Swamp Thing (2019)

[shevek]

So I don't know how much traction this thread will even have, given that to begin with, the initial Swamp Thing season (on DC Universe)
was shortened from 13 episodes to 10, and now it's been cancelled altogether (although all 10 episodes will air). It's even a bit bizarre
given that the series was directed by James Wan who just made a billion dollars with Aquaman. You'd think DC Universe would have a little more faith in him.

But anyway, I want to highly recommend that people watch this series. It's not highly uneven, like the episode of Titans, nor is it a promising start that devolves into character-study tangents and preachy parables, like Doom Patrol.

Swamp Thing is solid. It's grounded in horror tropes, the production values are amazing, and the effects and makeup are on point.
There's a bit of intentional 'diversity hiring' in it but that doesn't affect the story at all..the performances are engrossing.
And the unexpected star of the series (besides Swampy himself) is the gorgeous Crystal Reed, who plays Abby Arcane (basically Swamp Thing's
companion/girlfriend in the comics in a 'Beauty and the Beast' vibe). As much as the story also follows a 'forensic procedural' format, Abby is the character who leads the investigation and takes all the risks.

Series trailer:



Gorgeous shots of Crystal Reed:



Here's a vague if somewhat complete explanation as to why the series was cancelled. But I would definitely recommend checking it out while you can.

[Dogfish]

The reason for the great production values and immediate cancellation was something to do with a tax break apparently. It was worth a shitload of money for them to make it somewhere, then that tax break vanished, so they canned the show.

There's probably more than a few articles floating around about it. Speaks to the nature of the business, that sometimes it doesn't matter what you do or who watches it, or who doesn't, sometimes the books just don't balance.

[shevek]

The Looper video above (and several other articles I've read) says the tax break scenario that was initially reported seems to be false.
James Wan himself still claims that he doesn't know why the show was canceled.
So the more likely explanation (see the article below) is that Warner Brothers are working on their own streaming service which they
probably see as superceding the DC Universe stream, making it superfluous and eliminating the need to further fund DC Universe shows.
If nothing gets funded beyond, say, the 2nd season of Titans, we'll know that is the case.

https://deadline.com/2019/06/james-wan- ... 202629847/

[shevek]

Swamp Thing could be revived as a feature film!

Loving the four episodes so far.

https://boundingintocomics.com/2019/06/ ... ture-film/

[shevek]

Anyone watching Swamp Thing? Caught up on Episodes 5 and 6.
Some great guest spots: Phantom Stranger. Blue Devil.
Jennifer Beals' mostly naked sex scene, as well as killing a redneck in cold blood, and saying 'fuck' a lot. This ain't Flashdance.
Kevin Durand is a breakthrough as the obsessed Dr. Jason Woodrue - really hoping that he will become Floronic Man by the end of the season,
but there are only four episodes and things are moving slowly, if eventfully.

[shevek]

Wow. This series is really breaking new ground for great horror television - I think at this point, Swamp Thing might be the best DC Comics show produced for TV in recent memory.

Episode 6 was tense but Episode 7 takes things to new levels of sinister darkness.
There is an incredible "Heroine in Peril" scene involving Abby Arcane that is profoundly both scary and sexy at the same time, plus the way she is starting to care so deeply for Swamp Thing is moving.

Without being too spoilery, there are also some extremely conniving female characters in this story whose actions seem to be justified by the exploitative male toxicity of other characters. There is a lot of subtle progressive messaging in this show like that.

Anyway, I continue to recommend this series. Very few fantasy based shows are written this well.

[shevek]

Nobody else following this show? Hmm...Just finished Episode 9. Some great revelations about Swamp Thing/Alec Holland.
The suit and the prosthetics are amazing. The show is fairly big on female empowerment, with Abby and Liz coming to the rescue,
but they also encounter quite a bit of danger and peril, as they should in a real horror TV show. And Blue Devil is quite a treat!

Can't wait for the conclusion. Too bad that might be all there ever is. I lament that we might not get to see Jason Woodrue become the Floronic
Man, but that's not surprising, as he is not a well-known character in the DC Universe.

[batgirl1969]

seem like this show would be perfect for some plant/tentical peril or vore...I have watched the 1st and 2nd episode and agree...this is a very realistic tv show, you forget you are watching a comic book series it is more horror and resident evil...would love to see some hot plant sex!!!

[shevek]

seem like this show would be perfect for some plant/tentical peril or vore...I have watched the 1st and 2nd episode and agree...this is a very realistic tv show, you forget you are watching a comic book series it is more horror and resident evil...would love to see some hot plant sex!!!

Well, in one of the episodes, The Rot (which is the evil and decayed area of the swamp that's been degraded by human dumping of chemicals, supposedly by Sutherland and his ilk) makes some attacking branch/tentacle peril moves on Abby, but it's not very serious and doesn't get very dangerous, plus there are no sexual overtones.

It's actually kind of weird that since that episode, they've pretty much dropped The Rot and not mentioned it as a villainous force at all, while the
main villainy has been coming from the unholy alliance of science and capitalism (Sutherland and Woodrue). But while the women like Liz and Abby are somewhat endangered by this alliance (for example being hunted by the Sutherland security force), they are not really being put in mortal peril and certainly nothing remotely sexual. The peril, in fact, is being endured primarily by the man (or rather, the man-plant).

Yes, you're right, it would be hot if Swamp Thing had some tentacular plant-sex with Abby (in the comics, they do arrive at a sort of mystical
romantic relationship), but there's no way that's in the series. You'll have to wait for the Alex Braun version or some other porn parody.

BTW, if you're looking for "hot plant sex"...look up the New 52's Swamp Thing Vol 5 #13 (2012) "Rotworld: The Green Kingdom" arc where Poison Ivy
and Swamp Thing team up. I'm not saying that they hook up, but you can certainly let your imagination wander in that direction. This also happens
to be the issue where Abby Arcane's death is revealed (from what I understand, she is still dead in the DC Universe proper?).

[shevek]

Episode 10 - They did it. Floronic Man!

This series ruled. There needs to be a second season...somehow, some way.