Constantine Episode 13: Waiting for the Man Review

Constantine, Zed and Jim check out a lead.

Originally aired on NBC, February 13 2015

For those of you that have been keeping up and enjoying Constantine, this episode was probably a nail-biter for a couple reasons. With the show on the chopping block (but potentially finding a new home), the season finale could very well be a series finale. I’m going to treat this review with an air of positivity, because this is a good show, and this finale was a real good and unsettling entry in the series.

In this episode, we are back near New Orleans to be introduced immediately to a character known as the “the Man”. In the comics, as well as the show, the Man is a Satanist of sorts that has bewitched three young girls into being his wives. This iteration of the Man is no different. A fourth girl is well on her way to newlywed status unless John, Zed and their old buddy, Jim can stop the Wedding of the Damned. The original comic story for this is one of the most celebrated for being incredibly creepy as well as having some major hurtles for John to get over. I do have to say, however, that the Man is a bit silly with his bayou accent, but absolutely no less emotionally bothersome.

The Man

There’s this old guy in the abandoned park where the girl runs to, that I wonder if he’s going to come back in some way. He’s got this “potentially important” vibe in the way he’s randomly presented. He tries to warn the girl that she’s going to die, but is scared off by the Man’s three previous “brides”. With all of this going on, we also find out that John has a price on his head, Papa Midnite is out to get paid and Zed is struggling with telling Jim about her visions about his death.

While everyone is scrambling to either get married, save the girl or kill Constantine, I’m left to wonder how they were able to make three different storylines fit together so well. There have been full-length movies that couldn’t get it right (I’m looking at you Spidey 3). Yet, barely an hour and this was probably one of the best episodes of the season. The show runners and actors did a fantastic job bringing out the potential that lurks in the depths of DC’s occult centric comic. Manny, however, ended up being the surprise twist that we needed and hopefully will help spur the revival of this beautiful show.

He’s always looked a little non-angelish.

The Brujeria seem to be working for Manny, our sometimes hilarious guardian angel. Which also means that he’s potentially responsible for the Rising Darkness that has been making evil appear out of the woodwork. Does this mean that Manny is the original source? Or is he working for something or someone way more sinister? I feel like Constantine already knows, or has an inkling of who Manny really is. That last interaction between them seemed a bit more intentional that it might have been. We’ll only find out when the show is picked back up, relabeled under its proper name Hellblazer, and given another five seasons.

Please, Syfy, revive this show!