‘Constantine,’ fighting its own demons
Debut episode of this new NBC supernatural drama is a tangle
October 22, 2014
TV reviewers try not to let news coverage about upcoming series affect their opinions. But without the behind-the-scenes stuff, some shows simply don’t make sense.
The premiere episode of NBC’s new supernatural drama “Constantine” takes an odd turn that is inexplicable unless we know that the show’s producers decided to write out a main character after shooting the pilot.
Some reshot scenes provide a dramatically unsatisfying ending and leave us with little idea where the show is headed. Although the first episode doesn’t provide sufficient evidence to write the show off, it’s hardly promising.
Premiering this Friday, Oct. 24, at 10 p.m., “Constantine” is based on a DC Comics series called “Hellblazer,” which was also the source of the 2005 Keanu Reeves movie “Constantine.” The title character, John Constantine (Matt Ryan), is a self-described “exorcist, demonologist and master of the dark arts.”
As the premiere episode opens, Constantine has checked himself into a Victorian-looking insane asylum in northern England, where he is undergoing shock treatment and psychotherapy in an attempt to handle the memory of having lost a little girl named Astra (Bailey Tippen) to a powerful demon.
But an apparently infernal message sends him to Atlanta, where he tries to help a young woman named Liv (Lucy Griffiths), who is being attacked by the forces of hell.
Constantine tells Liv that she is the daughter of his late friend Jasper, a fellow demon battler. He gives her a pendant of her father’s that enables her to see trapped souls and other supernatural phenomena.
At this point, we would be assuming that Liv is going to be Constantine’s helper and sidekick, if we hadn’t read that the creators, Daniel Cerone and David S. Goyer, had decided to replace her with a different character from the comic books, Zed (to be played by Angélica Celaya).
Whatever their reason, Lucy Griffiths’ performance is weak. She responds to nearly all of the mind-boggling revelations and action with the same wide-eyed and open-mouthed expression. At the end of the episode, Liv still feels like an innocent bystander.
In fact, none of the supporting characters stands out. Manny (Harold Perrineau), an angel who asks for Constantine’s help in battling an unspecified coming evil, has little to do but talk. Chas (Charles Halford), Constantine’s right-hand man, has a few things to do but reveals little personality.
As Constantine, Matt Ryan keeps just the right amount of tongue in his cheek. We believe that he’s burdened with guilt but still has the wit to tell an angel to “flap off.” But he can’t be expected to carry the show all by himself.
The visuals are high quality but unimaginative. Since modern TV shows and movies based on comics usually try to create a look that captures the feel of the source material, this is doubly disappointing.
The cosmology and theology are a muddle. While under attack, Constantine invokes both “the sacred cross” and “the star of David,” but he tends to use Latin in his spells.
In a violation of the rules of most Christian faiths, an innocent girl can be dragged to hell by a demon for eternity. Because Constantine failed to prevent this, he’s going to hell too.
The episode’s plot might have been more satisfying as originally written. With Liv out of the picture, it’s up to us viewers to figure out where next week’s episode might go.
Since the TV pickings on Fridays are so slim, “Constantine” could get some sampling next Friday, except that it’s Halloween, a low-viewership night. This show isn’t doomed, but the folks involved might want to say a few Ave Marias.
Tags: nbc
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