NBC’s Constantine Hits the Air This Fall

Constantine Hellblazer comic cover

Reaction to NBC’s first Constantine trailer. Constantine is due to hit NBC sometime this fall.

NBC just released a trailer for its forthcoming Constantine series premiering in the Fall. Constantine, based on the Vertigo series Hellblazer, seems to keep some elements of the comic book in the series: John Constantine is British (Thank, God), his smart-aleck attitude, his trademark trench coat, and his arcane abilities.
The editors of the trailer saw fit to include one or two scarier moments (Well, scary for network television) and to hint that something big is going to go down in the series. Past that it seems the show’s creators have added in their own two cents.
constantine snapshot

Based on the trailer, it seems the series should be good. Matt Ryan embodies the spirit of the character enough to convince me he was the right choice for the role. The show’s creators have brought in an angel, who warns Constantine of coming troubles, and the daughter of a friend who sees dead people. It looks like it will be an edgier Supernatural ( one of my guilty pleasures up there with Pretty Little Liars). Comparing Constantine to Supernatural is not a bad thing if the show can keep a lid on the cheesier elements found in Supernatural.

It appears the show is moving John Constantine from England to the United States. It would be nice, if the series survives past season 1, to see John Constantine back in jolly old England. Taking Constantine out of England is like taking Batman out of Gotham City (which DC seems to do a lot in the comics), it doesn’t feel right. The city John Constantine lives in is just as much of a character in the story as Constantine, Chas (the cab driver), or Papa Midnight.

As a diehard Hellblazer fan I can’t help to approach the trailer through the lens of the Vertigo series. However,  I am realistic enough to realize no one would notice if every Hellblazer fan in the world stood up at the same time up; there’s not enough fans to keep the series on the air. As a fan of good television, I see promise in Constantine. I will definitely be checking out the first episode.