Swamp Thing Episode 8 Review

Swamp Thing
DC Universe
Season 1, Episode 8

“Long Walk Home”



Let me get this out of the way right off the bat. Swamp Thing doesn’t fully appear in this episode until the 21-minute mark. I usually save his bits for last as he’s barely on the show that bears his name. A complaint that’s common on social media and many reviews, including my own.

It’s a fair gripe to have. In my case, I’ve been wowed so much by the supporting cast’s acting performance that I decided to overlook the glaring absence of Swamp Thing and instead, focus on the story unfolding onscreen. Overall it’s been very good, but not without a few bumps in the road; sadly Long Walk Home makes residence in the scrap heap.

The primary reason I was disappointed in this episode was it felt so uneven. The first half just drags along. I’ll give it credit for providing a fair amount of backstory, especially with Avery Sunderland (Will Patton). Struggling for survival, Avery takes a miserable trip down memory lane in the form of visions. He’s stated previously, along with his daughter, the swamp killed his father. Here we see just how that happened and as much as Avery hates the swamp, it may actually despise him even more. It’s hard to dislike any moment where Will Patton is the main focus because he’s exceptional in this role. Unfortunately, during all this, we are subjected to a scene that may have the worst visual effects of the series thus far. That turned out to be a big turn off.

Abby (Crystal Reed) has returned to the CDC in Atlanta where we get a nice guest appearance from Adrienne Barbeau who plays her boss Dr. Palomer. She proves to be a difficult woman to work for, as it’s later revealed she serves Nathan Ellery (Michael Beach) of the Conclave. Despite being a small part, it’s great to see a nod to the original Wes Craven film by casting Barbeau, who was the first person to portray Abby Arcane.
The problem here seems to be, while the acting is good, the pace is slow. For the most part, just toggling between Avery and Abby. There are other threads interjected into the show, namely Matt Cable’s own daddy issues, but it was shallow, not enough there to make it interesting. With the titular monster MIA and no jump scares waiting around the corner, the minutiae begins to wear you down. The back end, however, has the goodies we’ve been waiting for.

 

Swamp Thing steps in to save Avery and with that, falls victim to false promises. Or are they? Just when you think being double-crossed has made Avery soft, Jason Woodrue (Kevin Durand) plays devil’s advocate, returning Avery to his villainous ways. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, especially when you wave a fortune in front of his face.

Swamp Thing’s action sequence isn’t long but allows for his powers to be on display. Great to get a taste of that albeit only in a little dose. The hardcore fan base will be happy with the show’s ending, as it signals an adaptation of a comic book classic The Anatomy Lesson. Originally told by Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, and John Totleben in Swamp Thing Volume 2 #21, the story is one, if not the most, important chapters of Swamp Thing lore. This is exciting news, just be prepared for Swampy spending the majority of the next episode on ice.

So while this installment started out dull, it set the table and ended with a bang. As it’s been with my experience, whenever Swamp Thing sinks, he rises once again to tear my heart out. Next week is the perfect opportunity to do just that.

6.5 Tubers out of 10

-David Schultz

Originally published on: https://thegww.com/swamp-thing-01x08-review/

Swamp Thing Episode Three Review

Originally published at: https://thegww.com/swamp-thing-01x03-review/

Swamp Thing
DC Universe
Season 1, Episode 3 "He Speaks"

By now we've all heard the news of Swamp Thing's premature cancellation, and as of this writing, the rumors still swirl as to what caused the axe to fall. At a time like this, a eulogy feels more appropriate than reviewing the most recent episode. So it was difficult to resist the urge of typing a "Swamp Thing, we hardly got the chance to know ya!" sendoff piece. You see, that would be terribly boring and rather than focus on what's to come, I'd rather concentrate on what we currently have.


In reality, even with the bad news, we still have the chance to finish the season and there is plenty of monster mayhem to enjoy before it's time to say goodbye. It's okay to whistle past the graveyard in this case. Although, I must admit this outing makes pulling the plug a little less painful.

Hold on now. Before you go sending some Louisiana gris gris my way, hear me out.  Episode three of Swamp Thing is good, not great.

This installment showcases the supporting cast, and it handles that responsibility from multiple angles very well.  In a scene where Jason Woodrue examines the corpse of Eddie Coyle, he comes off as a condescending, creepy jerk. A mutated heart that Woodrue uses to test Abby's abilities as a scientist serves as a metaphor for what could be his true motive. It's a nice touch considering, later on, he and his wife Caroline share a tender, and telling moment.

Maria Sunderland's role is also quite intriguing. Her backstory is built around the debilitating loss of her daughter Shawna. Abby's return to Marais has stirred up her feelings of grief, relegating her to sympathetic character status. Here she finds strength in a most unusual ally that makes you wonder if she has found her voice, or completely lost her mind.

Liz Tremayne hits up one of her sources searching for answers, Matt Cable tries to create a love connection, and more light is shed on Avery Sunderland's sordid affairs. All three are staples from the source material, and each individual plot thread is played out well. It's especially nice to see Liz and Matt fleshed out more. They felt like small pieces of the puzzle during the first two episodes.

On the other hand, while those appearances were enjoyable, a brief bit with Dan Cassidy and Xanadu nearly gets ruined by a product placement for beer.  I know, I know. Gotta pay the bills, but it was off-putting.

Notice I haven't mentioned Swamp Thing yet? While getting a good look at him right out of the gate, he still isn't given ample screen time on a show bearing his name. Andy Bean returns as Alec Holland, adding more murkiness to Swamp Thing's purpose. Still unsure of who or what he truly is, a dream sequence is used to set up yet another frustrated roar.

But hey, this episode is titled "He Speaks" right? So this is it! Finally, we get our star a turn on center stage and hear that signature speech pattern. Well, yes in a way,  but it won't illicit the ghastly goosebumps you may have dreamed of.

The action that sets up Swampy's first words is also lackluster. When Abby Arcane investigates what's left of Alec's lab, a new type of infection, independent of the swamp flu, shows it's ugly face. Swamp Thing engages in what I would describe as a shoving match with the menace, handling the situation quite easily. The combination of saving the day and connecting with Abby should have more of an impact. After witnessing the evisceration that befalls Swamp Thing's enemies, this outcome will elicit a few yawns.

All of the visual and horror components we've become accustomed to with the series are still intact. Fair warning though, if you're the kind of person who enjoys a snack before watching a show, skip it. It'll take some serious intestinal fortitude to stomach the opening sequence. Go ahead and save those nachos for when Swamp Thing is over.

Fans of the comics should be pleased with a nod to the Rot, an elemental kingdom with the ability to control decay featured during the New 52, and going much further back, a nice little Conclave namedrop. The latter will also make fans ears perk up, especially with whom it's directed at.

"He Speaks" falls just shy of meeting the standard set by the previous set of episodes. Mainly because the Swamp Thing we get didn't do enough. I can accept a slow burn, but when our hero gets his chances, make them count. The previously prominent wow factor took a wrong turn and wilted. You know what though? Everyone is allowed an off day, even if they're not fully human, so I'll give the big green guy a muck-encrusted mulligan.

⭐6.5 Tubers out of 10⭐

-David Schultz