Constantine PSA

Dear Reader,

Ever consider watching the NBC show Constantine?

I heartily recommend it for fans of Supernatural or Grimm.  It's a darker show, more along the lines of Daredevil than SHIELD and is based off of the Hellblazer comics.  It's pretty true to the source material, doing the characters and story justice.

Unfortunately, it's riding the line between a second season and cancellation.  There's a way to help current fans and also find yourself among the ranks!

Every single episode of Constantine will be On Demand starting today.  I don't know how long it will last, so make sure you catch up really quickly.  I think it will also be on the NBC website, so you can watch it anywhere with internet!  You won't be disappointed.

And please spread the word!  This will help the show find a second season.  If you had problems with the first season, getting a second will help it grow and improve.  Wouldn't you love to see an underdog story play out in real life?  And you can help.

So, yes, go give Constantine a try.  I know I'll be re watching my favorite episodes and live tweeting as I do.  And I'd love to talk to you about it!  We'd have a blast, I promise.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Sincerely,

The Constantine Fandom

TV Review: Constantine (Season 1)

Watch| NBC
Starring| Matt Ryan (John Constantine); Harold Perrineau (Manny); Angélica Celaya (Zed Martin); Charles Hatford (Chas Chandler)
Rating| B
Related Posts| Episodes 1-8, The Devil You Know

This is just going to be a quick review, but I wanted to get my thoughts out.  I really am a fan of the show and of the comics it's adapted from, and I think the show deserves a better chance than just one season cut off prematurely.

It's not unlike many shows on TV right now, though, which is a liability.  Were it unique it would stand a better chance.  Or, were it on a different channel.  I don't think NBC has given it the appropriate opportunity to thrive.  Not to be harsh on NBC, because I do like them as a channel, but this show doesn't really fit there.  Maybe AMC would have been better?  But I digress.

As I've said before, I think the casting is spot on.  With every word Ryan is able to imbue himself with the character of John Constantine.  They really couldn't have found a better guy to play this part.  As for Celaya, I think she's a great Zed.  I'm not a big Zed fan in regards to the comics, but I think that her portrayal is the much needed update to the character and I absolutely love her.  I also think she's one of the prettiest people on TV right now.  Hopefully, if this show does tank, she'll be scooped up for something great soon.

The general plot of the season felt wrong, but only because it was cut off too soon.  With their limited run, you could tell that the producers and writers were just putting a taste of everything into the season in hope of enticing a second one.  But that being said, it detracted from the overall enjoyment of the show.

As a fan of Hellblazer I could tell what stories they were adapting in particular for episodes.... and I loved how they did it!  They managed to keep the integrity of the story and still make it exciting and fresh.  So many characters are dead by the time Hellblazer starts and this show manages to make them live and gives me hope for many of them.

I'm giving this star a B for all the kinks it has had.  However, with all its problems, it has done a pretty good job of cleaning up and coming out as best as possible.  Kudos to them.

Quick Review: Constantine Vol. 2- The Devil You Know

Author| (mainly) Jamie Delano
Edition| Paperback
Genre| Comics (Mature Audiences)
Rating| 3 1/2 stars
Other Reviews| Episodes 1-8

I forgot how strange these comics can get.  In particular "On the Beach" really threw me off.  I get that it's trying to make a statement (there are several instances of that in this one) and I applaud it's forcefulness.  It is very clear, though, that this is for mature readers.  If you're not okay with really strange, mind bending, bizarre things that make you feel VERY uncomfortable afterwards, or graphic(ish) sex, don't pick this up.  You won't really like it.

This edition picks up right after the first one, which was nice, and Delano's writing continues to warm my heart.  For fans of the show, you'll enjoy learning about what happened at Newcastle.  Which I really did enjoy.  It's not easy to explain and I hope that the show does it justice.

As for the final two chapters, the pieces from "The Horrorist", I loved them.  They were unique and brought John to a place that I really liked.  It again is a little strange and sends a resounding message, but it almost worth the whole collection combined.

TV Review: Constantine (Season 1, Episodes #1-8)

Watch| 7pm (Central Time), Fridays on NBC
Starring| Matt Ryan (John Constantine); Harold Perrineau (Manny); Angélica Celaya (Zed Martin); Charles Hatford (Chas Chandler)

The premise is taken directly from the first volume of reissued Hellblazer comics, which I seriously recommend. John Constantine is a professional exorcist and has a string of bodies behind him, including a young girl whom he doomed to hell. Teaming up with Chas, an old friend who can't exactly die, and the mysterious Zed, who's also a psychic of sorts, he travels the country stopping the Rising Darkness.

It had a slow start thanks to the hiccup with the main female lead and then hit another bump when it got a shortened season (although season two is still a possibility, and one I'm rooting for).  It finally hit its stride around episode six, and peaked in episode seven with an episode that distinctly reminded me of a classic Supernatural episode.  Now that the plot is finally moving it should attract a regular viewership.

The characters are likable in that roguish way anti-heroes are supposed to be.  The sympathetic one is Zed, the quiet one Chas, and the snarky one, of course, is John himself.  The actors fit into their roles, and I actually can't complain about any of them (which is a nice surprise).  Annoyingly, Zed and Chas never seem to share the same air space, switching episodes back and forth as if the directors can't bear to take some of the spotlight away from John.  Having a balance of the three could strengthen the show and lead to quicker character growth.  As for the supporting characters, they seem a little gullible.  This show has a bit of leeway, getting to play in the sandbox that is the magic side of DC comics, and should take a fuller advantage of that.

The cinematic quality is pretty good.  Camera work nice, although every once in a while a strange angle is thrown in that makes me scratch my head.  It is gory, and I would recommend it for mature viewers due to this.  If you can handle Hannibal you're probably fine.  Personally, I revel in the gore, very few shows tackle it these days.  In all honestly, I would have preferred to see this kind of show on a movie channel where the characters can go wild in their dark, gritty world.  For an NBC production, it's very good.

I'd give it an overall rating of a B+, but I'm a bit biased since I'm a fan of the source material.  It's not too late to catch up on it before the season picks up again on January 16th.