After the somewhat mixed, although mostly enjoyable first season of ‘TITANS’, and the amazing ‘DOOM PATROL’, DC Universe has released their next live action series in the form of ‘ SWAMP THING’. Let’s see how the series begins in its first episode, simply titled “Pilot”.
The episode begins with three men in the swamp late at night, as their boat is shaken by something mysterious. The three men are all brutally killed by the swamp. After the opening sequence, the episode transitions to a scene in a school showing a young girl who collapses after suffering from a nosebleed amd coughing up blood. We next see people in radioactive suits trying to help a sickly young girl. One of the people turn out to be Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed), who convinces the young girl’s brother to let them help her.
The other person is Harlan Edwards (Leonardo Nam), Abby’s friend. Harlan joins Abby when she returns to her hometown due to mysterious occurrences. Abby works with the hospital to figure out what to do with the sickness as previously shown with the young girl, who Abby meets. Abby also has a short encounter with Alec Holland (Andy Bean) before he is thrown out of the hospital. Abby goes to the young girl’s house in search for answers, where she reunites with her old friend Matt Cable (Henderson Wade). While searching the house for the young father, they instead run into Alec once again. They find the young girl’s father’s corpse, completely taken over by vines and branches.
Alec convinces Abby to come to his lab, where he shows her proof of the mysterious swamp and how it’s causing the sickness. After attending a town event led by Avery Sunderland (Will Patton), Alec meets up with Abby at the hospital to do an autopsy on Susie’s, the young girl, father. However, vines burst out of the body, completely taking over the room. Alec manages to stop them with fire.
Alec and Abby go to a bar, where Abby reunites with her friend Liz Tremayne (Maria Sten), a reporter. Here, Abby also has to deal with Maria Sunderland (Virginia Madsen), who Abby has a long and unfortunate past with. After this, Alec and Abby travel through the swamp, finding the computer belonging to the three men in the beginning, as well as more mysterious liquids that have been dumped into the swamp. Back at Alec’s lab, Alec and Abby talk about their pasts, before Alec goes back out to the swamp.
While back in the swamp, Alec is shot by a mysterious figure, who blows up his boat. Alec manages to fall into the water, where his body begins being taken over by the swamp. Abby heads out into the swamp, where she is attacked. However, she comes face to face with Alec. She runs away in terror, no longer recognizing him, as he has become Swamp Thing (Derek Mears).
Overall, the premiere of ‘SWAMP THING’ is absolutely amazing. The horror moments are legitimately creepy, and the special effects are top notch, even reaching a cinematic level. All the acting is great, with Crystal Reed and Andy Bean stealing the show as the two leads. Their chemistry is amazing, and does a good job of developing their newly forming relationship before Alec’s “death”. I can not wait for next week’s episode. DC Universe has done it again.
‘SWAMP THING’ returns with a new episode Friday, June 7, only on DC Universe.
