VPN to relocate themselves back to their home country.
How to watch Doom Patrol for FREE in Australia
The release date of Doom Patrol season 2 isn't confirmed in Australia - though it's easy to watch season 1 Down Under.
New streaming service Binge has every episode of Doom Patrol season 1 available to watch right now - and costing as little as AU$10 a month with a FREE 14-day trial to get you started, you could comfortably watch all of the first season without paying a penny.
In Australia from abroad an don't want to sign-up for another service, when you already pay for one at home? Then simply follow our VPN advice as detailed above to get a taste of home.
How to watch Doom Patrol season 2: UK release date
Doom Patrol season 2 is coming to the UK - you just need to be a bit more patient than your fellow superheroes in other countries.
All episodes are set to drop on StarzPlay on Thursday, July 16 - just after the series ends its latest run in the US and elsewhere.
StarzPlay is available to watch on a wide range of devices including phones, tablets, Roku devices, PCs, laptops, Android TV, select Smart TVs and consoles - either by downloading the StarzPlay app or by watching in your browser through its website.
Best of all, it only costs £4.99 a month and offers a FREE 7-day trial to new subscribers. While there may still be a bit of a wait for season 2, it's currently got all Doom Patrol season 1 episodes available to watch online to keep you busy.
Another way to watch StarzPlay is through Amazon Prime Video - provided you've got an Amazon Prime subscription, StarzPlay is available for the same affordable £4.99 monthly cost and also offers a FREE 1-week trial. If you don't have Prime yet, don't forget it offers a wide range of benefits beyond just Prime Video - and has a generous 30-day trial period of its own.
But for now, the only option is for those in the UK from a country where it is possible to watch Doom Patrol season 2 is to grab a VPN as described above and stream episodes as they normally would. Just remember to have any local details required to hand, so you can get watching right away.
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James is a technology journalist with nearly 10 years experience and currently Sports and TV Streaming Editor at Future, where he works across TechRadar, T3 and Tom's Guide. He is here to help you find the best ways to watch sports, TV shows and movies online. Previously, he was News and Features Editor at Trusted Reviews, Editor of Lifehacker UK, and Senior Staff Writer at ITProPortal.