To coincide with the airing of Swamp Thing on the CW, we are re-broadcasting our reviews of the series from its original airing on the DC Universe platform. If there are any differences in the episodes aired on the CW (edits for time or content, for example), those changes will not be reflected in our reviews.
Welcome back Swamp dwellers! Hard to imagine that we are 8 episodes into Swamp Thing and sadly closing in on the end. This week we get to take a jaunt through the darkness inside Avery Sunderland’s head and Abby returns to Atlanta to do Science. Make sure your waders are properly secured for it’s going to be a “Long Walk Home”.
1. Avery Sunderland’s Long Walk
At the end of the last episode, Avery Sunderland was in a bad way. He had been shot in the leg and barely escaped being killed by swimming away. “Long Walk Home” opens up pretty much where “Brilliant Disguise” left off, with Avery badly wounded in the middle of the Swamp in the middle of the night and needing to get his way home. We have seen through this season, though, that Sunderland is one tough son of a bitch, despite the first impressions of being a rich dandy. Despite delirium taking its toll on his senses, he maintains enough control of himself to overcome the visions that beset him through the Swamp. And what a doozy those visions are. He first meet Lucilia Cable and her shotgun again in an encounter that seems all too real. In fact, it seemed real enough that although I almost questioned it being a hallucination right up to when vines shoot out of her face and try to attack him.
He next encounters a memory from his past, which redefines some of his character for me. Based on his earlier actions and flashbacks, I thought that Sunderland was responsible for his father’s death in the Swamp. But if we are to believe the visions of a delusional man, the elder Sunderland was grabbed by the Swamp when he attacked an ancient tree and burned alive by his own fire. This incident definitely explains Sunderland’s enmity for the Swamp, and the actions he has taken since then has earned him the Swamp as an enemy as well. A fact conveyed to him by Swamp Thing who still has enough Alec Holland in him to spare Sunderland.
With Swamp Thing’s aid and healing, Sunderland is able to make it out of the Swamp and back home where he meets with Woodrue. Sunderland is grateful for the Swamp Thing’s help and promises Woodrue’s talents in trying to bring Alec back to human form. But Woodrue sees untapped potential in Swamp Thing and easily convinces Sunderland to capture and study him.
2. Oh yeah! Abby has a real job!
Also at the end of the last episode, Abby informs Liz that she needs to head back to Atlanta to use the fuller resources of the CDC to examine the sample she took from within the Darkness. When she heads into the CDC offices, we’re suddenly reminded that Abby has a real job that she has been neglecting while gallivanting in the Swamp with Alec. This is pointed out to her by the new assistant director at the CDC, Doctor Palomar: she failed to file daily reports and continued to investigate an infection that seemed to end but did not have any blood samples or lab reports to back anything up. (Palomar is played by Adrienne Barbeau, but more on her in a bit.) As I pointed out in one of my WitchBlade recaps, I always like it when a character in a show like this gets called out for not balancing their actual day job with whatever stuff they’re caught up in. I mean, I get it, you know. It can be really hard trying to be a renowned epidemiologist with the CDC while also trying to figure out how to transform your quasi-boyfriend back from being a plant monster. It was also refreshing when her partner and close confidant, Harlan, calls her out for not even keeping him in the loop. He really shows his friendship later, when she finally tells him everything about Alec, and he says he would always believe her.
Continued below3. Hunky Deputy’s Pouty Rebellion
Abby is not the only one being called out on the carpet for not performing diligently at his job. Hunky sheriff’s deputy Matt Cable is dealing with the multiple shocks of being stabbed, trying to kill the town’s richest man, discovering that man is his father, and that his mother has lied about this for his entire life. It stands to reason why he really doesn’t want to go to work, and when he gets dragged in does not want to sign accident reports. It’s hard to imagine the panic that will happen when he and his mother discover that Sunderland is back.
4. The Conclave is Everywhere
Nathan Ellery and his Conclave are starting to make their presence known in the world of Swamp Thing. First he meets with Woodrue and promises him a new cutting edge laboratory right there in Marais. Woodrue seems a little confused at first, assuming that he would begin working at one of the Conclave’s existing research facilities, but Ellery informs him that the research he is looking for would be better off the books. This suggests some pretty dire plans for the future use of this research.
Ellery shows up again later in the episode at the CDC to confront Abby on what she knows about Alec Holland and the happenings in Marais. Here is where we can see how the Conclave’s tentacles are infiltrated into society. Abby has been locked out of accessing any information on the sample she brought back from Marais, and it was Doctor Palomar herself that brought Abby to meet with Ellery. Which leads one to think that the Conclave now has significant influence in the CDC at this point. Of course, this is after they kidnapped Abby’s partner, Harlan, off the street in front of her apartment and “questioned” him for information.
5. Blast from the Past
With this episode, Swamp Thing joins with other DC Comics shows like Supergirl and The Flash by bringing on board cast members of earlier iterations. Here we have Adrienne Barbeau who originally played Alice Cable in 1982’s Swamp Thing directed by Wes Craven. From what I’ve researched, her character in the earlier film was an amalgamation of Abigail Arcane and Matt Cable (who were married in the comics). These are not Ms. Barbeau’s only connections with DC characters, she also voiced Selina Kyle/Catwoman in a several animated series and voices a character in Batman: Arkham Asylum. It is nice to see another DC television show honoring its legacy like this. It’s easy to imagine that if Swamp Thing had continued after this season, they could have gotten Ray Wise (who played Alec Holland in the Craven film) to make a guest appearance.
Stray Thoughts
– It was nice seeing Abby and Harlan together again, especially when he came by her apartment with pizza (veggie) and booze (bourbon). We only got to see glimpses of their friendship before this, but this scene did a nice job reinforcing their bond with each other.
– I appreciate Sunderland’s cleverness at confronting Swamp Thing with liquid nitrogen to slow and weaken him. It did a good job showing Sunderland’s wiles and also was a believable way of countering Swamp Thing’s many strengths.
That’s all we have for this week fellow fen walkers. Next week we’ll see how Swamp Thing manages to deal with the trouble he’s found himself in. Who will help him? Tune in to find out! Same Swamp Time! Same Swamp Channel!
