Seeing the latest version of Swamp Thing led me to check out the cheap’n’tacky 1990 series. Only two episodes have Voodoo plots so I watched those.
“Spirit Of The Swamp” (S1 ep5) sees Arcane engaging bokor Duchamp to use his magic powers to capture
Swamp Thing. It’s very cheap (just three characters and two extras appear on the only set) and extremely bland - any resemblance to the real deal is purely wishful thinking.
Followed by “Night Of The Dying” (S2 ep1) in which Arcane buys a cursed book of Voodoo spells and becomes possessed by an evil loa. Duchamp is now deceased, but his son is brought in to exorcise Arcane, somehow with the help of Swamp Thing (these 20 minute episodes were clearly not big on coherence). At least the concept of the loas and the terminology are correct, with even Damballah and Baron Samedi getting a look in, plus the
indispensable drummin’n’dancin.
It certainly makes one realise how far TV shows have progressed in the last twenty-thirty years.
