James Gunn’s Creature Commandos is now getting a full free release on YouTube, which says everything you need to know about how the show performed on HBO.
The animated series was Gunn’s first official DCU project, but it never made the Nielsen charts — a clear sign that almost nobody watched it.
DC announced the move with a hype post: “You wanted monsters, you got monsters! Binge EVERY episode of Creature Commandos to celebrate 1 year of DCU peak: No skips. Pure chaos. LIVE on DC YouTube Dec. 22nd and 23rd.”
Of course, giving it away for free suggests they’re trying to salvage interest any way they can.
Another Gunn Project With Declining Viewership
This isn’t new for Gunn. His Peacemaker series also saw nearly a 40% drop in audience throughout its run and has been canceled.
Creature Commandos followed the same pattern — a big marketing push, lots of talk from Gunn, and then silence once the numbers didn’t show up.
For a project meant to “launch” the DCU, it didn’t move the needle.
Trying to Spark Interest for Season 2
With Season 2 reportedly on the way, dumping Season 1 onto YouTube looks like a last-ditch play to rebuild hype.
Maybe getting it in front of a broader audience will help, because the HBO Max run didn’t. It could even be possible that Season 2 gets dumped for free on YouTube.
If anything, this YouTube release proves the DCU still has a major uphill battle as Warner Bros. Discovery heads toward its sale and Gunn keeps fighting to maintain relevance.
Creature Commandos reaction
Across our reviews, Creature Commandos ends up as a mixed bag dragged down by James Gunn’s divisive storytelling.
The series starts with promise — solid animation, an interesting premise, and a fun team — but quickly settles into Gunn’s familiar formula, which grows repetitive fast.
Episodes in the middle of the season feel especially weak, leaning more on preachy beats and forced character moments than on coherent storytelling or meaningful stakes, making the show feel tired well before the finale.
While there are occasional bright spots, including a stronger Episode 5, a decent Episode 6, and a finale that at least delivers action and payoff, they aren’t enough to overcome inconsistent writing and tonal whiplash.
In the end, much like Gunn’s DCU, Creature Commandos shows flashes of what it could have been, but Gunn’s polarizing approach repeatedly undercuts the series, keeping it from ever fully coming together.
