Swamp Thing season 1, episode 5 review: Drive All Night

In “Drive All Night,” Swamp Thing turns into a demonic possession story.

Last time on Swamp Thing, Avery Sunderland “bought” Susie Coyle from her uncle in order to appease Maria. (He also killed Gordon to shut him up, which taught the viewer that Avery has a dark side.) Meanwhile, Abby Arcane and William Arcane looked at a live sample of Swamp Thing’s tissue, and Alec told Abby he was afraid because “it’s only the beginning.”

Heading into this episode, Alec’s vaguely fearful message looms large; what other terrors await Marais?

It was only just a dream

How many horror movies would be solved if characters didn’t automatically jump to the assumption that someone must be dreaming in order to see something scary? Think about it, if people were willing to believe that strange things could happen, most movie monsters and demons could be defeated in the span of five minutes. Sadly, we all know that characters don’t work that way; the denial of the mysterious and uncanny, to quote Weasel from Deadpool, “might further the plot.”
In episode five, Swamp Thing exploits this trope when Maria Sunderland dismisses Susie Coyle’s claim that she saw “the girl from the picture,” Maria’s dead daughter Shawna. Maria tells Susie she simply had a nightmare and leaves the room to get another blanket for her. When she comes back, to the surprise of no one, Suzie is gone. If Maria had simply been willing to listen, the events of the next several minutes could have been avoided. That’s why people should listen to kids in horror movies and TV shows.

I’m going through changes

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Elsewhere in dreamland, Swamp Thing has nightmares, too. After taking the infection from Abby, Alec is prone to horrific visions; he sees dead people all around him. He also makes a new friend, who strangely shows up on the water and knows all about the mystery behind the swamp. The trees, according to the stranger, hold Marais’ hidden memories. Using this newfound knowledge, Alec learns about Abby’s secrets; specifically, he relives the night Abby’s friend Shawna died, which has been one of the main narrative threads in the show. Subsequently, Alec continues to evolve as he gains a more comprehensive understanding of the swamp.

As Swamp Thing changes, so too does Susie, who dives into demonic possession mode. Shawna speaks through the young girl and, at various points, Susie transforms into Abby’s former best friend. The first few episodes of this show borrowed here and there from the horror genre. By comparison, “Drive All Night” doesn’t just borrow; it’s almost entirely a ghost story.

Untapped potential

Swamp Thing is gradually building up to the formation of Justice League Dark. A number of the major players are already here; namely, the titular character, Madame Xanadu and Blue Devil have been introduced. Unfortunately, the showrunners’ plans to fully unite this offshoot of the Justice League won’t be realized due to the show’s untimely cancellation. Still, the worldbuilding is undeniable in this episode. Xanadu takes a more prominent role, and the viewer sees a glimpse of Blue Devil when Daniel Cassidy’s arm catches on fire and the flames are blue. Plus, to further tease the audience, the Devil’s mask in his trunk emits bright blue light. These hints make the viewer wonder what a Justice League Dark television show would look like.

“Drive All Night” is an entertaining episode of a horror show. It also continues Swamp Thing’s tendency to focus on elements beyond the titular character. Hopefully, future episodes will strike more of a balance.