Even if you got a symbiote in tow, more money, more problems. Spider-Man gets an intervention from unlikely sources.

As an avid fan of the Stargate series, I was a little apathetic at the notion of a flashback concept. However, this episode delivered. All those homages to the comics like Amazing Fantasy 15 and Amazing Spider-Man 100 cover shots were really cool. I was a little repulsed by the use of the movie trilogy, cage match and or the use of Uncle Ben in 'dream-like' states.

I thought it was a great concept to make the Symbiote a psychic vampire. Notice how it has power over Peter Parker as he pushes his friends away. Instead of Parker becoming a bad person overnight, it’s a gradual and subtle build up. Parker is not a natural candidate for the Symbiote, with being a good person by nature so it had to work to turn him. That was a nice cue when Eddie Brock grabs Parker, allowing the Symbiote to get a ‘taste’ of real anger. Did it sense kindred in Brock or what?

It makes sense to have Uncle Ben as a voice of reason but it was a real delight to see Flash Thompson jilt Parker like that. It was nice to sneak in his real name, too. And was that a hint that Gwen Stacy will get with Parker in the finale?

It was a good move to reinforce Brock’s anger. He lost his job, he lost his education and he lost his future. He got over it and tried to start over, but Parker just steals that away. I think in terms of characterization, it’s better to have made Brock an anti-thesis of Parker. Brock, in the face of all this tragedy, holds onto hate and anger. It was a nice twist to see the Symbiote manipulate this situation by giving Brock selected memories.

This was a great first season, which is rare in itself, and I can't wait for the finale. It looks like Weisman did an amazing job at introducing not only the main characters but even the "big three" of Spider-Man villains. I look froward to the DVD and the next season!!

The Spectacular Spider-Man
"Intervention"
Written: Greg Weisman
Directed: David Bullock