Constantine Season 1, Episode 1 "Non Est Asylum" General Discussion

[Doc Ock]

I adored every moment of the pilot, I can't think of a single moment I didn't like. This doesn't happen far too often, I was in utter joy.

Spoiler

Loved it!

The leaked version didn't have the woman (Zed) drawing pictures of John Constantine at the end.

I didn't realize that was Zed!!

 

[cherokeesam]

Overall, just going on Pilots (albeit the wrong one in my case) I'm liking this more than Gotham.

Flash has been fun and i'll probably stick with that but I found Arrow so terribly bad that it might tarnish both for me.

I like Arrow, Flash, and Constantine. Gotham is the only DC show that seems pointless to me....it's a standalone cop show about comic-book heroes and villains who act nothing like comic-book heroes and villains, let alone the actual characters they're intended to portray. The only thing Gotham has going for it is just fanboy interest in seeing "what if" scenarios about the origins of their favorite Batvillains, but I think the novelty of that will wear thin after just a few episodes.

 

[The Guard]

Gotham is the only DC show that seems pointless to me....it's a standalone cop show about comic-book heroes and villains who act nothing like comic-book heroes and villains, let alone the actual characters they're intended to portray.

...no.

 

[cherokeesam]

...no.

...yes.

 

[The Guard]

No, that's just a ridiculous statement to make.

How do they act nothing like the characters they're intended to portray? If anything they act too much like their future selves at this juncture.

 

[S. Grundy]

I read something that summed up what is wrong with Gotham perfectly today, "it's a show dedicated to telling us everything about the Batman story before the Batman story gets interesting."

 

[famicommander]

No, that's just a ridiculous statement to make.

How do they act nothing like the characters they're intended to portray? If anything they act too much like their future selves at this juncture.

Yes, because we often see Catwoman holding up a necklace and batting at the locket on the end of it like a cat. We also often see her being extremely unstealthy (slinking through graveyard on top of things in broad daylight, jumping [from a building?] onto the hood of a car in broad daylight, etc), stealing milk, and demanding to be called Cat.

That isn't acting like Catwoman, that's literally acting like a cat. There's a difference.

And if there's anything Penguin is known for, it's murdering multiple people in broad daylight over minor insults.

 

[Jason Kane]

I read something that summed up what is wrong with Gotham perfectly today, "it's a show dedicated to telling us everything about the Batman story before the Batman story gets interesting."

How serverely accurate.

 

[Jason Kane]

There is another thing I noticed I didn't realize til now. A reference to the First of the Fallen that was in the leaked version was omitted.

Which could mean we may get that legendary first encounter in future. Which, in turn, mean- YOU WITCHES BETTER KEEP WATCHING SO IT CAN HAPPEN!!!!

 

[The Guard]

Yes, because we often see Catwoman holding up a necklace and batting at the locket on the end of it like a cat. We also often see her being extremely unstealthy (slinking through graveyard on top of things in broad daylight, jumping [from a building?] onto the hood of a car in broad daylight, etc), stealing milk, and demanding to be called Cat.

That isn't acting like Catwoman, that's literally acting like a cat. There's a difference.

And if there's anything Penguin is known for, it's murdering multiple people in broad daylight over minor insults.

Are these the only things you've taken from these characters?

You seriously haven't seen the elements of these characters that play into who they will be in the future? Really?

 

[famicommander]

I've seen hollow stereotypes and heavy handed foreshadowing. Only Oswald has any sort of real characterization in the show (to be fair, I'm no longer watching the show), and I don't much like him being such a sociopath. Penguin is generally portrayed as one of Batman's only sane foes.

To be clear, I don't mind different interpretations of characters. I just find these ones extremely annoying.

 

[Human Torch]

I read something that summed up what is wrong with Gotham perfectly today, "it's a show dedicated to telling us everything about the Batman story before the Batman story gets interesting."

An apt description.

 

[Jason Kane]

I've seen hollow stereotypes and heavy handed foreshadowing. Only Oswald has any sort of real characterization in the show (to be fair, I'm no longer watching the show), and I don't much like him being such a sociopath. Penguin is generally portrayed as one of Batman's only sane foes.

To be clear, I don't mind different interpretations of characters. I just find these ones extremely annoying.

Even Montoya and Allen are unlikeable which is messed up considering its both their first foray into live-action (TDK doesnt count since Nolan and co. couldn;t be arsed to use Renee or Holly)

 

[Jason Kane]

Anyway, before this thread degenerates into a Gotham one:

[YT]http://youtu.be/1okpAwCSQM0?list=UUwLw7wMt6ra3yIdSd8EK8FQ[/YT]

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I finally caught it today... Hell's Bells what a nearly perfect start to what I thought, conceptually for an American Network adaptation, was going to be a high hurdle to pass. This was a well shot, well produced adaptation with very good casting for the most part and the tone was far rougher than I expected for NBC. They did a great job of both explaining things to the audience and just letting certain elements be with out hand holding. I know some die hards might have some quibbles with things, and as this is NBC, John might not be quite the monumental bastard we all know and love as he is in comics, but unless this was going to be on HBO/Showtime/AMC, a bit of softening was bound to happen. Still, I it pleased the hell out of me (and I was shocked at the violence a bit... Which again is good) and I dare say it is may shape up to be the best comic book adaptation on network right now, easily leaving SHIELD, ARROW and even FLASH behind. I just hope the next episode is as good.

 

[cherokeesam]

I've seen hollow stereotypes and heavy handed foreshadowing. Only Oswald has any sort of real characterization in the show (to be fair, I'm no longer watching the show), and I don't much like him being such a sociopath. Penguin is generally portrayed as one of Batman's only sane foes.

To be clear, I don't mind different interpretations of characters. I just find these ones extremely annoying.

Agreed. And in the end, Gotham is a lot of build-up and hype and retconning a story we are probably never going to see --- i.e., Batman on live-action TV again for the first time in 50 years. Granted, if the showrunners are trying to play their cards close to the vest and cover up the fact that Gotham *would* move on in years a season or two in to become a Batman series proper, then I could see the payoff potential. As it stands right now, all they're doing is rewriting characters and origin stories in a storyline that is guaranteed to have no resolution, ever.

 

[super85]

I'm surprised Chas went out so quickly, but it makes sense given John's history.

You being silly or did you just miss the thing with Chas?

 

[SomeOldGuy]

Finally caught it and I have to say...it just slid right off of me. I had practically forgotten about it half an hour after I watched it. And that surprises me because I'm a Hellblazer fan and really wanted to like this. I'll keep tuning in, at least for a few episodes, but this episode didn't stand out to me. As always YMMV.

 

[Jason Kane]

I finally caught it today... Hell's Bells what a nearly perfect start to what I thought, conceptually for an American Network adaptation, was going to be a high hurdle to pass. This was a well shot, well produced adaptation with very good casting for the most part and the tone was far rougher than I expected for NBC. They did a great job of both explaining things to the audience and just letting certain elements be with out hand holding. I know some die hards might have some quibbles with things, and as this is NBC, John might not be quite the monumental bastard we all know and love as he is in comics, but unless this was going to be on HBO/Showtime/AMC, a bit of softening was bound to happen. Still, I it pleased the hell out of me (and I was shocked at the violence a bit... Which again is good) and I dare say it is may shape up to be the best comic book adaptation on network right now, easily leaving SHIELD, ARROW and even FLASH behind. I just hope the next episode is as good.

As the official story goes, NBC approached Goyer and Constantine was the first thing that came out of his mouth. HBO and Showtime prove to be right snobs when it comes to the very thought of doing comic2TV adaptations and are more likely to adapt novels that's quality ranges from good-ok (Games of Thrones) to absolute **** (True Blood). Had Starz, AMC, and/or FX (their failure of getting Powers off the ground aside), we'd all wouldn't have the doubts.

 

[Wheels]

Lucy Griffiths was awful in the pilot but otherwise it was good. It's awesome they dropped her.

 

[S. Grundy]

You being silly or did you just miss the thing with Chas?

At first I was pissed they killed Chas, because he's one of the few people that John never got killed. But then he's alive with magic survival abilities, which I don't know. The thing with Chas was he was just a normal bloke that would get sucked into Johns ********.

 

[Jason Kane]

At first I was pissed they killed Chas, because he's one of the few people that John never got killed. But then he's alive with magic survival abilities, which I don't know. The thing with Chas was he was just a normal bloke that would get sucked into Johns ********.

Which will be address in Ep. 10. Since Charles Halford mentioned Queenie (Chas' mom from #84) in one interview from two months back makes me think she's the 2nd of two possiblities to how Chas survives any harm; the other possibility being John put some kind of sigil on him

 

[The Guard]

You being silly or did you just miss the thing with Chas?

Apparently I missed it.

Huzzah!

 

[Rowsdower!]

Lucy Griffiths was awful in the pilot but otherwise it was good. It's awesome they dropped her.

Yeah, she wasn't good. It's strange; she was good in True Blood (even if the show itself was awful). Weird that she was so bland here.

 

[Jason Kane]

Yeah, she wasn't good. It's strange; she was good in True Blood (even if the show itself was awful). Weird that she was so bland here.

The character wasn't much as strong as the previous female characters of Hellblazer like Zed, Kit, Dani and Angie.