Constantine Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Danse Vaudou

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What a way to introduce Jim Corrigan; takin' a leak in a dimly lit alleyway. Ha!

Papa Midnite returned this week as well, easily making Constantine Season 1 Episode 5 one of the best installments so far.

The show is getting better and better each week. I don't want to jinx it, but it appears the showrunners have a better idea now what type of series Hellblazer fans are longing for. Yup. I'm officially a fan.

Zed's foreshadowing of Corrigan's fate makes me hopeful we'll see The Spectre this season; if NBC green light's a full season.

Only a minute and a half into the episode and we got our first violent murder. Yup, Jimbo was lucky enough to witness it – tying him to the case. How perfect is that?

The zoetrope gave me a real Warehouse 13 vibe. I thought it was a clever choice that the scry map wasn't working for Zed, hence the zoetrope. I'm not sure why Zed zeroed in on a vision from Jim's past, but it served to open a psychic connection between her and the map. Off to New Orleans!

It didn't take long for Constantine and Jim to meet. Emmett J. Scanlan was fantastic this season on In the Flesh, his N'awlins accent here threw me for a bit.

Jim: Very good. I think I got a couple of junior detective badges back at the station. Jim Corrigan; NOLA PD homicide and you are?
Constantine: Here to help you Jimmy boy.
Zed: Jimmy?
Constantine: John Constantine. This is Chas and Zed. We're investigating the occult phenomenon that happened here last night.
Jim: Whoa occult investigators? Con men don't normally introduce themselves as con men, well that's novel.
Zed: Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
Jim: Where'd you hear that?
Zed: Was that your mother teaching you to shoot?

That was a great way to pique a skeptic's interest. From what we know about Jim (from the comics) he was the son of a Reverend. When his best friend was killed, Jim rebelled against his father's harsh teachings and denounced God. Okay there's a little background for you. This is a guy that's going to struggle with the supernatural; until he becomes part of it.

Anyway, no one at the station believed Corrigan's wild story so he was taken off the case. That's where Constantine and company come in. How great was Jim's reaction to John's business card? Brilliant!
 
The minute we met Phillip, the young hitchhiker, I had a feeling something was off. Then Zed walked into an elevator – and into those same woods. Her gift is insanely powerful; I'm not sure John fully appreciates the asset Zed offers.

I love that Zed didn't wait around for John to take action. She's a strong female character, not some damsel in distress like Liv was in the pilot. I'm not sure why John would phone in the accident, other than to give Jim a reason to arrest him and split up the team.   

Jim: You three are some act.
Constantine: Yeah well, it's no act supercop. See the police they're looking for a living killer in that alleyway stabbing and they're not gonna find him.
Jim: Uh huh.
Constantine: Based on what I saw in the alleyway and now here on this road you've got two perps on the loose and they're very possibly dead or undead.
Jim: I can't believe I give you the time of day.

It didn't take long for Chas to come face to face with the killer model. Is he going to die every episode? From what I understand the character's not immortal. How many lives does he have?

Corrigan did a little research and realized John was right. I was shocked to learn that another model viciously scarred the masked killer. Talk about a tough business. Dang. Hitchhiker Phillip was killed in those woods. Things started coming together nicely.

Constantine: Look mate I am fishing, I admit it. But, what I want to know is why now? You see, Masaki died five years ago; Phillip three. They were resting in peace until...
Jim: Whatever happened to wake 'em.

That scene between Constantine and Corrigan was fantastic. I hope they partner up again very soon as their dynamic is different from the others.

John visited the psycho model that disfigured Masaki and Zed paid Phillip's grandma a visit. I really enjoyed the cutting back and forth between the separate investigations.

What tied everything together was none other than Papa Midnite. The second half of the episode gave us a little voodoo, and the partnering up of John and Papa Midnite. In the Constantine Season 1 Episode 3 review, I mentioned these two characters partnering up. It certainly didn't take the writers long, which is another good sign they get it.

Constantine: Papa Midnite! Hell of a party mate. Sorry I came empty handed but it's kind of hard to find a dessert that pairs with pig's blood.
Papa Midnite: Constantine.
Woman: Who are you?
Constantine: I'm the man that's going to keep your husband where he belongs love. You can thank me later.

It's interesting Papa Midnite didn't realize he was raising the dead. When will John learn to avoid getting knocked out by Midnite? For those unaware, the skull Midnite talks to belongs to his "sister," Cedilla. She was a woman whose soul was sent to Hell to provide information for him. If the series continues, John should meet up with her in Hell at some point.

Midnite realized John was telling the truth and didn't understand what force was working against him. Midnite calling John a "jackass of all trades" was hilarious. John once again mentioned "the rising darkness," our series-long storyline. What's this all about?

Our antiheroes gathered the three bodies of the spirits wreaking havoc and took them back to Midnite's place to burn as part of a ritual. That scene was fantastic; both Constantine and Midnite chanting back and forth working to release the spirits.

Constantine: We tried a spell to put your ghosts down, but unfortunately it didn't work. You see, Midnite didn't raise those spirits; not really. You three did.
Woman: How?
Papa Midnite: All three of ya, you keep the dead alive because you can't forgive yourselves.

John and Midnite tried the ritual again and it worked instantly; the spirits were released.    
I liked that Jim turned out to be connected to Zed and we were treated to some of her backstory. He used to work missing persons and that's how he recognized her. Now we understand Zed ran away from home; more details will come soon, I'm sure.

Midnite owed John a favor, so he asked for info on the rising darkness. Cedilla whispered to Midnite that someone close to John will betray him. Are we talking about one of the Newcastle crew? Or even worse – Chas and Zed?

This installment was insanely entertaining. I excitedly look forward to the next episode each week; that's a great sign. Am I hooked? Absolutely! Now, if only NBC would do the right thing and give us a full season order.

What did you think of "Danse Vaudou"? Was Jim Corrigan what you were expecting? Are you glad Papa Midnite returned so quickly? Who do you think will betray John? Your turn fellow Constantine fanatics, hit the comments. Let's talk about the show!

Syfy just hosted a 4-episode marathon, but if you missed it, remember you can always watch Constantine online via TV Fanatic!

Danse Vaudou Review

Editor Rating: 4.8 / 5.0
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Rating: 4.1 / 5.0 (27 Votes)
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Constantine Season 1 Episode 5 Quotes

Jim: You three are some act.
Constantine: Yeah well, it's no act supercop. See the police they're looking for a living killer in that alleyway stabbing and they're not gonna find him.
Jim: Uh huh.
Constantine: Based on what I saw in the alleyway and now here on this road you've got two perps on the loose and they're very possibly dead or undead.
Jim: I can't believe I give you the time of day.

Jim: Very good. I think I got a couple of junior detective badges back at the station. Jim Corrigan; NOLA PD homicide and you are?
Constantine: Here to help you Jimmy boy.
Zed: Jimmy?
Constantine: John Constantine. This is Chas and Zed. We're investigating the occult phenomenon that happened here last night.
Jim: Whoa occult investigators? Con men don't normally introduce themselves as con men, well that's novel.
Zed: Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
Jim: Where'd you hear that?
Zed: Was that your mother teaching you to shoot?