Opinion: Why NBC Should Think About More Constantine

Last night, it was announced that NBC would not be going for more than 13 episodes for Constantine’s first season. They say the show is still a contender for Season 2 and all, but I’m sure that was also said about Dracula last year, and look at us now. Personally speaking, I think Constantine deserves to have more on the way. Here are ten reasons why:

1. The show is finally getting in its groove.

I know there are some critics who never felt Constantine, and especially didn’t feel the pilot, and I respect that. However, as the series has gone on, it has embraced even more of the DC Comics “dark magic” mythology and it has really found its voice. Episode 4 “A Feast of Friends” pretty closely adapted an issue from the Hellblazer comic book series; episode 5, “Danse Vaudou,” is a must-watch that introduces Jim Corrigan and doesn’t shy from his eventual fate. Well, fate might be the wrong word, since it’s the Spectre that he will become.

Still, many shows – even well-loved ones – take a while to get the kinks out, and by the fifth episode, the show is totally there. I would put the most recent episode “Danse Vaudou” up against any big genre episode and recommend it to anyone, if you want a taster of what the series will be like.

I know I have an unfair advantage, having been on the set and hearing what they were talking about, but there’s some great stuff coming. I’ll talk about that in a bit.

2. It’s something good on a Friday night.

Constantine is the first show since Smallville ended that made me stay in on Friday night, whenever I can. If I haven’t been able to watch live, it’s always watched immediately the next day, which I think a lot of people have done, judging from the DVR numbers. I know some folks think Fridays at 10PM is a banishment for the series; I actually think it is great that NBC puts good programming on that night. Sure, maybe a Grimm/Constantine/Dateline lineup would have been better, but it’s still not bad at all, and going for younger audiences, Constantine could only go up in the ratings in its current slot.

3. And about those ratings…

This past week, things moved up from the previous week. While that’s still not to that high of a level, also consider lead-in Grimm’s numbers aren’t what they always used to be.

4. To the DC mythology, Constantine is to the dark/magic stuff what Flash is to the light/sciencey stuff, Arrow is to the dark vigilante of the night world, and Gotham is to the prequel world.

In other words, if we’re going to ever see characters like Zatanna, Doctor Fate, Eclipso, or Deadman on TV and not in their own shows, it’ll probably be on Constantine and not one of those other series… and if Constantine “fails,” the chances of getting another show like that become slimmer.

5. Daniel Cerone, David Goyer, and the writers know what they’re doing.

If you’ve ever read an interview with either of the producers – even Goyer, who is sometimes controversial among the comic book movie fan circles – you’ll see that the folks behind Constantine are a passionate bunch that know their stuff. They have plans for the show, and we can bet that those plans go on for well past 13 episodes. Heck, Cerone has talked about some stories that were written that include Dr. Terence Thirteen – are we really going to be denied those stories?

6. The “mythology” vs. “stand-alone” thing seems to be working.

While I’ve loved many shows that have ongoing storylines, and Constantine has one about the rising darkness, I like that someone can just tune into an episode and be able to follow the story. There’s not enough TV like that these days. Not every show has to be a complex “race to the finish” that a casual viewer ends up confused by.

7. If we don’t get to see Jim Corrigan becoming The Spectre, I’m going to cut someone.

Not really. But I will be really sad and disappointed, and that’s something we’d surely see in a longer Constantine run.

8. Lots of characters for fans to latch on to.

Not a fan of John Constantine? There’s Zed. Find Zed annoying? Look! It’s Chas and his Kenny powers. Want someone a bit more angelic? There’s Harold Perrineau as Manny. In a way, John Constantine’s friends are like Doctor Who companions, an ever-changing bunch that I’d like to meet more of, and the cast from top to bottom is really likable, even if I do wonder what the line is between painting John as too much of a jerk or making him too charismatic. I figure that aspect will sort itself with time, though, and I like Matt Ryan, so there’s that. Bringing in characters like Jim Corrigan and Papa Midnite has only helped the show overall.

9. NBC, you have your very own DC Comics show. Don’t blow it.

Gotham has been FOX’s biggest new hit. The Flash is The CW’s biggest new hit. What do they have in common? Yup. Well, that and the fact that none of the DC Comics shows have Katherine Heigl, which we can all be grateful for.

10. Maybe this is a good thing.

While news that production is ending at 13 episodes is frustrating, maybe this is a pre-emptive message to those who watch the show that they need to spread the word and create new viewers, and just maybe we’ll get a Season 2, rather than just thinking “oh, I’ll get to it whenever,” and watching it flounder. So, if you’re a fan of the show, tell your friends to watch, let them borrow episodes or tell them how to legally watch episodes, get them hooked, and who knows what the future will bring.

Remember, Constantine is not yet canceled – it will continue its 13 episode run on Friday nights, with Hannibal likely taking the slot later this year. It’s possible that there might not have been room for a full 22-episode season of Constantine to begin with, though filming those few extra scripts NBC ordered would have been nice, so there’s no break at all between Constantine’s end and whatever else’s beginning. Still, if you like the show, watch and spread the word, because no network or studio can say “no” to a show with good ratings. And if NBC passes – let’s hope the producers have The CW and Syfy on speed dial, because this is a series that could be a perennial long-runner for Netflix marathons and the like if it’s nurtured and kept going in the right way.

Constantine airs Friday nights at 10PM on NBC.