Despite bad news for the production, the Hellblazer maintains a cocky grin and soldiers on. For the first time since the pilot, I felt this episode was distractingly predictable. Possessed kid, tough-guy dad and mom that will do anything to save her son, John’s haunted past, etc. All of which amounts to a kinda disappointing episode.

Zed’s absence—she has “art class”—from this Halloween romp blows some fresh air into the show, surprisingly. Without her, it feels like Constantine’s supporting cast has a rotation quality that could add some suspense from episode to episode as to what kind of chemistry we can expect from the players. While I don’t hate Constantine and Zed together, I am bothered by the writers trying to force the two of them into a romance (see episode 5 for some SUPER awkward flirtation that just doesn’t work). Just let them be unravellers of dark mysteries together! No smooching, just solving.

We learn more about Constantine’s past this episode thanks to the winged expository device named Manny. As anyone could have guessed, John had a tough childhood and Manny hints that he witnessed every cigarette burn John’s father granted him. I understand and appreciate that angels can’t provide direct aid to free-will-toting humans, but I’m hoping Manny gets more interesting (read: more willing to break God’s rules) in the final few episodes.

Sigh, the “rising darkness.” Never was there a big bad so ambiguous and therefore completely unthreatening as this supposedly ancient evil. And even though Manny mentions the “rising darkness” again, we’re still no closer to understanding what it IS, or how John can stop or delay it. Instead of explanation, we’re told that Constantine isn’t Heaven’s first choice for a champion against the dark; in other words, Constantine is the anti-hero everyone already knows he is. Thanks, Manny. You’re really pulling your weight, buddy. Manny reiterates that dark energy, possessions, demons, psychic powers, etc. are becoming more and more powerful, but how much scarier are they really? Until John starts looking scared, I won’t be.

The plot of this episode is disappointingly simple and, frankly, kind of boring. I enjoyed that Constantine was forced to face his fear of exorcising children, but the climax of the episode didn’t feel like much of a climax for Constantine himself. He didn’t walk away from this adventure learning about his own nature and his own fears, which seems like a pretty big missed opportunity.

Predictability knocked this episode down a few notches, too. “Hey, it’s a Halloween episode. Let’s set the climax in a fake haunted house because those aren’t stupid!” Even though Laura Regan, who plays Claire, turned in an excellent performance as Henry’s mother, her mother-who-will-do-anything-for-her-boy character is uncomplicated and boring. And don’t even get me started on Henry’s dad…

The treasures continue to tumble out of John’s closet as Chas grabs the Sword of Night, a big piece of DC Comics history once belonging to Nightmaster. The sword inclines the user to be honest, can force others to tell the truth, and even disrupts the normal flow of time around the wielder to slow aging. Pretty awesome, I know. Did you catch any other easter eggs floating around? Let us know on the comment boards.

Overall, I was pretty bummed about this episode, but every show is allowed a few less-than-stellar efforts.

 

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