Doom Patrol season 4: next episode, cast, plot and everything we know

They may not be the most well known team of superheroes in the DC Comics universe, but this rag-tag team of damaged heroes fighting to save the world has a lot of heart. Doom Patrol is back on HBO Max for its fourth season and with it comes higher stakes, bigger adventures and lots of... butts?

Yeah, butts. As in saving the world from the apocalypse and zombie butts. It's a thing, trust us. 

Created by writers Arnold Drake and Bob Haney, with art from Bruno Premiani, the Doom Patrol first appeared in 1963's My Greatest Adventure #80. Early on, there was speculation that Marvel Comics copied a lot of their rather uncanny features for the X-Men, which debuted shortly after Doom Patrol's debut, but many fans link them to Fantastic Four as well. 

As a series, there's nothing quite like exploring the humanity and heartache behind superheroes who have been pushed to the fringe of society because of their differences but called upon to help save the day when the world needs them. Doom Patrol serves up the drama and tension in spades with top-notch performances from Brendan Fraser, Diane Guerrero and the rest of the cast. 

Here's everything we know about Doom Patrol season 4. 

Next episode of Doom Patrol season 4

The next new episode of Doom Patrol arrives January 5 and is titled "Hope Patrol." 

Here's the episode description: "Jane is determined to seize her greatest desire; Madame Rouge and Rita travel back to the Bureau; Larry fights his way back after being cut from reality; Cliff manifests Rory and Vic teams with Deric in another dimension."

Episode 6 is also the midseason finale episode. We'll keep you updated as to when the show returns for the second half of the season.

Doom Patrol season 4 episodes

Stay on top of Doom Patrol season 4 with our episode guide:

Doom Patrol season 4 episode 1, "Doom Patrol"
"As they struggle to function as a cohesive group, the Doom Patrol are confronted by a horrifying realization in the future."

Doom Patrol season 4 episode 2, "Butt Patrol"
"A desperate Doom Patrol strategize ways to wipe out the zombie butts…and reverse their grim future."

Doom Patrol season 4 episode 3: "Nostalgia Patrol"
"Larry and Jane seek new purpose in Keeg and Kay's absence. Vic attempts to reconnect with his old crew. A mysterious invitation to a retrospective comes at the perfect time for a newly ousted Rita."

Doom Patrol season 4 episode 4: "Casey Patrol"
"Dorothy desperately seeks Space Case's help when Danny is attacked by the evil Torminox; but when his army proves to be incredibly resilient, Dorothy must call for help from an unexpected someone."

Doom Patrol season 4 episode 5: "Youth Patrol"
"The Doom Patrol teams up with Willoughby to stop the end of the world, but a failed spell turns them into teenagers while Rita is turned into an old woman."

Doom Patrol season 4 cast

Before he gained attention for his incredible turn in The Whale, Brendan Fraser garnered rave reviews for his portrayal of Cliff Steele, the troubled hero in Doom Patrol. Though he's not actually in the Robotman suit (that would be actor Riley Shanahan), Fraser gave a voice to the haunted hero with a heart and the series no doubt kickstarted his return to acting. 

Here's the full cast for Doom Patrol season 4: 

• Matt Bomer (Echoes) as Larry Trainor, aka Negative Man 
• Brendan Fraser (The Whale) as Cliff Steele, aka Robotman  
• April Bowlby (Gone Baby Gone) as Rita Farr, aka Elasti-Woman 
• Diane Guerrero (Orange in the New Black) as Jane aka Crazy Jane 
• Joivan Wade (The Dare) as Victor Stone, aka Cyborg  
• Michelle Gomez (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) as Madame Rouge  

Doom Patrol season 4 plot

Here's a synopsis of Doom Patrol season 4 from HBO Max:

"In season 4, the Doom Patrol travels to the future and must decide once and for all which is more important: their own happiness or the fate of the world?"

Doom Patrol season 4 trailer

Take a look at the Doom Patrol season 4 trailer below:

How to watch Doom Patrol season 4

Doom Patrol is an HBO Max original, which means you need a subscription to the streaming service to watch it. You have a few options. You can add the premium channel to your existing cable service, or if you’ve cut the cord you can sign up for HBO Max. The nice thing about HBO Max is that it's available when you're on the go and you can enjoy all of the platform’s content whenever you like.