Swamp Thing – The Series (First 22 Episodes/Shout! Factory DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: B- Extras: C+ Episodes: C+
‘The
swamp is me and I am the swamp…’
Swamp
Thing was originally created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson for DC Comics in
the early 1970’s in an issue of House of Secrets comics and was later turned
into its own comic series that remains popular today. Swamp Thing originally left his comic book
roots a decade after his creation in an early 1980’s Wes Craven film by the
same name and once again in the late 1980’s with a bad, low budget sequel. The Swamp Thing television series originally
premiered on USA Networks in 1990 and managed to last for a total of 72
episodes (Three Seasons). Actor Dick
Durock reprised his role as Swamp Thing, having played the character twice
before in both the 1980’s films. All 22 episodes of the First Season of Swamp
Thing are presented here in this 4-Disc set in their original chronological
order. The series was always one of USA
Network’s top rated shows, but came with mixed feelings from the critics.
The
premise of Swamp Thing – The Series
is not complicated or hard to understand.
Swamp Thing is a creature who lives in a swamp and seeks vengeance on
the ‘evil doers’ who enter it. As the
series progresses, however, Swamp Thing transforms from a superhero that simply
defeats all evil, to a creature that connects more with humanity and his
surroundings. Swamp Thing soon realizes
that everyone’s actions, including his own, have an impact on the world and
deeper considerations must always be made.
Where as
the beginning of the series focuses on Swamp Thing as a creature, it is soon
revealed that he was not always that way, but more like the people that he
saves and he himself was a victim.
Following in line with the comics, Swamp Thing was a great scientist
named Alec Holland who fell victim to a group of men who attempted to steal a
secret ‘regeneration formula’ that he was creating in his swamp side home. In the heat of the savage attack, Dr. Holland’s
house lights up in a great flash and in a desperate attempt to save his life
Holland jumps into the murky swamp waters.
Weeks and months pass, but eventually a creature emerges from the
darkened waters of the Louisiana bayou, the hero we know as Swamp Thing. Also following in suit with the comics, Swamp
Thing is not exactly Alec Holland mutated, but rather a swampy, vegetation mass
that maintains the thoughts, memories, and personality of the slain doctor. Swamp Thing’s arch nemesis soon becomes the sly
and charismatic Dr. Anton Arcane, who has many personal evils and loves nothing
more than to play God. The series
evolves as the series progresses and after almost 20 years manages to stay
fresh and exciting.
Though
not always captivating, the series keeps a good pace and keeps the viewers’;
interest well enough. Always considered
to have a strong mix of drama, science fiction, and mystery; Swamp Thing hails
as having a good blend of everything for most comic book fans and casual
viewers alike. Swamp Thing – The Series was not always completely true to the
comic series that created it, but good enough that fans won’t be outraged at
inconsistencies. This reviewer
thoroughly enjoyed the entire First
Season and hopes that the box sets sell well enough that SHOUT! Factory
will be able to conclude the cliff hanger ending of the season reviewed here. I
will stop here because as Swamp Thing said ‘The more I tell you about myself
the less you know…’
The
technical features of this 4-Disc set are like the swamp in that they are murky
and splattered. The picture is presented
in its original 1.33 X 1 Full Screen aspect ratio and is quite frankly
disappointing. The colors and contrast are
skewed having distorted skin tones and an overall flat presence; all while the
picture quality seeming to have light/dark issues throughout. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound quality is
better than the picture presentation having little to no distortion and only
occasionally having a distant quality.
Overall, the sound presentation is surprisingly nice. The extras are few and short, but mildly
entertaining. Extras include two short
interviews, one with comic creator Len Wein and the other with series star Dick
Durock.
In the
end, this reviewer had never seen Swamp
Thing – The Series before, but was whole heartedly pleased. It had many entertaining elements throughout
and the series only felt slightly dated.
The combination of science fiction with a strong drama backbone only
heightened the level of creativity and was always interesting. But as one of the leads in the series said ‘I
am used to strange things I am from Philadelphia.’
- Michael P Dougherty II
