TV Review: AMC’s Preacher 2×01, “On the Road”

Preacher has returned, and it’s kicking things off with a two-night season premiere, so apologies if this is a shorter review that expected. I mainly say that because “On the Road” may do a fine job of setting up what’s going on, but not a whole lot happens when you break it down. That said, anyone who gave up on Preacher in the first season due to how it wasn’t adhering to the comics page-for-page would likely be pleased to see how this season is kicking off with a blast of what to expect in terms of tone and handling the material based on the work by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. And those who aren’t familiar with the comics, well you just ideally watched an entertaining season premiere that included siphoning gas through intestines.

Yes, that whole intestines bit was kind of disgusting (okay, really disgusting), but what a great opening scene. Here’s a show that has so much on its mind concerning fantasy, redemption and faith, but it’s also a gonzo action/drama with a penchant for comic book antics. Balancing pitch black humor, gore and genuine broad comedy was always going to be tough for a television series, but writer/producer Sam Catlin and directors/developers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have done their best to meet the expectations of those who felt the first season was taking too long to get to the good stuff.

Now, the first season did have a lot of what could be found in “On the Road,” but this premiere certainly had a sort of drive that was badly needed for this show to carry on past its initial episodes. We can debate all we want about whether 13 episodes were needed to get to this point, but the fact is, Jesse (Dominic Cooper), Tulip (Ruth Negga) and Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) are now on the road together, and things are looking to be a lot more fun. Add to that a literal cowboy from hell, and there’s plenty that the rest of this season (and future seasons) has to accomplish in a manner fit with clearer direction.

Having left Annville, which has since been destroyed thanks to a power plant explosion that our heroes have yet to learn about, this story is now on the move. “The Search For God” states the opening title card, in the big white letters that have become a fun staple for the series, followed by a “Day One” for good measure. It’s a nice way to set things straight, but that doesn’t mean the journey will be easy or boring. The first ten minutes features a car chase, explosions, the aforementioned intestines, and a man who lay dying while reciting “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” It’s all pretty crazy, but the kind of crazy fit for this show.

Not much has changed regarding the relationship between the three leads, but it also constantly has them together, making this series what it should be – one strange road trip. Once the action settled down, time was spent catching us up on what else these characters can do, when not having random conversations about what happens to the skin of an innocent or getting into car chases thanks to goading from a former ex-boyfriend. The downtime is used to plan the next move, which means visiting an old acquaintance of Jesse’s.

This acquaintance is Mike, played by Glenn Morshower in a rare role that doesn’t have him involved as a military man (he’ll always be Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce to me). Mike is a fellow minister and one who eventually believes that Jesse is in fact in possession of Genesis (the voice of God) and that God is currently MIA. He reveals to them that a woman named Tammy claims to have seen God. Mike is then killed in the next scene.

Yes, it’s abrupt and sad, assuming you don’t think about Mike’s practices of helping people by locking them in cages and covering those cages in his garage. However, it’s important to note that his death was brought about by the Saint of Killers (more or less). Graham McTavish appeared to be in a whole other series in the first season, but his mission to kill Jesse, after being taken out of hell, provides the group with a wild threat that is not to be taken lightly, assuming they realize he’s after them. Given the episode’s cliffhanger ending, that knowledge will surely be obtained.

By the end of this episode, Jesse and the gang are not much closer to finding God, though they are now aware he liked the jazz musicians he heard at a club. Additionally, Jesse and Tulip have reignited their romantic relationship, while Cassidy harbors his love for Tulip in secret. As this is just part one of a two-part premiere, one can rejoice in finding the care given to make for a fun experience that’s much pulpier than the first season and seemingly ready to keep things moving. That in mind, there’s still plenty of weirdness to be found, which is just what people should be looking for in one of the wildest TV road trips currently going on.

Preachin’ To The Choir:

• After months of (pretty great) promotion from AMC, I’m still not tired of hearing Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Come On Eileen.”
• Cassidy’s attempts to keep himself out of the sun were a lot of fun amidst the chaos around him.
• “I gotta get the taste out” – Solution: hot sauce and Yoo Hoo.
• “That’s Ashley” – RIP Mike, we only knew you for a little bit, but you went out like a champ…by stabbing yourself in the chest.
• Tulip and Jesse debating on whether or not to use Genesis on Tammy was great fun.
• I am quite happy this series will not be a page-for-page adaptation and can only hope the fun of seeing various things from the Preacher comics be presented in new ways for the series will add to the overall value of adaptation.
• I am happy to be back covering this series by the way and look forward to both the conclusion of this two-part premiere and the rest of the season. Feel free to leave comments if you plan to follow along!