After viewing Volume One of the Swamp Thing series a few months ago, I was shocked to see that Volume Two land in my mailbox this month. I found it funny because not to long before I got this series I was having a conversation about the films with a friend of mine, and I mentioned the series to him as well. We both agreed that the character is pretty cool, but at the same time it’s kind of cheesy. The comic books have always seemed decent, and recently the comics have grown darker in story. Yet as we were discussing the films we both agreed that no matter how cheesy the films were, they still had a good story and were very fun to watch. Such is the case with the Television series, No matter how corky the production value and script seem, they are still a blast to watch.
SWAMP THING: THE SERIES VOL. 2 is a much better DVD set than the first series, first off we get more episodes than the first disc set. Twenty six episodes in all, all from the third season of the series, which was actually more episodes than the first two SWAMP THING seasons combined. But there is actually more to the third season, fifty episodes in all which I’m sure will be released in the near future. The series appeared on The USA Network in the early nineteen nineties and starred Dick Durock whom played the original SWAMP THING in the films.
Coming in at a total of just about nine hours, I’ve spent the last few days watching each episodes while working on this here website and doing other types of work here in my office. I love long running television series like this as they always help pass the time. Lucky for me I have a television in the sights of my computer screen. The good thing about SWAMP THING is it’s a very well written, yet simple series, that combines elements of science fiction, horror and fantasy in one and the story have a very simple yet effective plot to keep the viewer interested all the way though.
I am very surprised by the production value of the third season compared to the first two seasons. First and foremost the make-up effect look much better, especially SWAMP THING himself. The make-up and costume design makes him look much more realistic, even some of the new mutants he encounters look a lot better than they did in the first two seasons. The series is also shot on better locations, locations that look more like the Swamplands and less like a backwoods set, or the woods in the back of someone’s house. There is also a lot more character development, not just for the character of Swamp Thing, but the people he encounters in each episode. Overall, Season three seems to be the season where the studio pumped more money into the franchise and gave it a lot more attention in it’s detail and storyline.
Overall, SWAMP THING: THE SERIES VOL. 2 I found to be a lot better than the first box set which included both season one and two. Its not only has better episodes but better production value as well. For fans of the SWAMP THING movies or the series, this is a must have set. It does not have much in the way of special features, but the fact that it has over nine hours of SWAMP THING goodness is well worth it. It’s a great set to help the time pass, and each episode is just as good as the next. I’m kind of surprised no one has decided to remake SWAMP THING yet. The DVD set for volume two will be available on DVD July 15th, 2008.
– Horror Bob
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- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
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