Review I Preacher – See

Our Rating

Episode Score7
7

Review of Preacher – See

After what felt like kind of a rushed pilot, missing many of the early elements of the comics, this episode of Preacher seems like it’s starting to find its feet. Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper) is now possessed by some magical, mystical force that gives him the ability to speak with the voice of God and he is struggling to remain on the straight and narrow while being attacked (albeit unknowingly), tempted by Cassidy and Tulip and resisting his own, internal immorality.

It also kicks off with a teaser introducing the single most badass character (in my opinion) from the comics – The Saint of Killers. He was briefly hinted at in the pilot with the silhouette on the bottle of Ratwater whiskey (a great little design easter egg from the brilliant Dave Blass) but his first physical appearance suggests a lot to come. In the books this legendary outlaw is woken by the angels after Genesis escapes and sent to track down and remove it from Custer. Played by Graham McTavish from Outlander, I have a feeling things are going to start getting seriously bloody in Annville in the near future.

- Preacher _ Season 1, Episode 2 - Photo Credit: Lewis Jacobs/Sony Pictures Television/AMC

– Preacher _ Season 1, Episode 2 – Photo Credit: Lewis Jacobs/Sony Pictures Television/AMC

After being possessed by Genesis in the pilot (and using it on poor wimpy Ted) Jesse is trying to stick it out as a Preacher. This results in an outdoor baptism session for his congregation which gives him two dilemmas to deal with – Tulip is still trying to persuade him to give up preaching and come with her on a heist, and the school bus driver confesses to impure thoughts about one of the young girls on his bus.

Cassidy has taken up residence and the job of caretaker at the church, whilst also being his usual hard-drinking self. One such drinking session with Jesse results in the Preacher passing out after dismissing Cass’s claims that he’s a 119 year old vampire right before two mysterious figures show up to attack Jesse.

Anatol Yusef as DeBlanc, Tom Brooke as Fiore; group - Preacher _ Season 1, Episode 2 - Photo Credit: Lewis Jacobs/Sony Pictures Television/AMC

Anatol Yusef as DeBlanc, Tom Brooke as Fiore; group – Preacher _ Season 1, Episode 2 – Photo Credit: Lewis Jacobs/Sony Pictures Television/AMC

Cassidy fights them off in a blood splattered, darkly funny scene that involves a runaway chainsaw almost ending Jesse, and then cleans everything up before anyone sees the mess. Out of everyone in the show so far, Joseph Gilgun is not only the closest to his comic book iteration, but he also seems to be having the most fun.

We are also introduced very briefly to the rather unpleasant Odin Quincannon, played by Jackie Earle Haley, as he buys a couple’s home out from under them and demolishes it before they are barely out the front door in order to expand his meat packing empire. This is not the last we will see of Quincannon I am sure, and I can’t wait to see what trouble he has in store for Jesse and his gang.

After a showdown with the bus driver Jesse finally realises what The Word is capable of and seems set to use it for good, hoping to steer clear of whatever game Tulip has running that Jesse seems to be the missing piece of. We’ve got tidbits galore in the shape of The Saint of Killers – was that tree all those scalped Indians were hanging from in the teaser the same one Cass buries the two attackers under? Does that mean that Ratwater of old became Annville? What is Tulip looking for at Grail Industries?

While very different from the comics, which really slap you in the face immediately with what’s going on, I think the show is taking a slower pace and building up to certain key elements instead of hitting you with them all in a rush. Most of the episode for me faded into the background, with just the Cassidy scenes standing out, although that is by no means a bad thing given how much fun Joseph Gilgun is in the role.

About author(s)

Clare Hemsworth

Hey, I'm Clare, aka Ciara or C. My current fandoms are RWBY and The Last Kingdom along with a bunch of other stuff I tend to let build up and then binge! I'm a keen, albeit amateur, cosplayer and love attending cons in various cosplays. I'm also the resident comic book girl around these parts, especially small press comics, so if you've got an indie book you want reviewed, I'm your gal! When I'm not doing the fangirl thing I am a keen long-distance hiker, having completed Te Araroa in New Zealand and The Pacific Crest Trail on the West Coast of the US.