By: Jaclyn Cascio (@jaclynator)
Preacher is a unique fusion of elements that surprise and delight audiences. The second season of the AMC show kicked off with a bang this weekend, and we’ve got a review of the premiere episode of the season right here!
Season premieres have fairly high standards to live up to, working to rekindle the interests of old viewers while pulling in a new audience. Preacher’s “On the Road” didn’t pull any punches. Explosively fun and full of thrills, “On the Road” was a perfect example of the distinctive flavor that is 100% Preacher. Foul-mouthed and violent, everything the fans of the Vertigo comic series love was jammed into this week’s episode. From a conversation about foreskins, a car chase, an apparently unstoppable pursuer, blood and guts, and the jazz that even God can’t resist, from beginning to end, the first episode of Preacher’s sophomore season was entertaining beyond measure.
“On the Road” capitalized on all the things that made the first season of Preacher great. Kooky characters, outlandish situations, and a dark undertone pervaded the opening episode, which was ridiculously fun! Cleverer than that was the seamless integration of all the players and “need to know” information for the season crammed into a single episode. Exposition may often be necessary, but it can unfortunately be boring. This week’s episode of Preacher managed to tell us what we needed to know about the unlikely trio (played by Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, and Joe Gilgun), their search for God, the frightening cowboy from hell (Graham McTavish) pursuing them, and a reminder of the power now wielded by Jesse Custer (Cooper). All the things the audience needed to know to get on board with the season were slyly melded into the story of the first episode, and it’s clearly the first stop in a wild and unpredictable ride!
Being crazy and off-kilter is not the only strength that Preacher brings to bear in the fight for television ratings. The show is appealing because it thoroughly explores the shades of gray of morality and hits on elements of faith and religion, subtly telling a deeper story than the comic shenanigans would have the audience initially believe. “On the Road” took a sharp knife to the power of Genesis and cut to the heart of the ethics behind Jesse’s use of such power (in its usual irreverent and darkly humorous way). The fabulous and empowered Tulip (Negga) draws attention to the issue of utilizing the supernatural force, and it’s clear the lines will have to be drawn at some point. Whether Tulip will be the naysaying girlfriend trying to curtail Jesse’s use of Genesis remains to be seen. Meanwhile, there is something strangely poetic about humans chasing after God with hell hot on their tails. Intentional or not, the story parallels that of mankind and religion in many ways, which adds to the appeal of Preacher.
The first season of Preacher had some hit or miss moments, losing focus and consistent pacing, but it did succeed in setting up a great foundation to build on. If “On the Road” is any indicator, the second season of the show has worked through the kinks that didn’t flow to find its solid footing on the ground of success in 2017.The first season of Preacher had some hit or miss moments, losing focus and consistent pacing, but it did succeed in setting up a great foundation to build on. If “On the Road” is any indicator, the second season of the show has worked through the kinks that didn’t flow to find its solid footing on the ground of success in 2017.
To watch Preacher yourself, tune in to AMC! And as a special treat, the second episode of season two of Preacher airs tonight at 9/8c!
admin
via The Nerd Machine
http://www.nerdhq.com/preacher-on-the-road-review/
No comments:
Post a Comment