CDC scientist Abby Arcane returns to her home town, Marais, in Louisiana, to investigate a mutation disease that’s attacking the residents from deep in the swamps.

I’m the first to admit that the prospect of a TV Swamp Thing did not fill me with excitement. After Wes Craven’s daft 1982 movie, the camp 1989 The Return of the Swamp Thing and three seasons of the half-hour show in the early 90s, what left was there to say? So kudos to DC for finally giving Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson’s eco-superhero the respect he deserves. As well as not featuring Dick Durock for the first time (he played the titular creature in all three previous iterations) gone too is the light-hearted japery.

By any definition, this is a horror series, and Len Wiseman’s (Underworld) direction doesn’t hold back on some intense body horror that owes more than a nod to John Carpenter’s The Thing. The tendril-sprouting illness burrows deep into the body, rapidly assimilating the human host, leading to some visceral and exciting action scenes.

Female lead Abby Arcane is played by Crystal Reed (Gotham), who’s supported in her snooping around by Stanley Bean (IT: Chapter Two) as Alec Holland. He’s fated to be one the Swamp Thing, and when he eventually appears at the end of this origin story episode he’s replaced by the bulkier Derek Mears (Twin Peaks, Friday the 13th). Virginia Madsen (Candyman) and Will Patton (Halloween) are the local royalty, and there’s enough bad blood between the residents to keep the human drama tasty.

Verdict: A solid, creepy opener that doesn’t give away too much too soon, if it can keep up this quality then it’s likely to be regarded as the best on-screen Swamp Thing yet, and I realise that’s faint praise indeed! 8/10

Nick Joy