Spoilers. SPOILERS! *Genesis voice*
If American Gods is surreal art, then Preacher has to be surreal gone gonzo. I could’ve sworn that I had covered their first season, but that must’ve been a dream. A really weird one. We’re back on the hunt for the Almighty God, and the trio have barely but a hint as to where to go.
That hint is Jesse’s priest colleague and religious scholar Mike, another preacher with an even more unconventional approach to preaching. He has a woman tied up in a cage, demanding to use a phone. It looks really bad for the show to have a woman hostage until you learn a few things. She’s there because she’s addicted to social media. She’d rather stay in the cage that have her parents call for her. Still looks sketchy as hell, but we don’t watch this show for role models. Or style. Or heroism.
Wait, so why watch it at all… You know, what? Better not dig too deep here.
Someone’s after our roguely sinful trio, and they’re not here to talk. A literal gunslinger from hell is hunting Jesse, and so far his only weakness seems to be a lack of transportation. Guess the horse did not get a return fare. The cowboy has a few skills though. His bullets reach far and cause more harm than a shotgun. He just tends to shoot from way too far away, making a mess out of whomever and whatever is standing nearby. That includes a fully armed group of police officers, who prove to be no match for The Saint of Killers.
At least they do get some sleep in Mike’s sole guest room. They also manage to fit in one bed. Don’t make it awkward, Cassidy. It’s awkward enough already.
Mike does help them out with a strange tip. A woman named Tammy, a manager of a strip bar up the road, once claimed to have met him. That guarantees a visit to the aforementioned bar, where we learned God always came back for the jazz. Not a lot to go on, but there you go.
Jesse and the gang do get some downtime in their chase / being chased journey. It’s enough for Jesse and Tulip to get reacquainted in a motel room (finally!). The cowboy never seems to be far away though. And he seems to be immune to the Genesis voice.
Highs/Lows/HolyBulletsFromHell:
- The cowboy’s name is The Saint of Killers. His aim might seem to be lousy – IF he’s actually aiming for Jesse. On the other hand, he’s firing from several miles away. You don’t want to be in his sights if he gets close.
- We get a little bit of an easter egg. While Jesse talks about his folks being married and his mother, the small plastic treasure chest in the nearby fish tank opens in a rather remarkable fashion, music score and all, without anybody in the room reacting to it. We’re supposed to take note of that and wonder what’s behind it.
- “They pretty much grow dumbass crazy here.” Tulip is talking about Texas, but she might as well be describing the show itself.
- Tulip hates how often Jesse resorts to using the Genesis voice, although to a casual observer (the audience) we’re just waiting on him to bust it out at every hurdle. I mean, the police officers that were taking them in seemed like a pretty justified reason. So does it seem to be the case for the strip club matron.
- However, Jesse even uses Genesis to make his way across a gathered crowd. Thanks to a sign explaining they’re gun enthusiasts (exposition sign!) we can expect… Nothing, they just seem to be talking shop and just distracted. Jesse doesn’t even try speaking up first. Tulip might have a point.
- Father Mike’s reaction to her prisoner pleading to post something on Instagram: “Do I need to call your parents?”
- Of course all of them share the bed. Technically one could at least sleep in the car, but then we don’t get that shot.
- It took me a while to recognize that it’s Cassidy in the computer monitor trying to feel up the stripper and fighting the bouncer.
- “You’ll feel so naked and terrified, you’ll shit yourself,” is the biggest reveal about God that Tammy spits out to Jesse.
- Tammy dies of a bullet – but it’s not the Saint of Killers. It’s from Cassidy’s struggle with the bouncer. Coincidence in this show should get billing as a main cast member.
- I know I shouldn’t be reviewing this show as Fantasia AND Game of Thrones both start next month. But for now, we’re going full steam ahead.
That will do for now.
Never Think Impossible 