Preacher: “Sokosha” Review

By: Jaclyn Cascio (@jaclynator)

The sixth episode of the sophomore season of Preacher brought Jesse and company face to face with the Saint of Killers. How did everyone fare in the face-off in “Sokosha” this week? Read on for a review to find out!

After an initially confusing cold open to this week’s episode of Preacher, we found Tulip’s (Ruth Negga) past with Viktor has been put to rest, and “Sokosha” showed Jesse (Dominic Cooper) with renewed interest in finding God. However, the Saint of Killers (Graham McTavish) had other plans for the crew this week, taking us on a detour once again. Making a new deal with the killer cowboy, Jesse had some soul-searching (ha!) to do in “Sokosha.” Bringing the Saint of Killers to the forefront of Preacher this week gave the audience some of the blood and mayhem that has become a large part of the show’s unique flavor. Throwing the team into research about their hell-bound enemy also provided an opportunity within the episode for some original story-telling – through books on tape, pictures, flip books, and even comic books! It felt like a wonderful homage to the Vertigo source material from which the series draws. Jesse worked through the deal with the dreaded cowboy and the storyline wrap-up was satisfying, yet also proved to be expertly written by opening up avenues for further consequences to emerge down the road. (In other words, there was no fat lady singing…)

While the detours from the search for God may feel a bit distracting sometimes, “Sokosha” did a fairly good job of subtly reminding viewers of some mysteries mentioned in previous episodes that have yet to come to the forefront, without overwhelming the story of the episode they set out to tell. Even if Preacher occasionally loses sight of the main focus of searching for God by turning to side stories more completely than may be necessary, the subplots are nonetheless intriguing and deserve exploration. This week, “Sokosha” reminded us that storylines are never forgotten. The identity of Dennis and his connection to Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) was finally revealed, while the mystery of Jesse’s past bubbled to the surface of the story for a curious moment. (There’s some good old-fashioned Louisiana voodoo involved, which is beautifully ironic, considering Jesse’s current occupation.) The world-dominating, fascist, white-suited organization was mentioned, and it’s clear that the trio has not forgotten that something strange is going on. A secretive soul-sucking Japanese company was introduced this week as well, and the implications of actions against the company and someone powerful in charge are not to be dismissed. “Sokosha” pulled these story threads into the episode with ease, adding to the complexity of the characters and the difficulty of their mission.

However, with reminders that there is more to the story of Preacher than a search for God, Eugene’s (Ian Coletti) time in hell has been passed over, once again, this week. While it’s still unclear the connection Eugene’s ordeal has (or will have) with Jesse’s story in Preacher’s second season, he was in a dark and interesting place, emotionally, when we last saw him. Being the sweet and innocent heart of the show amidst the other cynical characters has made Eugene a valuable piece of the Preacher puzzle, yet “Sokosha” revealed nothing further from the supernatural world down under. There are many detours that Preacher has the opportunity to take, but Eugene’s might be one of the most endearing. This left a little hole in this week’s episode that one can only hope will be remedied next week!

Cassidy also felt a bit overlooked in “Sokosha.” Last week, a bit of his dark side emerged as some of his manipulations became clearer. This week, his actions appear to have been put aside without further thought. The character has a lot of room for expansion and potential to be explored, yet this week only revealed to the audience the nature of his relationship with Dennis. Meanwhile, the episode provided little information about Cassidy as a person, his motivations, his history, etc. Jesse, Tulip, and even Eugene have had their backstories told (at least in part), yet the comedic Cassidy has yet to receive the same treatment. “Sokosha” felt like a good time to touch on his past, as it would have flowed naturally from his character’s shenanigans last week, but we have missed out. Maybe next week will be a different story!

To end things on a high note, “Sokosha” was an interesting piece of character work for Jesse. His attitude at the start of the episode, looking at himself in the fogged up mirror, was directly contrasted with the closing scene, where he found himself once again looking at himself in a steamy bathroom. “Sokosha” took Jesse toward a past that he has clearly been trying to leave behind, throughout the season, and it also showed a more conniving and self-serving side than we have ever seen before. Jesse’s ego has grown with the use of the power of Genesis, but playing judge, jury, and executioner in this episode really showed the God-complex that Jesse is developing, even as he ironically searches for the head honcho himself.

Overall, this week’s episode of Preacher brought us a delicious taste of the violence we come to expect from the show, cleverly wrapped up (at least temporarily) an obstacle in the way of the search for God, and reminded us that there is a whole world of mysteries to explore with the team. “Sokosha” brought some of the daily activities and conversations arising in an extraordinary situation which creates the ideal off-kilter atmosphere that makes Preacher unique and complex. While focus on the search for God this week may have been lost, and Eugene’s adventures were noticeably absent, “Sokosha” remained true to the originality of the show, maintaining the spirit of the crazy adventure, even as subplots were explored. While the episode may not be the most noteworthy of the season, it was an enjoyable experience that will keep me coming back for more.

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