I found this gem right before going to bed, and I’m so glad that I stayed up to check it out. It’s a series of three short musical-style episodes about a mad scientist with aspirations for villainy who longs after a woman at the laundromat.

Joss Whedon, yes the same Joss Whedon who brought us shows like Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, cooked up a crazy idea to break outside of the standard mold of show making. The idea came up during the Writers’ Guild of America strike that effectively paralized Hollywood for half a year. Joss wanted to test how successful a show could be outside the grips of production studios and networks; Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog was the result.

By pooling all of his connections, Joss Whedon put together this series of three shorts on a very limited budget but with great results. Some very famous and recognizable faces make up the cast. You may recognize Neil Patrick Harris from How I Met Your Mother, Nathan Fillion from Firefly, Felicia Day from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Simon Helberg from The Big Bang Theory. The combination of these easily recognizable faces with witty lines and silly songs makes for great entertainment.

I hope that Joss Whedon, the actors, and the talented crew that helped with development and production are all handsomely rewarded for their efforts.

For more information about Joss Whedon’s idea and the plan for Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, check out the plan page.