When DC Universe announced they were adding Swamp Thing to their streaming lineup, fans were intrigued. Would the streaming site be able to do the comic book source material justice? Filmed on location in North Carolina, and with the use of plenty of makeup, prosthetics, and visual effects, the answer was yes.
Unfortunately for fans who were excited for an element of horror to be added to the DC live action lineup, Swamp Thing’s cancellation was announced very early. In fact, only one episode had been aired before the DC Universe pulled the plug. Now that all 10 episodes of the only season of the series are available for fans to stream, we’ve ranked them all.
Drive All Night, Episode 5
“Drive All Night” leads off the Swamp Thing episodes only because it is the most muddled of the 10. It has a lot going on at the halfway mark of the season, attempting to put all the moving pieces of the show into place.
The episode does give the audience a lot of backstory for Abby as she’s “haunted” by the death of her best friend as a teenager. It also introduces the Phantom Stranger, but his presence in the show is an odd, disconnected one, and wouldn’t mean anything to fans who didn’t already know who he was. Of course, if fans went out of their way to get the DC Universe subscription service, that might not be a problem for most, as they’re likely at least passingly familiar with the source material.
The Price You Pay, Episode 6
While there are a few interesting reveals in this episode - like Matt being the one to shoot Alec - the best parts of it concern the backstory of Daniel. The audience gets to see Daniel make a deal with who he thinks is an executive via flashback. It’s the deal that gets him the movie role of a lifetime: the Blue Devil. Little does he know how his life will change. A little special serum in the present day has him jolting out of a hospital bed after suffering a traumatic brain injury. Literal steam comes off his skin.
It feels very much like DC universe was interested in setting up multiple other series through Swamp Thing. Daniel would have been right at home in a Justice League Dark series. Given that it feels more like a backdoor pilot than a part of the Swamp Thing story, it doesn’t rank higher.
The Long Walk Home, Episode 8
“The Long Walk Home” splits its time between two main stories. On the one hand, Avery struggles to survive after being left for dead in the swamp, and on the other, Abby returns to Atlanta for a little scientific help.
It’s nice for fans to see Harlan again since he’s been missing from the story for a few episodes. Leonardo Nam is certainly wasted in the season with only a handful of appearances to provide a sounding board for Abby. His being kidnapped and whisked away by the same people after the Swamp Thing provided a tantalizing mystery that will remain unsolved.
Avery is a great villain to watch in small doses. For him to take over the rest of the episode is just a little too much Avery for the hour - especially since he learns nothing from his experiences in the episode.
He Speaks, Episode 3
Only three episodes into the series, and the writers demonstrated they weren’t afraid to move on quickly from certain storylines. In “He Speaks,” the mysterious illness that brought Abby back to Marais is all but eradicated.
When the series kicked off, the premise involved Abby returning home after a long absence so that she could help figure out what disease was running rampant in the small town. Solving the problem in episode three left the writers a lot of room to run full speed into the Swamp Thing of it all. Alec (as Swamp Thing) and Abby finally getting to have a conversation was probably the best part of this entire episode. Much of what went on otherwise was simply setting up what was to come in the rest of the season.
Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Episode 4
Just edging out of the top five episodes of the series, this one kicks the mysteries into Marais in high gear. Playing more like a thriller than true horror, “Darkness On The Edge Of Town” introduces a new concept in the swamp that seems to be the dark cousin of the Green.
After one person ends up being bitten by a corpse in the swamp, they begin to hallucinate. The darkness causing the hallucination travels from person to person as this “infection” spreads. In the end, it’s Abby and the Swamp Thing who have to put the darkness back in a dead body, but not before we get some mysterious backstory. Abby’s hallucination involves a mysterious man from her mother’s past, but she doesn’t know who he is. Cue all of the audience waiting anxiously for more information.
Loose Ends, Episode 10
Once there is time and distance between a fandom and a finale, the finale usually ends up ranked as a favorite episodes. Fans look fondly on loose ends being tied up and getting closure from a series. It’s unlikely “Loose Ends” will be looked on as the best of the Swamp Thing episodes since it does the opposite.
Unfortunately for the series, this episode doesn’t play like a finale. Yes, Abby and “Alec” accept the truth about who he is. Abby even promises she’s staying in Marais to help him figure things out. That promise feels empty knowing the show was cancelled after only streaming one episode. This season finale sets up so many new threads - the Blue Devil leaving town, Dr. Woodrue’s transformation, and Maria’s confinement - that it feels like a midseason pause, not the concluding chapter. Fans are only going to be more angry they don’t get more stories in this world.
Pilot
Easily one of the best episodes of the series, the pilot episode of Swamp Thing gave the DC Universe streaming selection a jolt. While Titans is more in the vein of a mystery-drama and Doom Patrol is more like an action-comedy, Swamp Thing brought true horror to the streamer.
The pilot episode kicked off with Abby Arcane returning to the hometown she left behind to save the day. Teasing a sketchy past, family drama, and something sinister below the small town surface, the pilot episode ticked all the boxes that made an audience want to keep watching. It also allowed the audience to get a brief introduction to Alec Holland. As the man who would become the Swamp Thing, the episode makes you wonder just how he could become a hero of the Green.
World’s Apart, Episode 2
While the pilot episode set up the world of Swamp Thing, it’s “World’s Apart” that begins to really flesh out the characters, which is why it ranks so highly.
The episode gives us a taste of Madame Xanadu’s power, Maria Sunderland’s obsession with her dead daughter, Matt’s feelings for Abby, and Daniel’s place in Marais. We also get the first confirmation that the Swamp Thing isn’t all bad as he saves Susie from a very bad man. Swamp Thing’s makeup and prosthetic job really gets the spotlight in earlier parts of this episode as well, letting us see how amazing he looks, even if he spends a lot of time shrouded in shadow.
The Anatomy Lesson, Episode 9
If any episode of the series really goes for the body horror, it’s “The Anatomy Lesson.” After finding himself captured at the end of episode eight, Alec ends up being dissected for his organs by Dr. Woodrue.
While Alec is literally being cut apart by the scientist, he’s conscious of it. It makes for a pretty horrible scene, but also for some stunning visuals. Knowing that he’s in trouble, Abby and Liz set out to save him. They aren’t exactly equipped to deal with the military-like personnel guarding him, so it’s lucky that Daniel comes to the rescue. Taken over by the Blue Devil, he manages to destroy everyone in the facility, saving Abby and Liz, and allowing them the chance to rescue Swamp Thing. This episode also gives us the big reveal - one inspired by the comics - that Swamp Thing isn’t really Alec at all. His body is still in the swamp! Talk about a cliffhanger to bring the audience back.
Brilliant Disguise, Episode 7
Thanks to a hallucinogenic flower, Swamp Thing gets a bit of a break this episode. Alec Holland takes the reins. During his scenes with Abby, Abby only sees him as Alec. This allows for a bit of a change of pace during the hour. The two head into the area of the swamp where the “darkness” is superior, and when Abby’s infected, she has to be saved by the Green.
If Abby and Swamp Thing getting closer, and both trying to figure out how to save Marais, isn’t enough for fans, there’s also a great twist. Maria and Lucilia conspire to get rid of Avery with the help of Matt - who happens to be his son. As Maria takes over Avery’s business meeting, Lucilia and Matt take Avery out to the swamp.
The entire episode is high on tension and reveals, moving the story along quickly, and turning things in a new direction, making it the best of Swamp Thing’s only season.
