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Do not bring your evil here…again.

Swamp Thing was one of those television shows that needed just a little more “umph.” Instead of going the full super-hero route, the horror route or the “WTF” Alan Moore route, the USA Network series opted for a low-key, laid-back route, one that didn’t attract a huge amount of fans. It did attract enough to keep it going for three seasons, and the first half of that final season hits DVD shelves from Shout Factory.

Contained in the four-disc set are 26 episodes. The general plot of the show mirrors the earlier seasons; episodes revolve around either Swamp Thing stopping the latest scheme of mad scientist Anton Arcane (Mark Lindsay Chapman, the best part of the show), or sitting back and watching while the swamp deals with intruders in its own special way. One of the recurring threads involves Swampy teaching Will (Scott Garrison) about the ways of the swamp, as Will had a near-fatal encounter and to save him, Swamps bonded him with the murk. In “Easy Prey,” for instance, Will uses his new connection to the swamp to foil a big-game hunter lurking in the swamps for a rare hawk.

The series had so much potential, but ultimately the low budget held it back. Dick Durock continues as a physically impressive Swamp Thing. Chapman, as stated previously, makes the show fun and enjoyable when he’s around.

Unlike the first set, this one lacks any special features. A shame really, as there were still things to be discussed beyond what was covered previously.

It’s a shame, with all the interest in comic books recently, a serious relaunch of the Swamp Thing films hasn’t been considered. When and if there is, hopefully it can learn from this series and build on its strengths and avoid its faults.

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