Written by M.J. Rawls
A lot of people, including myself, were wondering when Preacher was going to go on the road trip portion of the show. The first season felt like an introduction to the world full of gore, some laughs and grit. It was in a style where both fans of the comic and newcomers could both enjoy it, but now we are getting into a little bit more of the heart of the story. God is missing, and it’s up to our trio to find him.
The episode starts with Jesse (Dominic Cooper), Tulip (Ruth Negga), and Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) in a high speed chase to the sounds of Dexys Midnight Riders, “Come On Eileen.” It’s almost in grindhouse, grainy film style. In essence, before the fun gets broken up in a shoot-em-up blood fest, there’s a little bit of funny interjected with the cops that pull the trio over.
There’s a sense of purpose mixed with Jessie’s ego. With great power comes great responsibility, but Jessie sees this power as leverage. Shown in the beginning of the episode, he’s shown using Genesis to make the cops sing. Tulip tries to serve as the voice of reason, to some extent. She urges him to use Genesis as a last resort and not so much in a frivolous manner. There’s also a sense of purpose in Jesse talking with Mike (Glenn Morshower). “Finding” God is what Jesse was made to do, so maybe this is what he considers his redeeming quality, while some of his choices have been anything but.
It’s almost crazy to think that what we think of as God, as omnipresent, going missing and people looking for his whereabouts. In the group’s conversation, they tell stories of God walking around and partaking in normal human activities. There’s also this seemly menacing side to these stories. Will Jesse really shit himself once he meets him?
One has to think that it’s only a matter of time before the big secret is reveled. Cassidy and Tulip’s one night hookup will definitely bring a lot of tension and might drive a wedge into the group all together. Enter the Saint of All Killers (Graham McTavish), who makes his presence known right from the start. Think of him as a western killing machine sent from hell to take care of Jesse and his friends.
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were back as directors for the first episode and were able to interject humor, over the top action, and poignant moments to take us down a path that might be more akin to the comic book. All in all, it’s an effective episode that sets up a bigger story in Texas, where many people will die in order to find out why God has given up his mantle.
Rating: 8 out of 10
CATCH PART 2 TONIGHT AT 9 ON AMC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq2VNi3Rl4s
