Constantine: TV Series (2014-15)

Constantine: TV Series (2014-15)

Dirs. Various | Episodes: 13, approx 43 mins each.

A short-lived live action TV series based on the long-running Hellblazer comic book, but named after its main character, a spell-casting exorcist from Liverpool named John Constantine. It's more faithful to the source material than the 2005 US movie of the same name is, but does still do its own thing from time to time.

In addition to being an exorcist he's also a demonologist, an occult detective, and even a bit of a con-man, if the situation requires it.

On the surface he doesn't seem to be the kind of person it would be wise to put any trust in, but he's a humanitarian at heart. If someone is plagued by demons and they really don't deserve such attentions, he'll often go the extra mile to help them resolve the situation.

If he can smite a demon or two in the process, send them back to the hell that they crawled from, then that's all the better for John.

When we meet him for the first time he's in an asylum, in therapy, recovering from an exorcism that didn't go to plan. The episode serves as both an introduction to the nature of magick in the world and an insight into Constantine's self-appointed role within it. Having had his faith in his own abilities deeply shaken, he must build himself back up. A mix of borderline fatalism and a reckless punk attitude humanises him, as the story gives him a new threat to focus upon.

If you've read the early comic books, you'll know how important the 'Newcastle incident' was to John's development. The incident plays a role in the series, too. If you're completely new to the character, don't worry, prior knowledge isn't needed. I mention it only because its inclusion, or otherwise, could be a deciding factor for someone who does know the source text.

Welsh actor Matt Ryan plays the title role. He looks the part and is at least British this time, albeit from an entirely different geographical region to the character he plays. He does okay, though, especially when you keep in mind that for the most part British accents in US shows tend to be a kind of tailored Estuary English, unless a posh or cockney extreme is needed.

The series reminded me often of Eric Kripke's Supernatural — a venture that clearly took inspiration from Hellblazer's aesthetic — but the comparison only serves to hurt Constantine because it never reaches the same heights as the latter series, which had the advantage of being almost a decade into its run when Constantine launched. It's easy to forget that Supernatural had a shaky first season, though. Put the two series side by side in their respective first year and it may not be so black and white. But that's effectively a moot point. The 'edgy occult' TV landscape was crowded enough and Constantine just wasn't needed at that time.

Ordinarily that would be the end of it, but Matt Ryan's association with the character continued in other media. He became retroactively associated with DC's Arrowverse continuity and even voiced an animated version of John in the DC Animated Movie Universe, both solo and as part of Justice League Dark. Links to the relevant posts: Constantine / DCAMU / JL Dark.