Swamp Thing Review: The Anatomy Lesson (Season 1 Episode 9)
Swamp Thing Season 1 Episode 9, “The Anatomy Lesson,” reveals the truth about Alec Holland through a compelling story about the power of one’s conscience. Unfortunately, Swamp Thing fails to redeem the characters it spends the most time trying to prove has a conscience.
The revelation that Alec Holland is dead doesn’t hold as much weight as this show intends it to. The show has gone out of its way time and time again to prove that the being Alec has evolved into is just as sentient as his human form.
Swamp Thing dedicates a whole portion of this episode to that sentiment alone by having Alec awake on the table while Woodrue dissects him. It’s so difficult to watch because we are meant to see this being as one with a conscious and feelings.
This is when Swamp Thing fails Woodrue for the final time. There is no coming back from this, especially since there is only one episode remaining of the series. It would be bizarre for Woodrue’s opinion to drastically shift after the events of “The Anatomy Lesson.”
It is unfortunate that Caroline is unwell and could die from being neglected in her time of need. However, Woodrue actively chooses to dissect a being without their consent and continues to do so after being asked to stop. Even if it is the name of saving the one he loves, it’s disgusting and irredeemable.
The two other people “The Anatomy Lesson” fails are Daniel and Matt. Swamp Thing still doesn’t know what to do with them. This episode gives Daniel freaking superpowers and it feels out of place. It would have been more interesting to see Daniel struggle with this decision over the course of multiple episodes rather than the span of a few minutes.
There is likely a lot of internal dialogue that takes place when someone’s deciding to become a superhero, but the decision is represented through a couple of expository lines that don’t really clue us into anything Daniel believes or feels.
It’s wasted potential for Swamp Thing to pull this trick out of its sleeve so late in the series. Though, it is possible the show had every intention of expanding on this story in a second season.
Matt, on the other hand, faces the same dilemma he’s faced all season. He’s continuously wrapped up in his mother’s drama, struggling to break free of her control. It’s an exhausting storyline that hasn’t budged since the beginning of the season.
His car accident is the most shocking thing to happen to him this season, and it’s made very clear that he’s drinking and driving. So the most shocking thing about it is that Swamp Thing actually follows through on something Matt related.
If only the show had dedicated just a little more time to Matt this earlier…
Once again, Swamp Thing’s strongest point is Alec and Abby’s bond. It finds great and healthy competition in a similarly strong bond between Abby and Liz. Liz’s complete belief in her friend is refreshing in a town where everyone assumes lying is the default.
Their team-up to rescue Alec is one of the best things to happen on this show all season.
“The Anatomy Lesson” proves that Alec is still very much alive even if he’s mostly made of plants now because his consciousness lives on in Swamp Thing. That’s proof enough that he’s someone worth fighting for because having a conscious in Marais is too few and far between.
What did you think of this episode of Swamp Thing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Swamp Thing airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
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Shelby Elpers
Shelby is a TV enthusiast and pop culture writer. She's an avid podcast listener, green tea drinker, and soccer fan. Her brand can be summarized in rom-coms, superheroes, teen dramas, and workplace comedies.