Mastodon Mastodon Mastodon Mastodon Mastodon Constantine - Advance Preview - Giving Hell...Hell


    Enable Dark Mode!

  • What's HOT
  • Premiere Calendar
  • Ratings News
  • Movies
  • YouTube Channel
  • Submit Scoop
  • Contact Us
  • Search
  • Privacy Policy
Support SpoilerTV
SpoilerTV.com is now available ad-free to for all premium subscribers. Thank you for considering becoming a SpoilerTV premium member!

SpoilerTV - TV Spoilers

Constantine - Advance Preview - Giving Hell...Hell

Jul 11, 2014

Share on Reddit




Based on the horror comic book series Hellblazer (DC Comics/Vertigo)
Executive Producers: Daniel Cerone, David S. Goyer
Starring: Matt Ryan, Harold Perrineau, Lucy Griffiths, Charles Halford


Giving Hell... Hell
Our favorite exorcist and con-artist John Constantine is coming back to town. NBC's Constantine introduces us to the character in a way that reminds me very much of the source material. And it works.

Initially, I had my doubts if a TV show based on his character would deliver the snark, horror and emotional upheaval necessary to stay faithful to Alan Moore's creation. It's not easy to balance John's characteristics without venturing into the absurd. However any misgivings I had were erased with Matt Ryan's (500 Miles North, Armistice) charismatic portrayal.

When we first meet John Constantine, we immediately see how tormented he feels after a young girl named Astra was taken to hell by a demon. For those of you who are not familiar with the content, I highly recommend to read Hellblazer Issue 11 and the Devil You Know arc, in which the entire backstory of Astra and Constantine becomes much clearer. Several relationships, including his and Ritchie Simpsons (John's friend) tense interactions will make more sense.

The pilot follows John's reintroduction to the supernatural. Along the way he helps Liv Aberdeen (Lucy Griffiths) who is hunted down by a strong demon, because she possesses the ability to see the spiritual world. Liv is the introductory character to Constantine's turbulent dealings, although we also learned that she will leave the series early on and will be replaced by the character Zed, a former lover of John.

Relationships
Constantine is not a character who's particularly endearing or nice to the people he meets (understatement), which is why his interactions with Manny (Harold Perrineau) become even more exciting. Manny is an original character specifically created for the show. He's also his "stalker" guardian angel who challenges him multiple times, probing for weaknesses and questioning whether John's helpful nature is part of an attempt to "save his own sorry soul" or not. Both characters have chemistry and I would love to see that relationship explored further.
Notable interactions also occur between John and his long-time friend Chas Chandler (Charles Halford), although much of the introduction to Constantine focuses on Liv.

Design
Just one word. Scary.
I didn't really expect the type of horror that leaves me on edge, but the pilot managed to do that. And I'm intimately familiar with NBC's gore fest Hannibal. Constantine is not dealing with people being ripped to shreds at every turn. Instead, we have close ups and light/dark contrasts creating the impression that someone is standing right behind the characters...waiting and watching. The overall atmosphere reminds me of the earliest seasons of the CW's Supernatural.

Problems
It's unavoidable, but the most common trope in comic book adaptions is the constant fridging of female characters. I really hope that the show will take a closer look at the victims that fall prey to each and every demon. A big plus in this case is Liv's portrayal and development from the typical damsel in distress to someone who takes her fate into her own hands.

Best scene
Every conversation with Manny and an ending that defines the term badass. Fans will also find several Easter eggs, most notably the helmet of Doctor Fate. Overall, the show can't get any closer to the source material in my honest opinion. Rating: 8/10

Update 13/7/14: Apparently the creators decided that Constantine's bisexuality is not important to the overall plot according to the TCA Panel 2014. Hopefully his newfound "straightness" isn't important either, but I sincerely doubt that. Bi-Erasure is unpleasant for a queer viewer like me.

Favorite Quote:
Liv: "Where do you come from, John?"
Constantine: "The sordid passions of my parents..."

NBC's Constantine premieres on October 24, 2014.

About the Author - Veronika K.
Graduate from the University of Zurich, writer, blogger, TV addict. Favorite shows include Hannibal, Game of Thrones, TVD, Sleepy Hollow, Orange Is The New Black, Spartacus and Supernatural. Very opinionated and concerned with social issues and representation in media. Professional procrastinator.
Veronika's Recent Reviews (All Reviews)

8 comments:

  1. Yeah, well, Liv character is being scrapped. Pity.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't understand why the would do that. Her character was good, and all the father storyline had a lot of potential.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The pilot didn't live up to my expectations at all!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Apparently they want to take another "creative direction", but I'm really not sure how that will work out. It really depends on the arc the showrunners want to revisit. But I don't understand it either.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yep I heard it received mixed reviews with people either praising it or being disappointed. It's understandable.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thats actually good news IMO she has nothing to do with the comic and she is the typical female damsel. I like the actress but the character stuck out like a sore thumb. Zed is a much more appealing character

    ReplyDelete
  7. As gio said just below here, Zed certainly has the potential to be a far more interesting story.

    ReplyDelete

NOTE: Name-calling, personal attacks, spamming, excessive self-promotion, condescending pomposity, general assiness, racism, sexism, any-other-ism, homophobia, acrophobia, and destructive (versus constructive) criticism will get you BANNED from the party.