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The TV version of John Constantine doesn't smoke.
Or, at least, we will never get to see him smoke. He carries a lighter, and from time to time, a scene will begin with John stubbing out a cigarette or in some other way suggesting that he was just enjoying the rich smell of tobacco right before we happened to turn up to stare at him. He can't smoke because his new TV show “Constantine” (10 p.m., NBC) is on a broadcast network – albeit a broadcast network that airs “Hannibal,” which features some of the most graphic, disgusting imagery in the history of American popular culture.
In the grand scheme of things, this is not a big deal, and I'm sure a very fine television show could be made with a character very much like John Constantine – and maybe one with the genuine article – who is either not a smoker or never smokes when the camera's on him.
But with “Constantine“ – a new interpretation of the long-running DC/Vertigo Comics mystical dabbler and all-around bastard – the absence of John's most physically self-destructive habit is symbolic of a larger issue. And as John will tell anyone who listens – particularly Liv (Lucy Griffiths), the potential young sidekick he grooms in the pilot episode – symbols have meaning, and when you take them away, you can take away the power they represent.
Constantine was previously the subject of a Keanu Reeves movie of the same name, and if nothing else, the TV show version, played by Matt Ryan, has a much closer resemblance to the version from the comics (whom artists Stephen Bissette and John Totleben modeled on rock star Sting). The show gets the broad strokes right: blonde hair (and stubble), British accent, rumpled trench coat, and many demons to fight. But the John Constantine of the comics – whether a supporting character to Swamp Thing or as the star of his own long-running series(*) – is a dangerous fellow to be around. In many ways, he's harder on his friends than on his enemies, and his motives are often less than selfless.
(*) First called “Hellblazer,” now “Constantine” because it makes for better branding.
TV Constantine makes reference to how many of his friends die, but he doesn't seem especially dangerous or awful to be around. He's introduced in a sympathetic context where he's guilt-ridden over the banishment to Hell of someone he was trying to protect, and he spends most of the pilot either rescuing Liv or being her sarcastic but clearly decent guide to the world of angels (here represented by Harold Perrineau from “Lost”) and demons. He is, in other words, roughly what you might expect from the network TV version of John Constantine: aesthetically scruffy, but with the emotional and thematic edges sanded off. There's the structure for a sturdy but unremarkable supernatural procedural (and companion piece to “Grimm”), but in the pilot, at least, producers David Goyer and Daniel Cerone aren't aiming for much more.
Of course, a pilot episode isn't always representative of a series, and this may be less representative than most. Even though the first hour is entirely about Constantaine recruiting Liv in his fight against evil, she will disappear after tonight because the producers decided they didn't like the character, but didn't have the budget to scrap the original pilot and start over; a scene at the end was reshot to explain why you won't be seeing Liv anymore, and there's a brief epilogue featuring Angélica Celaya as Zed, a supporting character from the comics, but it's largely unchanged.
NBC didn't make additional episodes available – even though it's one of the very last new network shows to premiere this fall – and it's possible that once Constantine is no longer in a position where he's playing mentor to a scared newbie to his world, he'll be rougher in spirit, and not just in appearance. Cerone and Goyer have no say over the cigarettes – that edict comes from a higher power – but hopefully they have the ability to beef up the part of the character that the cigarettes represent. A “Constantine” that superficially represents the character that Bissette, Totleben and Alan Moore created back in the '80s can function as the lead of a generic paranormal mystery show in 2014. But if Cerone and Goyer have been given free(ish) reign with the character, they might as well use him as right as NBC standards and practices will allow them to.
Where there's smoke, there's fire. Where smoking's not allowed… well, here's hoping there's another way for “Constantine” to generate some heat.
Alan Sepinwall may be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com
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As a huge Hellblazer/Constantine fan who has already seen the pilot, I think this review is right on the money. Was hoping for so much more, especially from David S. Goyer. NBC’s own Hannibal, which you reference above, has shown us what network TV is still capable of in terms of weekly drama, and I don’t think John Constantine fans should have to settle for anything less. Hopefully the show improves post-pilot.
The no smoking thing from networks is beyond silly.
I am against smoking and do not do it myself but like Mad Men and other period dramas smoking should be allowed on tv. If it is in the source material of comics or they did not know better in the Mad Men era than it should be shown.
I am sorry but they should trust the audience enough to know how to parse the information being presented. Mad Men was not pro smoking they were just unaware of the damages in the 60’s and the same goes for comics, ugh!!!
Save the children! Save the children! Save the children who should be in bed when this show airs!!!!
After just reading that a Florida mom got toys r us to pull breaking bad dolls off the shelves because it glorifies meth, I may have over estimated the intelligence of some of the public.
In what world does breaking bad glorify meth? All the dead people including Tuco, crazy 8, Emilio, gus, Mike, hank, Gomey, Jane, Andrea and her little brother, Walt!!!!! All the lives ruined because of Walt and his Meth.
How did they ever glorify anything? I suppose the tv does have to protect stupid people who have no clue who just want to bitch and moan because they are too stupid to actually understand basic thinking.
So no smoking just for the stupid people who thinks breaking bad dolls will make their children take or deal meth…it worked so well what Walter Hartwell White and Co.
At this point I worry that David Goyer lucked into a handful of collaborations with talented people earlier in his career (Guillermo Del Toro, Christopher Nolan), and outside of that he’s only a slightly better version of Brannon Braga.
I saw the original version of the pilot, and I had similar issues with it, but I’m mostly optimistic that the show could eventually turn out good. I like Matt Ryan as Constantine, even if the show around him felt like a sort of weaker, supernatural Doctor Who.
The fact that this airs on NBC on Fridays at 10, reminds me of my favorite network drama that aired in that slot back in the 90’s. Homicide: Life on the Street had half its cast smoking on screen throughout its run. There were subplots built around it, monologues devoted to the pleasures of cigarettes and their cost. I hate cigarettes in real life, but the idea that they won’t show a fictional character known for his self-destructive behavior smoking, especially when it’s a signature character trait, is pathetic. And if the producers actually intend to do the Dangerous Habits storyline, as they’ve said, it is bizarre. Given the current anti-smoking climate, the show could easily have a running gag where people complain or shoot John dirty looks whenever he lights up, making clear that the show is not endorsing his behavior.
I thought 10 p.m. was supposed to be safe for adult fare, but even that hour is being child-proofed now. Thank god the kiddies can enjoy the broadcast networks’ tasteful wallows in rape, murder, mutilation, and torture without seeing vulgar displays of tobacco use.
Yeah, Homicide was the first thing I thought of too. (And there’s Clark Johnson staring at me from an Alpha House ad!) So this network rule about cigarettes is a somewhat recent thing then?
While I think it’s silly to not show him smoking on-screen, is it really absolutely vital to the character? I haven’t read the comics, but there are plenty of ways to demonstrate self-destructive behavior that don’t involve cigarettes. It’s not like they are a superpower.
Since cigarettes are a ubiquitous token of his self-destructiveness and an integral part of the Dangerous Habits storyline, John Constantine’s most celebrated story that the producers say they want to adapt, I’d say smoking is vital, though not essential. The coy approach they plan to take with his smoking sounds like it could get annoying and distracting, and I want to like this show.
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Where smoking’s not allowed… well, here’s hoping there’s another way for “Constantine” to generate some heat.”
(Standing ovation)
Yes.
David S. Goyer showed a lot of promise when he wrote the film “Dark City” years ago, but his recent output usually makes me want to stay far away from his projects.
“Man of Steel” was an idiotic bore; “Da Vinci’s Demons” with its dumb, Charles Heston-like implication that Leonardo was 98.9% a bodice-ripping hetero lady’s man was a homophobic mess; and as Alan points out, Goyer’s take on Constantine looks like it totally strips off the edges and misses what’s fun about the character. No thanks.
man if you thought man of steel was boring then you need to get some taste.
I have to agree with BobbyJoe.
MOS was sheer tedium.
Just gonna agree with the “Man of Steel is boring” contingent real quick. Terrible movie all around, unless mindless fighting and no character with awful dialogue is your taste.
The villain in Man of Steel and problem presented was far more complex and interesting than the majority of other comic book movies. (Yes I’m talking about that one too)
While it contained elements of other movies, the plot wasn’t about a revenge fantasy, or getting random macguffin or calling on some random army, it was about choosing between two worlds. You don’t have to like it because its not your iteration of superman, but the critiques for the movie are startlingly vague beyond “there were plot holes though”
That’s all.
Actually having him smoke would be appropriate because he is dying from it. So it would be a good lesson for kids. Networks not too smart.
I have no problem with the no smoking ordinance. You know as well as I do that if given the chance to show Constantine smoking, they wouldn’t do it as a disgusting, self-destructive, deadly habit, but as a way to make him cool and edgy and to have him dramatically punctuate his scenes with a drag on a cigarette, or exhale a visually cool cloud of smoke.
No one starts smoking because of genetics or because they catch it from someone or because they otherwise have no choice. The continued existence of smoking as a viable thing for kids to try is 100% cultural. As much as I like my films and TV shows to be as authentic as possible, there are some things I’m willing to compromise on in order to eradicate something like smoking. If banning smoking from TV has even a little bit of positive effect, then I don’t think it’s a big deal for producers to have to come up with creative ways to work around it.
“No one starts smoking because of genetics”
Horsefeathers.
That it runs in families suggests otherwise and the fact that people continue to smoke after decades of being social pariahs means that they receive something they value more than being an outcast.
There are “benefits” people derive from smoking, otherwise they would not do it.
Google “smokers paradox” and be prepared to be surprised.
In the current climate, anything beneficial about nicotine or tobacco is swept under the rug, but notice that the experimental Ebola drug used on the first victims were grown in tobacco.
That’s ridiculous to equate smoking (or whatever burning-based delivery system you want to use) with the drug or plant itself. Of course you can use tobacco plants for positive uses. But I’m pretty sure they weren’t rolling up anti-ebola doobies in their experiments.
Sure, there will ALWAYS be people who will derive perceived benefit from whatever mood-altering substance that’s out there, from nicotine all the way to hardcore drugs. They’re the fringe. Let them stay on the fringe.
But depending on what statistics you’re looking at, between 80% of smokers on the low end, and 90% on the high end started smoking when they were 18 or younger. You find a way to eliminate the attraction to smoking for a five to ten year span, and you can possibly cripple the entire smoking industry. This is akin to polio or HIV or ebola. Whatever means necessary that are needed to wipe out smoking should be embraced, not whined about because our fictional characters don’t get to be cool enough.
There is absolutely nothing in genetics that leads to smoking. That it runs in the family is entirely based on external factors — social influence mainly, and I suppose there’s a possibility that they will become addicted to nicotine through a large concentrated amount of second-hand smoke.
Saying smoking is genetic is the same as saying someone’s genetically blonde just because their mom died their hair that way and is a blonde herself.
Go to an AA meeting or people attending DUI School after a drunk driving arrest. Easily 9 out of 10 are smokers.
Sure…if someone with a genetic disposition to drink or smoke NEVER tries either, then the gene is never triggered. Good luck with that.
But these people are self medicating…and there is a reason why.
Okay, I’ll grant that for some people there might be a genetic predisposition for self-medicating. But how does that justify keeping smoking around? Because… people who are genetically predisposed this way should have the right to have things to self-medicate with?
To appropriate a segment from John Oliver’s show, “HOW IS SMOKING STILL A THING?” Why is it being defended in any possible way? There are only two kinds of smokers I’ve ever met in my life. Those who desperately wish they could quit and regret ever trying that first cigarette, and those who are desperate for approval from people who they think are cool. Very often, people from the second group grow up and become people from the first group.
” but notice that the experimental Ebola drug used on the first victims were grown in tobacco.”
Uh, that drug is not intrinsic to tobacco, but something introduced by genetic engineering. They don’t treat the Ebola patients by getting them to smoke. There is nothing beneficial to smoking other than some very mild psychoactive properties.
Actually, having him smoke would be appropriate; because he is dying from it. So, it would be a good lesson for kids. Networks not too smart.
I liked the pilot enough to want to watch more of this. I also liked Matt Ryan but felt that some of his snarkiness felt a little forced – maybe it was just the writing. (Keanu Reeves was fine in the movie – at least he got to smoke.)
But the fact that the smoking – a core, self-destructive behavior pattern – is missing from this character, just says so much about network television. It makes me think that Hannibal has been an anomaly on network tv and that this show is just business as usual for them.
Until we see the replacement, it’s hard to know if recasting the female character was the right move. She did seem a little light-weight but not much worse than many other female performers on network shows. It just makes me wonder about a production that recasts a major character after the pilot is completed. This unfortunately raises the bar significantly for the actor who is replacing her. We shall see.
I’m less concerned about the Constantine character “toughening up” than Harold Perrineau’s angel character, because he seemed waaaaayy too soft. If that character doesn’t start to show more teeth and spine in coming episodes, it will be a total waste of both (what should be) a major character on this show and Harold Perrineau’s acting skills.
-1 viewer. I would have kept watching with the wonderful Lucy Griffiths around. Producers must have been high when they took that decission.
Lucy is gorgeous and her character was really interesting. Wanted to know more about her father but no… they just cut it. Will not be watching the rest of the show. Will not be treated like that as a viewer.
I was just wondering when the cigarette smoking ordinance went into effect, because I too thought of Frank Pembleton on Homicide, but also Spike from Buffy, and of course Cigarette Smoking Man on the X-Files. Those all started in the 90s and went into the early aughts. I wonder what threatening habit Cigarette Smoking Man would have these days?